Police Must Facilitate Turun Anwar Rally After Court Ruling Pas

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PAS has urged police to facilitate the upcoming Himpunan Turun Anwar rally, following the Federal Court decision that ruled a section of the Peaceful Assembly Act (PAA) 2012 criminalising not giving notice of assemblies to the authorities as unconstitutional.
The party’s secretary-general, Takiyuddin Hassan, said the ruling shows the authorities should make it easier for people to hold public gatherings, as it is a right guaranteed by the Federal Constitution.
“The duty of the police should be to control public gatherings so that (such events) do not trouble or complicate matters for others. The role of the police is not to hinder such gatherings, but to facilitate them - that’s what the judge said.
“We’re asking the police to provide their cooperation and help to us,” Takiyuddin told a press conference in Bangi today.
ADSHe also expressed his confidence that the gathering, scheduled to take place on July 26 at Dataran Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur and targeted to draw some 50,000 participants, will proceed peacefully.
He noted that the rally organisers have established checkpoints at various locations in the city centre for the gathering of participants before all groups begin their march to Dataran Merdeka at 2pm on the event day.
An earlier Turun Anwar rally in Shah Alam, Selangor, July 6, 2025While PAS Youth initially planned for the gathering to protest against the government’s proposed Urban Renewal Act (URA), the theme of the rally has now been changed to call for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s resignation.
PAS Youth chief Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden previously claimed that various issues affecting the nation since the Madani government assumed power can be traced back to one person - Anwar.
On July 1, the Federal Court struck out Clause 9(5) of the PAA, which stipulates that an organiser can be slapped with a fine of not more than RM10,000 for failure to provide a notice to the police, five days before a planned gathering.
Then-chief justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, on her last day before retirement, led a five-member bench in the unanimous ruling over a challenge brought by former Muda secretary-general Amir Hariri Abdul Hadi.
Tengku Maimun said Section 9(5) of the PAA imposes a punishment that exceeds the limits permitted under Article 10(1)(b) of the Federal Constitution, which guarantees the freedom of speech, assembly, and association.
She also described the section as “a disproportionate intervention” that amounted to a prohibition rather than a restriction on the guaranteed rights.
Pre-rally in Kedah
Takiyuddin said another rally will be held on July 17 in Alor Setar, Kedah, as a precursor to the Himpunan Turun Anwar gathering.
The Kedah rally, dubbed the Himpunan Mandat Negarawan Demi Tanah Air Tercinta, will feature speeches from former prime ministers Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Muhyiddin Yassin.
Other politicians expected to attend the event at the Sultan Abdul Halim Stadium include opposition leader and Bersatu deputy president Hamzah Zainudin, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, and Kedah Menteri Besar Sanusi Nor. - Mkini

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