IGP: Illegal rally will be stopped

KUALA LUMPUR: A proposed gathering called “Himpunan Guling Kerajaan” (Rally to Topple the Government), which is scheduled to be held at Dataran Merdeka on New Year’s Eve, has been deemed a threat to national security, says Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar.

He added that police have taken steps to make sure the gathering would be stopped.

“The announcement for the gathering has been posted on the Internet and social websites, but we have to see how true it is,” he said in a press conference at Bukit Aman yesterday.

Khalid urged the public not to attend the rally, adding that those involved with the gathering would be investigated under the Penal Code and the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma).

He said the police are looking for a man whose face was seen on one of the gathering’s banners to come forward to help in investigations.

Khalid was speaking to reporters after receiving a donation of RM30,000 from the Korean Society in Malaysia for the Royal Malaysian Police’s Families Scholarship Fund.

On the protest against property assessment revaluation that was held outside the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) headquarters, Khalid said the organisers would be arrested soon.

However, he declined to say when they would be picked up.

The protest has been deemed illegal by the police as there was no request for the gathering under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012.

Several Pakatan Rakyat MPs also came and handed over the protest letters by residents to Mayor Datuk Seri Ahmad Phesal Talib.

On another matter, Khalid said a man has been arrested under the Sedition Act for allegedly organising a gathering in Lunas, Kedah, to celebrate the birthday of the late leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ellam (LTTE) V. Prabhakaran.

The gathering has been classified as a threat to national security.

He said the 22-year-old man, who was the president of an NGO which organised the gathering on Dec 14, was arrested two days later.

Police are also looking for eight more members of the NGO who were also involved.