KUALA LUMPUR, March 15 — City police had acted "heavy-handed” in summoning several participants of last Sunday’s Women’s March Malaysia 2023 for questioning, the Kuala Lumpur Bar said today.

The association representing lawyers in the national capital said the police action went against civil liberties guaranteed in both the Federal Constitution (FC) and the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 (PAA).

"Such conduct by the police is unwarranted and does a great disservice to civil rights and liberties in Malaysia.

"It is not just an affront to the rights of citizens under the PAA, the freedom of speech and freedom of expression as guaranteed under Article 10 (1) of the FC but also the rights of all the minority groups who peaceably took part in the event,” its chairman Alvin Oh Seong Yew said in a statement.

He added that the notices were delivered to the participants "at midnight”, telling them to go to the district police station in Dang Wangi for questioning.

Oh said there were lawyers who monitored the march and observed that it was a peaceful one.

"The Kuala Lumpur Bar stands in solidarity with women, children and other minority groups as well as their right to highlight issues which require addressing so as to ensure that their basic rights are upheld and acknowledged.

"This is in line with the principles set out in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women of which Malaysia is a signatory country,” he said.

He said the KL Bar is willing to help anyone summoned for police questioning over the women’s march.

Those who require legal assistance can call 03-2691 1121 or 03-2692 1122, or visit the Legal Aid Centre at the Bar Council Legal Aid Centre (Kuala Lumpur) Unit at the address: 3.03, Level 3, Leboh Pasar Besar Wisma Badan Peguam Malaysia 50050 Kuala Lumpur.

Dang Wangi district police chief Assistant Commisioner Noor Dellhan Yahaya issued a statement on March 12 saying that participants into the Women’s March were being investigated for assembling in front of the Sogo shopping centre on Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman in the national capital, and their subsequent street demonstration to Dataran Merdeka earlier that day.

Noor Dellhan said the investigation was under Section 9(5) of the PAA — which requires the organiser to give a 10-day notice prior to a public assembly — and Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act 1995 — which criminalises any insulting behaviour if there’s an intention to provoke another into disturbing public peace.

He said police were in the process of identifying all the individuals involved and would call them up to record their statements.