PSM: Malaysians freer to assemble now

Michael Jeyakumar notes that police showed more restraint at this year's May Day rally than they would have 20 years ago.

PETALING JAYA: Parti Socialis Malaysia (PSM) has acknowledged that the police and other enforcement authorities are becoming more accepting of the public’s freedom to assemble.

Speaking to FMT, PSM Central Committee member Michael Jeyakumar said he was gratified that the police showed restraint at this year’s May Day rally in Kuala Lumpur despite having threatened to take action against the organisers.

About 500 people gathered at the city centre two days ago and dispersed after two hours. The rally was organised by 70 non-governmental organisations, activist groups and political parties.

“We walked two to three kilometres,” Jeyakumar said. “This would have been unthinkable in the 90s. They would have jumped on us the moment we started meeting.

“We in PSM had May Day rallies back in 1993 and 1994. The police were so sensitive back then. They would jump at any rally.

“The police are still threatening to investigate the organisers for non-compliance with the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012. Yes, they’re not really comfortable. They don’t like the idea, but their response is much less intense than it was 20 years ago.”

Jeyakumar attributed this change to the pressure being applied “from the people at the bottom”.

“People pushed from the bottom and they got a response from the top,” he said. “Progress didn’t occur in a vacuum. It occurred after situations in which the police overreacted and people were tear-gassed.”

Jeyakumar cited as an example the Kesas Highway rally in 2000, which was forcibly stopped, resulting in Suhakam censuring the authorities for their overreaction.

“The police are better now, but change didn’t come from themselves. It came from civil society. With groups like the Bar Council, Suhakam and Suaram all speaking up, the space opened up.

“Are rallies useful? Yes. People may not see changes immediately, but when they push from the bottom, then there is some response from the top. I would tell activists and the youth: things will change. Maybe not at the pace we want, but if there is pressure from the bottom, changes occur.”

When asked what activists today should be mindful of in their efforts to institute change, Jeyakumar said that those looking to organise rallies would need to know “how to play the game”.

“Now you have the Peaceful Assembly Act. Do all the tactical things you need to do. You just have to notify the police. If you don’t, they can charge you for that. You’ve got to be smart, play the game, do whatever you’re supposed to do. They won’t have the right to stop you.

“If they say that it’s the wrong place and so on, you can negotiate. Play the game, but don’t let them tighten up too much.”

Jeyakumar also advised activists to ensure that racial and religious sentiments do not creep into their ralllies.

“When you have a democracy and more space for people, irresponsible elements will crop up and make a rally racist or based on religious sentiments,” he said.

“There should be certain boundaries against anyone who spreads racial suspicion and instigates people racially and religiously to cause harm to society.

“You can’t say just anything. If what you say makes people suspicious of another race or religious group, then I think it should be rejected. Society has the right to expect that people don’t spread these things.”