KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA January 15, 2026 – Minister of Digital Gobind Singh Deo has urged Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar to withdraw the application to review the Federal Court’s landmark decision in the Amir Hariri bin Abdul Hadi case, which declared Section 9(5) of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 (PAA) unconstitutional.
In a press release issued today, Gobind emphasised that the MADANI Government is already working on broader amendments to the PAA and that pursuing a judicial review would delay much-needed reforms while restricting their scope.
The Federal Court ruled last year that Section 9(5) violated Article 10 of the Federal Constitution, which guarantees the rights to freedom of speech, association, and peaceful assembly without arms.
Gobind noted that Pakatan Harapan has long raised concerns about the PAA and welcomed the court’s decision. He added that the government has proactively proposed improvements extending beyond the struck-down provision, forming part of its ongoing institutional reform agenda.
“While I acknowledge the Attorney-General and his team have worked hard to support the government’s legislative reform initiatives thus far, I am concerned that a review of this judicial decision would delay the progress of amending the Act until such proceedings are concluded,” Gobind stated.
He further pointed out that a review application would limit reforms to only the issues raised in the case, whereas parliamentary amendments would allow comprehensive changes. The matter was discussed at yesterday’s Cabinet meeting.
The Minister reiterated the government’s commitment to upholding the rule of law and democratic space, citing recent announcements by the Prime Minister on reforms including limiting the Prime Minister’s tenure to two terms, separating the roles of Attorney-General and Public Prosecutor, introducing a Freedom of Information Act, and establishing an Ombudsman.
“As such, given that efforts are already underway to amend the Peaceful Assembly Act, we should take this opportunity to revisit and improve the provisions of the Act through Parliament instead of pursuing further litigation by way of review,” Gobind concluded.
The press release underscores the government’s preference for legislative solutions over prolonged court battles in advancing its reform agenda.
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