KUCHING: Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak secretary Chong Chieng Jen said the police should allow the Movement for Change Sarawak (MoCS) to hold demonstrations.
He said no democratic system could deny the constitutional right of holding an assembly in public.
Speaking at a news conference yesterday, Chong said not even the police should curtail the right of people to demonstrate.
“Calling on a politician to resign is nothing abnormal in a democracy system. Therefore, I call on police to give permit to MoCS to hold a peaceful demonstration,” he said. He was commenting on MoCS’ threat to stage massive street demonstrations if Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud did not step down by Aug 13.
Its leader Francis Siah said simultaneous protests would be held in Kuching and Kuala Lumpur for weeks if the Chief Minister did not comply with MoCS’ demands.
Following this, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu’s (PBB) Youth wing lodged a police report and said it would seek legal action as well as meet with Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein to curb subversive elements.
PBB Kuching zone youth wing spokesman Wan Hamzah Wan Paie also urged the police to put Siah under house arrest.
Chong described the police report as “ridiculous and an act out of any sane mind”.
On Wednesday, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) state liaison chief Baru Bian stressed that his party had nothing to do with MoCS.
He added that PKR was also not part of the movement’s call to stage public demonstrations.