I have been informed by my lawyers that the Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) has decided to discontinue the appeal to increase the RM1500 fine imposed against me under the Peaceful Assembly Act (PAA) 2012 due to the 2013 Black 505 rally.
The Court of Appeal had earlier dismissed the government’s appeal in January, which allowed me to contest in the 14th General Elections.
I am grateful that the DPP has agreed to do so as I have long believed that the time resources spent on prosecuting me over what was ultimately a peaceful rally could have been better used elsewhere.
Moreover, the Kuala Lumpur High Court also awarded me RM230,000 in damages for malfeasance in public office against the Attorney-General of the time and the government then. I was repeatedly charged after being acquitted by the Court of Appeal presided by Datuk Mohamad Ariff Md. Yusof (now Speaker of Dewan Rakyat), Datuk Mah Weng Kwai and Datuk Dr. Hamid Sultan Abu Backer that declared Section 9(5) PAA was unconstitutional.
I consider this matter closed and I hope the government will work together with Parliament as well as civil society to consider how the freedom of assembly can continue to be exercised peaceably and lawfully by all Malaysians.
NIK NAZMI NIK AHMAD
PAKATAN HARAPAN YOUTH LEADER
KEADILAN CENTRAL LEADERSHIP COUNCIL MEMBER
SETIAWANGSA MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT
