PM’s statements that BERSIH did not apply for a permit and that police offered alternative venue to BERSIH are false

BERSIH deplores the false claims by Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan and the Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi that BERSIH had not “sought authorization” and that police had offered an alternative venue for BERSIH’s November 10 gathering.

The Star reported on Friday, 7 December 2007, that in an opinion piece published on the same day in the Asian Wall Street Journal, Prime Minister Abdullah wrote: “the right to protest is fundamental but it is a right that must be matched by a responsibility to respect general public safety”.

The Star report also said that “Abdullah added that if protesters had not sought authorisation, then the police were duty-bound to enforce the law and ensure public safety. Abdullah also said police had offered demonstrators in both cases – BERSIH and Hindraf – to assemble in stadiums.”

IGP Musa Hassan also made similar claims on 3 December 2007 to the local press.

The Prime Minister, who is also Internal Security Minister to whom the police report to, is clearly being fed false statements by the police — statements he is either knowingly or unknowingly spreading internationally.

The suggestion that BERSIH “did not seek authorization” for the gathering and the statement that the police offered an assembly in stadiums are both false. An application for a permit was submitted on the advice of the police themselves.

BERSIH stresses that in our various dealings with the Police over the November 10 gathering, as detailed below, at no point was the issue of a change in venue brought up.

In any event, BERSIH reiterates that the so-called ‘offer’ to assemble in a stadium is a complete non-issue as the right of public peaceful assembly is simply that – to assemble in public view, and not hidden away from it! The role of the police is to cooperate with rally organizers to ensure that the right is protected whilst ensuring minimum disruption to traffic, etc.

www.bersih.org