Kuala lumpur: The Home Ministry (KDN) will table amendments to Section 11 of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 (Act 736) in the upcoming parliamentary sitting this month, said Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Saifuddin Nasution stated that the MADANI Government is committed to upholding democratic principles and the Constitution by protecting the people's right to peaceful assembly. He emphasized that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, as a key figure in the MADANI Government's reform agenda, is taking the issue of freedom of assembly seriously. The Cabinet has decided to impose a moratorium on prosecutions under Section 9(5) of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 as an initial step toward comprehensive legal reform concerning the right to assemble.

Saifuddin Nasution acknowledged the Federal Court's ruling that a provision under Section 9(5) of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 is unconstitutional. The ministry plans to scrutinize the decision for appropriate action, including considering amendments to affected legal provisions to ensure alignment with the Federal Constitution and consistency with the highest court's decisions.

He further mentioned that the MADANI Government aims to balance individual freedom with the need for public order and security. Ensuring that constitutional rights are exercised peacefully, orderly, and responsibly is a priority for the government.

Earlier, a Federal Court's five-member bench ruled that a provision under Section 9(5) of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012, which penalized organizers for not providing a five-day prior notice to the police before holding an assembly, is unconstitutional. Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, who led the panel, highlighted that it is inconsistent with Article 10(2)(b) in conjunction with Article 8(1) of the Federal Constitution, which ensures equality before the law.