PUTRAJAYA: Do not stop gatherings in front of Parliament but ensure that they are orderly, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has told the Cabinet.
Government spokesman and Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said Anwar conveyed this to the ministers during the Cabinet meeting on Friday (Aug 22).
“The few peaceful protests held in front of Parliament recently led to discussions in the Cabinet on the need for a suitable place to enable crowds or parties wanting to hand over a memorandum or state their stand (on issues).
“The Prime Minister stressed that gatherings in front of Parliament should not be stopped.
“However, he said that while interested parties can gather in front of the Parliament, there must be proper notification to the authorities, and efforts must be taken... to ensure that the entry and exit of MPs is managed properly.
“There should be better security and management so as not to disrupt traffic going in and out of Parliament,” Fahmi said at his weekly post-Cabinet briefing.
On Aug 13, a peaceful protest turned chaotic when protesters and police clashed in front of Parliament.
Fahmi also said that during Friday's meeting, Anwar directed Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department responsible for Federal Territories, to inspect the fencing around Padang Merbok and make improvements to the field.
On Aug 19, Dr Zaliha said she had instructed Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) to carry out upgrading works and reopen the space to the public.
“I visited Padang Merbok after being informed that the area had been closed to the public. I do not quite agree with this decision as Padang Merbok holds historical significance and should be utilised for recreational activities,” she said.
Security fencing was installed around Padang Merbok as part of upgrading works from August 2022.
However, this did not sit well with city folk, who said fencing up the field disrupted their recreational activities.
