KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said on Monday (Jul 1) that the government’s proposal to decriminalise street protest through amending the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 would not affect security and public order in the country.
This was because there are still other legal provisions to ensure peace, he said, according to Malay Mail.
“If they say it would be a peaceful street protest, then that is what it should be in the spirit of the law.
“But what happens when it turns out to be rowdy, rough and a lot of other things, then other laws would have to come in, such as the Penal Code or other provision of the laws to ensure that there will be always peace,” he told reporters at the lobby of the parliament.
The minister was responding to concerns that the proposal could lead to violence, like the ongoing demonstrations in Hong Kong over a controversial extradition Bill.
Earlier in the day, the Peaceful Assembly (Amendment) Bill 2019 which, among other things, seeks to do away with offences related to street protests, was tabled for its first reading at the Lower House by Deputy Home Minister Mohd Aziz Jamman.
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