Participants Of Gempur Rasuah 2.0 Rally Under Probe For Nine Offences - Sabah CP

KOTA KINABALU, June 23 (Bernama) -- Participants of the Gempur Rasuah 2.0 rally are being investigated for nine offences related to the peaceful assembly held last Saturday (June 21), Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Jauteh Dikun said.

He said the offences include incitement, open burning in a public area, possession of dangerous or corrosive substances during the rally, and raising sensitive issues involving royalty, religion, and race (3R).

Investigations are being conducted not only under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 but also under the Sedition Act 1948 and the Penal Code.

To date, we’ve received six police reports related to this case and opened three investigation papers covering nine offences. There were incidents during the rally that should not have occurred.

“No arrests have been made so far, but beginning today, several individuals involved will be called in to provide their statements,” he told a press conference at the Sabah Police Headquarters here today.

The rally, organised by Suara Mahasiswa Universiti Malaysia Sabah, included a march through Kota Kinabalu and placards highlighting various issues in Sabah, such as corruption and water supply. Participants also burned a caricature of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Jauteh said the organisers had submitted a notification to the police, as required under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012. Police then responded with 15 conditions to ensure public order was maintained.

“Many people misunderstand the process. The Act does not approve or license rallies — it simply outlines the procedure for organisers to notify the police, and for the police to respond. Our role is to help maintain public order and safeguard everyone involved, including the participants.

“Unfortunately, in this case, the organisers failed to comply with the stated conditions. While voicing their concerns is their right, it must be done responsibly and without provocation,” he said.

He urged future rally organisers to abide by the required conditions or use proper channels to express their views, such as by holding direct meetings with relevant authorities.

Meanwhile, Kota Kinabalu police chief ACP Kasim Muda said police had no objections to the rally, provided it followed the stipulated rules and national laws.

However, he pointed out that only part of the police response was shared on social media — specifically, the front page of the police notification — while the full list of conditions was not disclosed, leaving many participants unaware of the requirements.

-- BERNAMA