People's Freedom Walk, 9 December 2007,

UPDATE 4 December 2007: People's Freedom Walk has been cancelled. The FESTIVITIES AT CENTRAL MARKET ANNEX WILL PROCEED

People's Freedom Walk

There will be another walk (march?) called the People's Freedom Walk in conjunction with the Human Rights Day which will actually be celebrated worldwide on 10 December. This time it will be organized by the Malaysian Bar Council.

---

They plan to start the People's Freedom Walk from

Sogo (a Japanese department store)
190, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, (previously known as Batu Road)
50100 Kuala Lumpur.
Date: Sunday 9 December 2007
Time: 7.00am

They plan to walk through Dataran Merdeka and finish at Pasar Seni (Art Market, formerly Central Market) near the Klang Bus Terminal and opposite the Klang River from Daya Bumi).

(If I remember KL correctly, this will be diagonally near Pertama Complex and opposite Cathy cinema. Someone please correct me if I got the name of the cinema wrong)

FESTIVITIES AT CENTRAL MARKET ANNEX

The time for the event at Pasar Seni (Art Market which was previously Central Market) has been announced as 9.00 am onward. Events include poetry reading, Orang Asli cultural dance, performances by Dr Wan Zawawi, plus lawyers including Fahri Azzat, Syamsuriatina Ishak, Dipendra Harshad Rai and Lai Chee Hoe. There will also be guest appearances.

The highlight of the Day will be the “When Faith Meets Law” multi-religious panel session discussing conscience rights. At this session, the Bar Council will give religious groups the opportunity to discuss issues and concerns on faith, law and human rights. Prominent figures from the various religious groups in Malaysia have been invited as speakers.

The Bar council have also planned a session called "I wish that…" where the various NGOs and groups will present their particular demands on issues affecting them. It will be a fun day out. I will be there as a NGI (non-Government Individual) hoping to get legal opinion on the legality of the Police Act that require a Police permit for assembly of 5 or more.

Organizers are only targeting 1,000 participants. Wondering how the authorities will react.

I have read the Constitution and it clearly says any law or regulation which is contrary to the spirit of the Constitution shall be invalid. I have asked my daughter to bring that copy of the Malaysian Constitution to confirm that there are clauses allowing free expressions and free assembly.

Has the Bar Council came to the conclusion that the Police Act which requires a Police Permit runs contrary to the spirit of the Malaysian Constitution and is therefore not valid? Hoping someone from Bar Council or a lawyer will respond. I am no lawyer or Constitutional expert.