05/12: Bar Council calls off 'People's Freedom Walk'

Pauline Puah
The Sun

The Bar Council has called off its "People's Freedom Walk", in view of the "unfortunate and wholly unwarranted" controversy surrounding the event.

"The Bar Council has given anxious consideration to the present circumstances that surround this event, particularly the interests of the public and the Malaysian Bar. In consequence, the Bar Council has decided to cancel the walk from Sogo to Central Market," its chairwoman Ambiga Sreenevasan said in a press statement today.

She said the controversy surrounding the walk was "unfortunate and wholly unwarranted" and that the walk "ought not to be embroiled in controversy".

"Most significantly, it should not be vilified as affecting race relations or be regarded as an anti-government rally," she said.

"We are mindful that many will be disappointed at the cancellation of the walk, but other more significant considerations have prevailed on this occasion."

The walk was part of the Bar Council’s Festival of Rights on Dec 9, organised in conjunction with International Human Rights Day on Dec 10.

Ambiga said while the walk has been called off, the activities in Central Market – such as a lip-reading session of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, stage performances by the Orang Asli and others, and a colouring competition for children – will proceed as planned.

On Sunday (Dec 2), Information Minister Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin said street protests should not be held as they would stir up uneasiness among the people and harm racial unity. Commenting on the Bar Council’s walk, he told Bernama that street rallies, regardless of what reasons were given, should not be permitted.

His comment came in the wake of two rallies held in Kuala Lumpur without police permits – by the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections on Nov 10 and Hindu Rights Action Force on Nov 25 – where the police used water cannon and tear gas to disperse the crowd.

Other ministers, including Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, had also criticised the rallies. Abdullah said that if necessary, the government will use the Internal Security Act against street demonstrators who threaten national security and disrupt racial harmony.

Zainuddin questioned the Bar Council’s motive for organising the walk. "Any form of street rallies for whatever reasons should not be allowed now as they will only tarnish the nation’s image in the eyes of the international community.

"I believe the Bar Council’s intention to hold the ‘People’s Freedom Walk’ is to condemn the government under the guise of human rights," he said.

He also criticised theSun for publishing a report on the walk, saying the report promoted the event and that the daily was not bothered about racial unity.

In her statement, Ambiga said the Bar Council had held events in the past two years to commemorate International Human Rights Day. "It is a celebration of human rights, and the Malaysian Bar supports the International Human Rights Day as symbolic of the universality of human rights," she said.

She also said the walk would have demonstrated racial harmony and – as has been demonstrated before – that the people can walk peaceably in unity for human rights the world over.

"It would have been an opportunity for the authorities to show to the world that we subscribe to these values," she said. "It is a missed opportunity."

Ambiga said the Bar Council also took the position that the requirement for a police permit, under the Police Act, to hold the event would be a violation of the people's constitutional right to peaceful assembly.

"In fact, the Royal Commission on the Police Force and Suhakam (Human Rights Commission of Malaysia) have said as much, and have called for a repeal of this law, as has the Bar Council.

"The police had asked for the Bar Council to apply for a permit for their consideration for the walk. Apart from the circumstances that we have taken into account, we believe this is an unlawful fetter on our constitutional right to assemble peacefully," she said.