KAJANG: The proposed amendments to the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 should make it less rigid, says Bangi MP Syahredzan Johan.
He said the people's right to peaceful assemblies should be upheld as long as they are peaceful and do not encroach on private spaces.
"If an assembly is held in private (areas), then the organisers have to seek consent from the premises' owner.
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"However, if the assembly is held in public spaces, such as those managed by local councils, then (the law) should not be so rigid to the extent that the organisers need venue approval," he told the media after visiting Pasar Kajang on Friday (Feb 14).
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said in the Dewan Rakyat recently that the Act would be amended to facilitate and support groups that wish to organise peaceful assemblies.
He said the changes would include removing the requirement to obtain venue approval as stipulated under the Act in its current form.
"Under Section 11 of the Act, which states that organisers must obtain the consent of the owner or occupier of the assembly site, is currently a point of contention (and) will be removed from the regulations," he had said.
