PUTRAJAYA, January 26 — The government has decided “in policy” to amend a provision in the Peaceful Assembly Act (PAA) and may instruct the Attorney General’s Chambers to drop its planned review of a Federal Court ruling that declared Section 9(5) unconstitutional.
Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said the Cabinet agreed that with the PAA set for amendment, continuing the judicial review may no longer be appropriate, following a unanimous Federal Court decision last year.
That the section imposed penalties exceeding constitutional limits on freedom of speech, assembly, and association. The constitutional challenge, brought by activist Amir Hariri Abd Hadi, had drawn widespread support from civil rights groups, and Fahmi said a follow-up from the Attorney General is expected.
Separately, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin presented a plan to overhaul his ministry and implement a large-scale anti-corruption drive after recent scandals, with the Cabinet responding positively to his reform proposals.
