We, the undersigned civil society organisations, are deeply disturbed by the police harassment of the 10 activists associated with the Women’s March 2023 under the Peaceful Assembly Act and Minor Offences Act.
The march was held peacefully in all aspects with a diversity of messages relating to gender equality and related rights. It was a national celebration of democracy, similar to the Reformasi movement of the late 1990s that saw leaders like Anwar Ibrahim, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and Saifuddin Nasution Ismail take to the streets.
If the suppression of public voices in the late 1990s was wrong, so is the suppression of the people’s voices on 8 March 2023.
The Pakatan Harapan-led government must remember that national democratisation and regime change was built on the sacrifices of thousands of pro-democracy activists in Malaysia. Accordingly, the new government should better appreciate the value of democracy and freedom and differentiate itself from the previous authoritarian regimes.
Furthermore, aside from the Peaceful Assembly Act that is in need of reform, we are also concerned that the police have also increasingly resorted to the use of Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act to deter assemblies. The Minor Offences Act should not serve as another tool to penalise peaceful assemblers.
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We urge the police to respect the freedom of expression of the participants. All investigations of the organising committee members, speakers and observers should be dropped immediately. Instead, the police should investigate a sexual harassment allegation made by an activist.
Endorsed by:
1. Agora Society Malaysia
2. Aliran
3. All Women’s Action Society (Awam)
4. Association of Women Lawyers
5. Bersih
6. Centre for Independent Journalism
7. Citizens Against Enforced Disappearances (Caged)
8. Empower
9. Family Frontiers
10. Iman Research
11. Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia (JOAS)
12. Jejaka
13. justice for sisters
14. Kemban Kolektif
15. Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall Civil Rights Committee
16. Kryss Network
17. Legal Dignity
18. Life Under Umbrella
19. Maju
20. New Era Alumni Association
21. New Student Movement Alliance of Malaysia (Nesa)
22. Parti Sosialis Malaysia
23. Pemuda Sosialis
24. Persatuan Pemangkin Kesedaran Sosial
25. Persatuan Sahabat Wanita Selangor
26. Pertubuhan Advokasi dan Kesejahteraan Pekak Malaysia
27. Pluho – People Like Us Hang Out!
28. Ruang Komuniti P320
29. Sarawak OKU Skills Development Association
30. Save Malaysia Stop Lynas
31. Sisters in Islam (SIS)
32. Society for Equality, Respect and Trust for All Sabah (Serata)
33. Society for the Promotion of Human Rights Malaysia (Proham)
34. Student Progressive Front UUM (SPFUUM)
35. Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram)
36. Suara Siswa Universiti Malaya
37. Suara Siswa UUM
38. Tamil Foundation Malaysia
39. Tarany
40. Teoh Beng Hock Trust for Democracy
41. The Women Development organisation Malaysia PJ New Town Branch
42. Umany
43. Universiti Malaya Students’ Union
44. Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO)
45. Women’s Centre for Change (WCC)
Individual endorsers :
1. Kenneth Cheng
AGENDA RAKYAT - Lima perkara utama
- Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
- Galakkan pembangunan saksama, lestari serta tangani krisis alam sekitar
- Raikan kerencaman dan keterangkuman
- Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
- Lawan rasuah dan kronisme
