Participants of illegal gathering face prosecution: IGP
(Bernama) – KLANG: Police have warned that legal action will be taken against anyone attending an unlawful gathering sponsored by Hindraf that is expected to be held at the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) Sunday.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar said Saturday that no permit had been issued for the gathering, and anyone attending it would be breaking the law.
Police had rejected an application to hold the gathering on the grounds that it would jeopardise public order.
However, the organisers who are connected to Hindraf, the banned Hindu Rights Action Force, were expected to go ahead with the gathering.
Ismail said such a gathering would adversely affect security and disrupt public order, especially if it were held at a place like the KLCC, where many people converged during weekends.
“To those involved in organising the gathering, I give the reminder not to hold it. It will not only be against the law, but will inconvenience people and traders and cause traffic congestion,” he told reporters after a ground-breaking ceremony for a surau here.
Earlier, in his speech, Ismail said incitement and extremist demands could cause rifts among communities and arouse hatred for one another.
He said there should be early education on the need for tolerance and mutual respect in building a nation.
Meanwhile, in Temerloh, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said he had directed Ismail to personally monitor the situation and take firm action if Hindraf created trouble.
“He will be responsible for ensuring that the illegal organisation does not jeopardise the (security) situation,” he told reporters after nominations for the March 6 Kerdau by-election.
Hishammuddin said he believed the organisers were trying to create an atmosphere that was being witnessed in the Middle East, but Malaysia was a different situation altogether, and they were not getting the response they wanted.
“We know their intentions, we know that certain quarters are trying to bring about sentiments of the kind we see in the Middle East.
“But the situation here is different and it is not heading in that direction,” he said. – Bernama
