Malaysia is set to amend the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012, removing a key restriction that has long hindered public demonstrations, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said. 

Under the revised law, organisers will no longer need venue approval, a requirement that has often led to last-minute cancellations. Instead, they will only be required to notify police five days in advance for security and traffic coordination.

“This is a step forward for democratic rights,” Anwar told Parliament, adding that a moratorium will be enforced while the amendments are being finalised on Thursday. 

The move, hailed by government allies as a landmark reform, also includes an assurance that students involved in anti-corruption protests and families protesting the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) will not face legal action.

“This is something no previous administration has done,” Anwar said, underscoring his government’s commitment to civil liberties.

The announcement drew praise from the Madani Government Backbenchers Club, with deputy chair Khoo Poay Tiong calling it a long-overdue institutional reform.

“This strengthens our democracy and affirms the government’s commitment to reform,” Khoo said at a press conference.

Student group Suara Mahasiswa Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) also welcomed the changes but warned against potential government overreach.

“These amendments align with Article 10 of the Federal Constitution, but we must ensure authorities do not impose undue restrictions on peaceful assemblies,” UMS president Muhamad Fadhil Muhamad Kasim said in a statement.

The group, which staged an anti-corruption protest outside Menara Kinabalu on New Year’s Eve 2024, called for stronger protections for public dissent, particularly in Sabah.

For now, all eyes are on Parliament, where the proposed changes will be tabled in the next sitting.– February 14, 2025.