Muhyiddin says Women's Day march held without permit, leaving matter to cops

Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): The International Women's Day march near a shopping centre here on Saturday (March 9) was held without a permit, says Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (pic).

He said the government rejects any move to organise an assembly without a permit as it would be violating the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012.

"Police have conducted investigations and found there was no permit issued for the assembly. Parties wishing to hold an assembly must abide by the law.

"However, I was informed that they gathered without a permit and thereby infringed the law, so I am leaving the matter to police,” he said when met at Parliament lobby here on Monday (March 11).

(Under the Peaceful Assembly Act, police permits are no longer required for mass assemblies, although organisers must notify the OCPD within 10 days of the assembly date. – ED).

Muhyiddin added that the government was always monitoring assemblies organised in the country.

“We have laws and will take stern action in whatever issue, as no Malaysian is exempt from the rule of law; this is a democratic system but we have laws that must be complied with,” he said.

More than 1,000 people participated in the march to demand the eradication of gender discrimination and violence against women, as well as to seek gender equality.

Marchers also expressed support for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. – Bernama