PUTRAJAYA: Organisers of the "Himpunan Selamatkan Rakyat" gathering should not play the victim when called up to provide statements to the police after failing to comply with pre-requisites of holding gatherings under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (pic) said under the Act, the organisers had to inform the police about the rally but failed to do so.
"It is the organiser's responsibility to inform the police and (as it was not done) this is what led to the police having to call the organisers (to provide statements).
"The organisers cannot play the victim because of their unwillingness to notify us about the most basic thing," he said at a special press conference here on Wednesday (Jan 24).
Saifuddin said there was no issue of the Madani Government preventing the people from holding rallies, because a total of 78 applications to gather were accepted throughout last year after all of them complied with the Act, and no charges were filed in court.
Saifuddin said his ministry also viewed seriously the actions of those who "dragged" the name of the Palace institution into the gathering.
He said that the ministry received a report from the Palace a few hours before the rally was held following allegations that Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah had consented to some individuals entering the palace to hand over documents related to the gathering.
"This is an act of dragging the name of the Palace institution into a gathering that was not reported to the police and prompted the Palace to file a report.
"When investigations are usually done (for gatherings) it is more like giving advice or warnings, and when it goes beyond the limit like dragging the name of the Palace institution (into the matter), I believe appropriate action will be taken by the police," he said.
Saifudin said a special team would investigate the matter within seven days before the investigation paper is submitted to the Attorney General's Chambers for further action.
The "Himpunan Selamatkan Rakyat" gathering held at Gate 2 of Istana Negara on Tuesday (Jan 23) was organised by the secretariat of Pembela Tanah Air (Peta) and also attended by about 700 individuals comprising supporters of a political party, members of non-governmental organisations and the public.
Brickfields OCPD Asst Comm Amihizam Abdul Shukor said four individuals had submitted a memorandum to Istana Negara's chief of corporate communications during the gathering.
On Tuesday, Kuala Lumpur police chief Comm Datuk Allaudeen Abdul Majid said the organisers of the gathering had been identified and would be called to testify soon.
Allaudeen said the police had also received a report from the Palace regarding the claim by Badrul Hisham Shahrin – better known as "Chegubard" – that three representatives of Perikatan Nasional were called to appear before the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on Tuesday.
He said the case was investigated and handled by the Bukit Aman Classified Crime Investigation Unit. – Bernama
