MARCH 4 — The police’s alleged refusal to accept a notice of assembly by the organisers of a rally for women in Kuala Lumpur has sparked a media furore.
On Sunday (March 3), the organising committee of the Women’s March Malaysia (WMMY) 2024 took the police to task for allegedly refusing to accept the notice sent for the event planned for this Saturday.
The committee said that it had tried four times, on March 2 and 3, to submit the notice to the police but failed.
It must be said that the police have no authority under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 (PAA) to refuse to accept notice under Section 9(1) of the PAA.
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With respect, however, WMMY may have overlooked Section 9(4) of the PAA. It states that the notification under Section 9(1) must be given to the Officer in charge of police district (OCPD) by AR registered post or courier or by hand.
Any of the modes will do and suffice. WMMY, and any organiser of an assembly for that matter, need not give the notice by hand.
* This is the personal opinion of the writers or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
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