Peaceful KL rally proves Najib govt’s sincerity, says Gerakan

Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon says he peaceful city rally yesterday underscores the sincerity of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his Barisan Nasional (BN) government in allowing greater civil freedom.

The peaceful city rally yesterday underscores the sincerity of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his Barisan Nasional (BN) government in allowing greater civil freedom, Gerakan president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon said today. 

The former Penang Chief Minister pointed out that oftentimes during Cabinet meetings, it was the prime minister who would repeatedly emphasise the need to facilitate peaceful gatherings in stadiums and other designated areas, learning from the mistakes of past rallies organised by polls watchdog Bersih 2.0.

“BN is fully committed to realising a matured system of parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy for Malaysia, in accordance with the wishes of the people,” he said in a statement here.

Koh added the way in which the Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat gathering was conducted yesterday was also proof that the newly enacted Peaceful Assembly Act 2011 could work well if all parties complied and acted with restraint.


“Equally important, the outcome underscores the sincerity and seriousness of the Najib-led BN government in providing democratic space and ensuring peaceful assemblies for the people to exercise their rights and freedom with responsibility.

“After all, it was Dato’ Sri Najib and the BN who taken had concrete steps to abolish the Internal Security Act and repeal or review other restrictive laws,” he said.

Koh also commended the police, the KL City Hall, several government departments and the opposition for learning from past events that any act of provocation during such massive gatherings would not escape the eyes of the public.
 
“All patriots and democrats should therefore welcome the peaceful assembly as yet another positive step towards a more matured democracy,” he said.

The Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat rally or “KL112” as it has been dubbed, drew a crowd of 45,000 people to Stadium Merdeka yesterday, according to police estimates, and went on until 5pm without recording any injury or untoward incidents.

This is the first time that such a mammoth event has earned the full cooperation of the police, who had facilitated the entire event by providing security marshals to protect pressmen, diverted motorists to avert traffic jams and maintained restraint although it was later discovered that some protestors had violated the Peaceful Assembly Act.

The last few gatherings by Bersih 2.0 had resulted in violence and chaos, with riot police chasing protestors down the streets of the capital amid a bombardment of tear gas canisters and chemical-laced water.

The heavy clampdown on public dissent had earned the Najib administration much criticism in the international media, forcing the government into damage-control mode by enacting the new Act to regulate public gatherings.

(Source: www.themalaysianinsider.com)