SHAH ALAM, June 11: The actions of the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) of not providing clear answers regarding the use of Padang Merbok on 23 June is allegedly because they are forced to bow to political pressure from Umno-BN.
Pandan Member of Parliament, Rafizi Ramli said that the event on 23 June does not involve Padang Merbok by starting and ending at Dataran Merdeka, therefore there is no reason to not allow for the #Black505 peaceful assembly to take place at Padang Merbok on 22 June.
He said that the Pakatan Secretariat received information that DBKL rejected the application to use the field via a faxed letter.
“MY Pakatan Rakyat friends and I will discuss with the Mayor of Kuala Lumpur on 14 June, but we will budge from the decision to hold it at Padang Merbok on 22 June.
“Even more so when it is proven that the field is not being used on Saturday and Sunday that week,” said Rafizi in a media statement.
He said that earlier, the reason that the application was rejected is because Padang Merbok was required on 22 June for the preparation of an event organised by the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) on the following day; 23 June.
He said that the stance by Umno-BN leaders that peaceful assemblies can only be held in enclosed places such as stadiums is absurd and contrary to the right to hold peaceful assemblies in all public places.
If the stance of Umno-BN leaders is used, no function or event can be held in open areas and the act needs to change its name to ‘Peaceful Assembly in Stadiums Only Act’.
“The reason that the assembly would cause traffic congestion cannot be used because the McDonalds Olympic Run would cause roads to be closed around the area.
“If the authorities can close the roads to facilitate the run, I am sure that the authorities can also close the roads for the #Black505 peaceful assembly on 22 June,” said Rafizi.
