50 activists protest against Peaceful Assembly Act

 November 30, 2011, Wednesday

The activists gather in front of the Peter Mojuntin Monument in protest against the Peaceful Assembly Act.PENAMPANG: About 50 activists from 13 organisations staged a peaceful gathering in protest against the Peaceful Assembly Act in front of the Peter Mojuntin Monument in Donggongon here yesterday.The gathering, which included political leaders, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and social activists, was to protest against a couple of issues, namely the Peaceful Assembly Act (PAA), issues on illegal immigrants (PTI) and NCR land.According to the organizing chairman, Kanul Gindol, yesterday’s peaceful gathering was to coincide with the National Public Protest and PAA Bill that is currently being discussed in the Parliament.“We have received many complaints from the people of Sabah on issues such as land grabs and illegal immigrants as well as phantom voters.“We therefore hope, through such peaceful gathering, the government would listen and respect our native customary right (NCR) and to call on the federal government to reconsider its stand of not setting up the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to investigate the presence of phantom voters, ‘IC palsu’ (fake IC) and illegal immigrants,” he said yesterday.

Asked if the organiser had obtained a police permit to stage the peaceful gathering, Gindol said they had received a verbal permission from the authority on condition that the gathering would only be for 15 minutes.Among those present at the gathering were Luyang assemblywoman and SAPP Wanita chief Melani Chai, social activist Patric Sindu, leaders of political parties.