KUALA LUMPUR, March 18 — The organiser of a seminar on Marxism has been informed by authorities that the event will not be permitted to take place and that police will conduct roadblocks to prevent the public from attending.
Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) central committee member S. Arutchelvan said the police also advised them to conduct such events in universities in the future.
“ACP Zaini Che Din informed the PSM representatives that the police do not allow the Marxism course which will be held on March 20, 2016, to maintain public safety.
“The police will also block the roads to the programme’s location,” he said in a statement.
Arutchelvan added that there was no official document conveying the police’s decision, but that he was told that they were acting under Section 105 of the Penal Code.
Section 105 of the Criminal Procedure Code allows for an arrest to prevent “seizable offences”, although it is unclear how this relates to the event.
Arul said the move was a violation of the rights to free speech, thought and freedom of assembly, and that PSM will also consider legal action against the police for claiming that the course would promote communism.
Previously, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar vowed stern action against anyone who takes part in the March 20 Marxism course, whether it is the organiser or participant.
Marxism is the socioeconomic theory based on the teachings of German philosophers Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, but is often conflated with the Marxism-Leninism political philosophy that is often tied to communist regimes.
