KUALA LUMPUR: Serious threats made against the organiser of the Chinese Organisations Joint Conference, which was cancelled a day before it was supposed to be held in Kajang yesterday.
The matter was confirmed by Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo after he ran a check with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).
He said MCMC had forwarded the details and was ready to facilitate police investigations into the threats made against the organiser of the conference.
“The (Federal) Constitution protects our right to assemble and express ourselves peacefully.
“If there are groups, which threaten others from exercising their right to assemble and express themselves peacefully, action should be taken against them (culprits).
“In the case of (United Chinese School Committees’ Association) Dong Zong, serious threats were made against them,” said Gobind, who is Puchong member of parliament, in a statement today.
He urged police and Attorney-General (AG) Tan Sri Tommy Thomas to take action against the culprits who had threatened the organiser.
“The power to prosecute lies with the AG and it is for him to now decide what to do after the police complete their investigations.
“I am of the view that action should be taken in this case.
“I therefore hope the police and AG will act in this matter as soon as possible,” he said.
It was reported that the conference, which was scheduled to be held at the New Era University College in Kajang, was cancelled after Chinese education group Dong Jiao Zong received a court order from police.
Police had obtained the court order on the grounds of disturbing the peace and disallowed the Conference of Chinese Associations from convening.
“Hence, Dong Jiao Zong has to call off the conference and asked all representatives as well as organisations involved to cancel their attendance,” said the groups comprising the United Chinese Schools Teachers’ Association (Jiao Zong) and the United Chinese School Committees’ Association (Dong Zong) in their joint statement on Friday.
Kajang district police chief Assistant Commissioner Ahmad Dzaffir Mohd Yussof had said that the court order was sought with the aim of preventing any disruption to public order which could spark public anxiety.
He said police had received several reports regarding the planned conference.
Prior to the cancellation of the conference, it was also reported that the group had called on Chinese groups to register their interest in attending the conference against the introduction of Jawi in vernacular schools.