KUALA LUMPUR: Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli, Seremban MP Anthony Loke Siew Fook and Pakatan Rakyat secretariat staff member Adib Ishar were charged for using Padang Merbok as a venue for a rally without permission.
They were charged at the Jalan Duta Session court for failing to obtain the consent of Kuala Lumpur City Hall as premise owner when they used Padang Merbok as venue for Black 505 rally on June 22 under section 15(3) of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012.
Loke was represented by KP Wong and Thomas Su. Rafizi and Adib were represented by N Surendran, Latheefa Koya and Michelle Yesudas.
The trio are also facing an additional charge under section 9(1) of the PAA for failing to notify the police 10 days prior to the assembly.
Last week, they received a court order that stated that he would be charged in court for breaching the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012.
The order stated that the trio failed to comply with conditions set by Dang Wangi OCPD ACP Zainuddin Ahmad to obtain Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s permission to use Padang Merbok as a rally gathering point as stated in section 11 of the PAA that makes it a must to obtain venue owner’s consent.
Section 9(5) of the PAA states that those convicted would be liable to a fine not exceeding RM10,000.
Deputy public prosecutor Kalmizah Salleh proposed bail set at RM5,000 but defence counsels objected on the grounds that this was a summons case and not a warrants case.
Sessions Court judge Mat Ghani Abdullah allowed the defendants to be freed on a personal bond amounting to RM3000.
He also fixed the case management to be heard on Sept 23. The case will be heard on Oct 7 and 8. The hearing then would continue from Dec 9 to 11.
In the same court, student activists Adam Adli Abd Halim, Solidariti Mahasiswa Malaysia (SMM) head Muhammad Safwan Anang, SMM activist Ekhsan Bukharee Badarul Hisham and UM student Mohamed Bukhairy Mohamed Sofian Sufian was charged under section 4(2) (b) of the PAA for gathering for an assembly at a prohibited place.
On June 22, they had assembled at the Ar-Rahman mosque to march to Padang Merbok.
The PAA prohibits assembly at places of worship.
Prosecution was led by deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Ishrakh.
Adam was represented by Surendran and the rest were represented by Murnie Hidayah Anuar.
The same judge allowed all of them to be freed with a personal bond of RM2000.
Their case will be heard on Oct 21 to 24.
K. Pragalath, Free Malaysia Today

Category: News