IPOH CITY WATCH PRESS RELEASE:
Respect freedom of assembly, repeal Internal Security Act
It is not enough that the Malaysian government takes steps to review the Internal Security Act (ISA) 1960.
This draconian piece legislation must be repealed and be remembered as a historical piece of law that has no place in the modern Malaysian context.
It is only natural that right thinking members of society will voice and continue to voice their dissatisfaction and dissent until ISA is finally repealed.
Ipoh City Watch regrets that public outrage and protests against this legislation though peaceful in nature, however is met with unnecessary and unwarranted arrests as seen in the recent peaceful anti ISA rally in Kuala Lumpur on 01.08.2009.
The government must be receptive to the ever changing aspirations of its citizens, particularly the need for its citizens to assemble peacefully.
We urge the government to issue directives to the necessary government agencies namely the Police to respect the constitutional rights of Malaysians to assemble peacefully and further direct all government agencies to offer guard and protection to these assemblers until their intended peaceful mission of the day is accomplished.
Dated 02.08.2009
Augustine Anthony
Chairman,
Ipoh City Watch