“The police may have come out with a statement banning the protest, but they have to realise that Malaysians have the right to demonstrate peacefully,” said Amanah Youth Vice-President Mohd Fakhrulrazi Mohd Mokhtar.
The protest, billed as “ShutdownSungaiBesi, is organised by Amanah Youth chief Shazni Munir Ithnin. It is scheduled to take place at 9pm in the vicinity of the Sungai Besi toll plaza.
Fakhulrazi told FMT that Amanah Youth was in “complete support” of the protest.
Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar has said that the demonstration would be illegal because the organisers had failed to fulfil conditions under the Peaceful Assembly Act. He has warned that participants would be arrested.
Fakhulrazi criticised Khalid for the warning, saying he was disregarding the constitutional guarantee of the people’s right to assemble peacefully.
“It’s important for people to have a way to voice out their frustrations with the government,” he said.