Among members of the NGOs who lodge police reports are (from right to left) Andrew, Kanul, Jannie and Ann with counsel Ben Mansul.
KOTA KINABALU: The Magistrate’s Court here will hear an application by Borneo’s Plight in Malaysia Foundation (BOPIM) to set aside a restriction order granted to the police to ban the proposed May Day rally on May 1.
BOPIM president Daniel John Jambun, when contacted yesterday, disclosed that he had filed the application through his lawyer, Fuad & Co, at 4pm at the Kota Kinabalu Court House. He also said that the application is expected to be heard at 2pm today.
Meanwhile, lawyers Ram Singh and Ben Mansul, who are the spokespersons for another organizer, said that their client’s instruction was to study the legal implication of the said order.
On April 28, it was reported in the newspapers that the police had obtained a restriction order from the court to prohibit Bersih Sabah and 35 other NGOs from holding the rally at Padang Merdeka here.
City police chief ACP M Chandra said the restriction order was obtained to ban and warn the organizers and the public from attending and taking part in the rally at Padang Merdeka, Chong Thien Vun Park, City Park, Segama Waterfront and Dataran Bandaraya.
Meanwhile, in a related development, social activist Kanul Gindol, who was among several individuals from various NGOs named in the court order issued by the Magistrate’s Court here recently, along with three other NGO leaders lodged a separate report with the Penampang police station yesterday afternoon.
Kanul said that his intention to lodge the police report was to deny any bad assumptions or allegations as a result of the court order which could harm his or his family’s image and reputation.
He denied any intention of wanting to cause any harm or to threaten the security of the public, incite riots and chaos or causing damage to public properties through the two-hour peaceful gathering from 3pm on Labour Day.
“I gave a helping hand in organizing the gathering as it is in line with the guarantee of freedom of speech and gathering as stipulated in Article 10 of the Federal Constitution, Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 and Article 12 of the Declaration of Asean on Human Rights,” he added.
The other three who lodged the police reports were Jannie Lasimbang, Ann Lasimbang, Andrew Ambrose Mudi @Atama.