KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 21 — Authorities have called up five individuals including two Pahang lawmakers from Pakatan Harapan to have their statements recorded over the rally last weekend in Kuantan against the Lynas rare earth plant, the Save Malaysia, Stop Lynas (SMSL) group’s chairman Tan Bun Teet has confirmed.

Tan said he and four others will be providing their statements to the police, but pointed out that the organisers had previously done all they could to comply with the law when organising the anti-Lynas rally.

“Five of us. Two YBs, (Semambu assemblyman) Lee Chean Chung and (Teruntum assemblyman) Sim Chon Siang, our lawyer Hon Kai Ping, Pertubuhan Solidariti Hijau Kuantan secretary Chu Seng Poong and myself,” he told Malay Mail when confirming the probe.

Tan said he and Chu will be giving their statements to the police this Friday at Sim’s office, while Hon and Sim would be giving their statement tomorrow at the latter’s office. Lee would also have his statement recorded tomorrow at his own office, Tan said.

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Tan confirmed that police did not specify what law the five would be probed under, but indicated it was over the organisers’ alleged failure to obtain permission from the Kuantan Municipal Council (MPK) for use of the Taman Gelora park in Kuantan for the rally last Sunday.

Noting that the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 currently only requires rally organisers to inform the police 10 days in advance, Tan pointed out that the organisers had notified the police 18 days before the August 18 rally took place.

“So the police called us in, they briefed us on the conditions for the rally, one of it is that we should obtain permission from the local authority referring to the local government municipal council for the usage of the venue, which we have applied on July 29, 21 days before the event,” he explained.

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Tan said MPK did not respond to the organisers’ application for use of Taman Gelora.

“And until today we didn’t get any reply from them. So we had everything prepared, we assumed there is no reason for local authority to reject our application because that is a public place, everybody can go there, so we got everything ready, we waited and waited... we have no choice but to go ahead,” he said.

“This is beyond any logical thinking for a municipal council to hold back a reply whether approved or disapproved, they have a duty to inform the applicant but they didn’t do so. That’s why we went ahead and police regarded it as illegal assembly,” he said, adding that the organisers had complied with all other conditions for the rally.

Tan said the protesters against Lynas had previously organised multiple events in the same venue during Barisan Nasional’s rule without notifying the police or local authority without any repercussions, but noted that the organisers are now being investigated despite following the law.

Tan highlighted that Malaysians have a right under the Federal Constitution to assemble, and argued that the only thing that citizens should be required to do is to inform the police and said an advance notice of five to seven days would be reasonable.

Tan also suggested that every town or municipal council in Malaysia including gazette specific public places as venues for peaceful assemblies and rallies as it would avoid unnecessary hassles.

“I think the Pakatan Harapan government should buck up and look into this... It’s not too difficult for them to find a suitable place for people to assemble,” he said.

On July 4, the Dewan Rakyat passed a Bill to amend the Peaceful Assembly Act, including to shorten the notification period to police to five days. This would only come into effect after it is gazetted by the government.

Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had also then said only Stadium Darul Makmur in Pahang had been gazetted as a venue for peaceful assemblies, and that Padang Merbok and Jalan Raja will be gazetted as such venues in Kuala Lumpur. He had said the Home Ministry would be discussing with state governments and local councils to determine such venues.

When contacted by Malay Mail, SMSL legal adviser Hon confirmed that the police will be recording his statement in relation to the rally and that he would be doing so tomorrow in Sim’s office.

When contacted by Malay Mail, Lee said the police contacted him yesterday to assist in investigations on the rally under the Peaceful Assembly Act, but said he will only be meeting them this Friday in Kuantan as he is not around these two days.

Lee confirmed that he is not an organiser of the rally and that he had merely attended the event.