POLICE will summon 107 MPs for gathering at Dataran Merdeka this morning after they were not allowed to enter Parliament, Kuala Lumpur police chief Azmi Abu Kassim said.

He said police have identified those at the “protest”, which he called “Perhimpunan Solariti Bersama Anwar” (solidarity gathering with Anwar), and they would be called in for questioning soon.

“Police obtained information from the media today that the solidarity gathering with Anwar Ibrahim at Parliament would be taking place.

“Police blocked all roads leading to Parliament to prevent them from entering.

“However, initial investigations showed that 107 opposition MPs had joined the gathering this morning and we will be calling them for statements,” Azmi told a press conference this afternoon.

However, checks with opposition MPs found that they never called the gathering this morning as a solidarity event for Anwar, the opposition leader and PKR president.

Lembah Pantai MP and PKR communications director Fahmi Fadzil confirmed to The Malaysian Insight that the gathering did not have a name and was not focused on Anwar.

“We just wanted to go to Parliament. In fact, it could be an infringement of MPs’ rights under the Penal Code (Section 124) by preventing them from exercising their lawful powers as MPs,” Fahmi said.

Meanwhile, Azmi said two police reports were lodged over the MPs’ gathering this morning.

Azmi said investigations would be held under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012, the Penal Code and the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988.

Azmi said, under the Penal Code, actions that are “likely to spread the infection of any disease” carry the penalty of imprisonment of up to six months, or a fine, or both.

The gathering this morning on the road leading to Parliament was staged by MPs to protest the postponement of the Dewan Rakyat sitting today.

After being denied entry to Parliament by police including FRU personnel, the MPs walked to Dataran Merdeka where speeches were made against the Perikatan Nasional government.

The government was scheduled to explain its cancellation of emergency ordinances without the King’s consent and without tabling the ordinances in either House for debate.

However, on Saturday, the Prime Minister’s Office called off today’s sitting, citing Covid-19 risks after a number of cases were detected in parliamentary buildings.

Opposition MPs scoffed at this, saying the cases amount to just 1% of MPs and Parliament staff, adding that the majority of MPs have been vaccinated. – August 2, 2021.