Planned rally cannot be declared illegal, says lawyer

PETALING JAYA: The planned #TangkapMalaysianOfficial1 rally cannot be declared illegal if it is peaceful, said lawyer Syahredzan Johan.  

"Under the Peaceful Assembly Act, the Government cannot outlaw any peaceful assembly. It can only stop the assembly if it is in a prohibited place or within 50m of a prohibited place, or if the assembly-goers commit an offence under any written law," said Syahredzan.  

"However, there is a possibility that the Government may decide to use the National Security Council Act to declare a security area within the intended rally venue.  

"If a security area is declared, then the Armed Forces may be deployed to prevent people from entering the area. This is highly unlikely, but it is a distinct possibility, especially when 'national security' is not even defined in the Act," he said here Tuesday.  

It has been reported that the group is currently seeking a police permit to hold the rally, which is being organised by a coalition of student groups.  

They are targeting 10,000 people for the rally, which is aimed at putting pressure on the authorities to arrest and charge “Malaysian Official 1” who was named in the recent US Justice Department civil claims in relation to 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).  

Group spokesman Anis Syafiqah Md Yusof told a press conference Monday that the rally was open to anyone regardless of background or political ideology.  

“The issue of 1MDB is no longer an issue inside the country, but has become big news all around the world. The youth can’t take being a laughing stock of the international community any more,” she said.  

The US lawsuits seek to seize over US$1bil (RM4.02bil) in assets bought via funds allegedly misappropriated from the sovereign national fund.