The conditions imposed are from the Sentul district police chief, Zakaria Pagan, and they were put up on the police’s Facebook site.
The conditions are contrary to what PKR deputy president Azmin Ali had revealed earlier in a press conference.
The conditions are:-- There will be no usage of pamphlet or banners with the tagline ‘Bebaskan Anwar 901' (Release Anwar 901) or Bebaskan Anwar (Release Anwar),
- No use of loudhailers allowed with the exception of two for the purpose of controlling the crowd,
- There will be no public speeches,
- Participants are not allowed to make noise and disrupt court proceedings,
- The gathering area which is allowed is the left parking area from the main road, and participants are not allowed to go out of the stipulated area,
- If it is filled up then the others coming should disperse,
- Organisers should ensure participants do not bring any weapons and they give full cooperation to the police,
- The crowd should disperse an hour after the verdict,
- They should comply with the directives issued by the police from time to time to ensure a peaceful assembly, and
- Participants cannot destroy public property in the area.
Meanwhile, going against the call by vice-chancellors of several universities to their students to not attend Monday's gathering, PKR today urged them to defy the ruling, since the police have declared the gathering legal.
The gathering at the Duta court complex is to show solidarity with Anwar, on the day his Sodomy II trial verdict is delivered.
"It is regrettable that the vice-chancellors are in the old mental block of not allowing students and lecturers academic freedom," Azmin said.
"They are still in kepompong yang lama (old block) and I hope with this positive development today, the agreement reached between the organisers and police, the vice-chancellors will not stop their students and lecturers from attending the rally," he said.
Azmin said the right to assemble was protected under Article 10 of the Federal Constitution, which the police have now respected.
The vice-chancellors should do so as well and drop the stern warnings to their students not to attend Monday's rally.
Azmin promised that it would be a peaceful gathering, beginning at 7am at the Jalan Duta car park, where there would be few speeches, and that it would likely end by noon.
He
described today's meeting with Kuala Lumpur police chief Mohmad Salleh
as unprecedented in PKR's 13 years of dealing with the police."We will assemble responsibly and peacefully and disperse properly. We have appointed 500 people to marshal the crowd and it will be an orderly gathering," he said.
Azmin said police set no conditions for the gathering or on the banners to be put up.
"That is why when they invited us we welcomed the meeting. The home minister and inspector-general of police should be commended for allowing the gathering," he said.
Azmin said PKR Youth chief Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin would meet with Sentul district police chief Zakaria Pagan to coordinate logistics and traffic control.
"Shamsul will also negotiate with Zakaria, if necessary, should there be any problem."
Peaceful rally, no army
Azmin said he expects about 100,000 supporters to attend the gathering, and invited peace loving Malaysians nationwide, Pakatan Rakyat members from PKR, PAS, DAP, and civil society groups to attend the gathering.
“We are confident to get 100,000 at the gathering and it would be an opportunity to get to know the verdict and hear speeches from Anwar and other leaders,” he said.
“I cannot speculate on what will happen that day, but we will be orderly and there will be proper crowd control. We cannot expect the police to give instructions and control the crowd, and we will be giving the instructions.”
Asked about Perkasa’s counter-rally at the FT mosque, Azmin questioned their timing in wanting to hold a qiamullail (special prayers)."I have given an assurance that our rally would be peaceful but if there are any disturbances, the police will take action against the culprits," he said.
Azmin also rescinded on Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s (right) warning that he will bring in the army if any unrest took place.
"Let me tell Zahid to mind his own business.
"This will be a peaceful gathering, there will be no unrest and the soldiers can continue manning the borders and ensuring the security of the country.
"PKR, PAS and DAP members have held responsible and peaceful assemblies for the past couple of years. We will be responsible and this is the assurance we gave the police," he added.
PKR to defy police restrictions on 901
PKR deputy president Azmin Ali today said that city police did not impose conditions when they agreed to allow the gathering on Monday.
As such, he said, the party will not adhere to the restrictions imposed by the authorities after the agreement was brokered.
“I would like to stress that (PKR) will adhere to the agreement with Kuala Lumpur police chief Mohmad Salleh, which was announced after a meeting with him on Jan 6.
“The agreement did not touch on restrictions announced by the police force later,” he said in a statement.
‘We’ll follow the constitution’
The Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) had late yesterday posted on its Facebook site 10 restrictions for the gathering, including a ban on banners and placards, loudhailers and speeches.
The conditions were set by the Sentul district police, where the Kuala Lumpur Court is located.
Azmin, who earlier said 100,000 people will attend the gathering, added that participants will gather in accordance with their constitutional rights, irrespective of the restrictions.
“I repeat my call for the rakyat to come show solidarity to (PKR de facto leader) Anwar Ibrahim to seek justice and judicial integrity, in accordance with the right to assemble guaranteed in the federal constitution,” he said.
Police have allowed Anwar supporters to gather at the Kuala Lumpur Court carpark while Malay pressure group Perkasa have been permitted to converge at the Masjid Wilayah compound down the road.
Cops warn of traffic jams
In another development, the police have warned road users of possible traffic jams starting 7am in the vicinity of Duta Court on Monday, where the verdict of the sodomy trial involving PKR de facto leader will be announced.
The KL police on its Facebook page posted an advisory calling on road users to avoid roads in the area, namely:
Jalan Duta (from both directions)
Jalan Kuching
Bulatan Segambut
Jalan Khidmat Usaha
Jalan Ibadah
Jalan Dutamas
Jalan Persiaran Dutamas
Jalan Hikmat Usaha
Road users are advised to avoid the roads as far as possible, and to avoid parking vehicles to obstruct the road.
Those working in the area are advised to take public transport during that morning, and to cooperate with police on duty.
Meanwhile, it was reported that Higher Education Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin said students from public universities should be allowed to attend the “Free Anwar 901” rally on Monday if the event has a permit and is lawful.
“In the spirit of the impending amendment to the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971 (UUCA), I believe public universities should not take action against their staff members and students,” he added.
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