Malaysia to relax laws on public protests

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia agreed on Thursday to relax laws on public protests, including axing the need to receive prior permission for demonstrations, a long-time bone of contention for activists who hailed the move.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim told parliament that a provision in the Peaceful Assembly Act -- which stipulates that organisers must first get consent before holding a gathering -- will be removed.

Police often have used the rule as a reason to prevent rallies from taking place, saying if no green light was given by local property owners, demonstrations would not be allowed. But Anwar said on Thursday “that from now on, no approval is required except for a five-day notification to the police”.

This was to allow authorities to manage security, crowd control and traffic, said Anwar, himself a veteran demonstrator. As for venues, “there will also be more flexibility unless the locations are considered security-sensitive”, the premier said.

However, gatherings involving weapons or young children would remain banned in the Southeast Asian nation. The Peaceful Assembly Act has long been a sore point for Malaysia´s non-governmental organisations and political parties seeking to hold protests and rallies, with many urging past governments to repeal it.