Najib’s Promises Are Off to a Poor Start A Bill to Regulate Protests is Stricter Than Current Law.

Najib’s Promises Are Off to a Poor Start A Bill to Regulate Protests is Stricter Than Current Law.: The Wall Str...

When Prime Minister Najib Razak promised in September to abolish several repressive laws, many opposition politicians withheld their applause. They said they would wait to see what the government proposed as replacement laws. They were right to be skeptical. The Peaceful Assembly Bill, put forward by the National Front government last Tuesday to amend the 1967 Police Act, is the first in the series of laws that Mr. Najib pledged would honor the promises in the Malaysian constitution and bring its human rights “in line with international norms.” It is certainly good news that the bill would free protest organizers from the obligation to get a government permit. But its other provisions are more restrictive than the existing law. For instance, the bill would prohibit moving assemblies such as street protests altogether. It prohibits Malaysians under the age of 21 from organi...

Full article: http://anwaribrahimblog.com/2011/11/29/najibs-promises-ar...