KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 8 — MCA cannot oppose PAS’s plan to hold a rally in support of a Bill to enhance the Shariah courts next month as the Islamist party has every right to do so, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz has said.

"MCA cannot disagree because (peaceful assembly) is the fundamental right of every individual, and the law (Peaceful Assembly Act 2012) was passed by Parliament when I was law minister.

"We have a law which allows anyone to hold a gathering because we believe people have a right to do based on stipulated rules,” news portal Malaysiakini quoted him as saying.

PAS announced yesterday that the mega rally will be held on February 18, and is expected to last between 3pm and 11pm.

The rally will be in support of Act 355, or the Shariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965, which Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang’s Bill seeks to amend.

But Nazri also said that the MCA is free to hold a counter-rally if they wished to do so.

"I believe no one can stop MCA if they choose to do so, as long as the party fulfills the requirements of the Peaceful Assembly Act,” he said.

PAS Deputy president Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man has said PAS has also applied for permit from the police to allow them to gather at Dataran Merdeka, and that they already have an alternative location in mind if the application is not allowed.

City Hall (DBKL) Mayor Datuk Seri Mhd Amin Abd Aziz said yesterday the iconic square is off limits to the Himpunan 355 rally by Islamist party PAS in support of its president Hadi’s private member’s Bill.

Mhd Amin however said PAS would be able to go ahead with the rally by changing the venue to Stadium Titiwangsa, also in Kuala Lumpur.