MEDIA ADVISORY

Verdict of Govt vs BERSIH 2.0 lawsuit on 30 Jan (Fri)

 

WHO:  former co-chairpersons Dato’ Ambiga Sreenevasan & Datuk Abdul Samad b. Mohd Said (Pak Samad), former steering committee members Dr Ahmad Farouk Musa, Ahmad Syukri b Razab, Andrew Khoo, Arul Prakkash, K. Arumugam, Hishamuddin b. Md Rais, Liau Kok Fah,  S.P. Subramaniam, Dato’ Dr Toh Kin Woon, Dr Wong Chin Huat, Dato’ Yeo Yang Poh and Zaid bin Kamarudin and current chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah

 

WHEN: 30 Jan 2015 (Friday); 10.00am.

 

WHERE: NCVC1, 3rd Floor (left wing), KL Courts Complex, Jalan Duta, KL.

 

WHAT: The Government of Malaysia is suing the previous BERSIH 2.0 Steering Committee for damages to government property sustained during the Bersih Duduk Bantah (aka Bersih 3) rally on 28 April 2012.

 

The statement of claims lists 15 vehicles, mostly belonging to the police, that had to be repaired at a cost of RM122,000.

 

The government also wants compensation for general damages, with interest, as well as a declaration that Bersih 2.0 breached Section 6(2)(g) of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012, which states that organisers must “ensure that the assembly will not endanger health or cause damage to property or the environment.”

 

This case has precedential implications on Malaysian citizens’ right to freedom of assembly as it is on the biggest rally ever held in the history of the country. Should the court find the case in favour of the government, it will create a chilling effect on future rally organisers, which will prove detrimental to the exercise of freedom of expression of Malaysians.

 

Issued by the BERSIH 2.0 Secretariat.