Azmin: Our right to march, but be careful

As police arrest Pakatan leaders, Zaid chimes in with call to postpone rally

KUALA LUMPUR: Protesters attending this afternoon’s KitaLawan rally were reminded today of their constitutional right to do so. However, PKR deputy president Azmin Ali also cautioned them not to cause provocation or to be provoked.

His former party colleague and former law minister Zaid Ibrahim, in a Twitter posting, suggested that rally organiser postpone the protest. “No need to demonstrate on this happy day; Give PM his day. His daughter’s day. Assemble next week,” he said.

Rally organisers have previously said they would march to KLCC mall and “gatecrash” the wedding reception of Najib Razak’s daughter.

However, the Jingga13 activist group said that as fellow Malaysians they also wished to celebrate the occasion by marching to KLCC.

In Shah Alam, Azmin Ali told reporters that demonstrations were allowed under the Constitution and should not pose a problem.

However protesters should also respect the Constitution and not fall for provocation or trigger a provocation, he said.

Malaysian police have carried out a wave of arrests of politicians who were expected to lead today’s protest march and have said the rally was illegal. However, opposition activists have countered that police were acting illegally and not showing respect for a court decision striking down as unconstitutional a police requirement for advance notice.

Zaid also said rally participants should “give and take” and not to continue “provoking one another”.

“Don’t provoke one another,” he was quoted as saying. “It’s not good. Everyone is tired as well, reading about the clash between the police and the rally participants.”