KLSCAH denies instructed by 'foreign embassy' to lodge report on pro-HK rally

The Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH) has denied that it was instructed by the "foreign embassy" in Malaysia to lodge a police report against a protest outside its premises.

The protest, dubbed "929 Global Anti-Totalitarianism", was held over the weekend in support of the ongoing protests in Hong Kong.

However, KLSCAH conceded that it had "overreacted" by lodging a police report and noted that it received widespread condemnation over this.

"We faced criticisms from commentators and activists and some even slammed us for asking the authorities to suppress freedom of assembly.

"We would like to state that we had no intention to stifle the rally via the police report we lodged. But (we) admit that we did not take into consideration the views and sentiments of all parties and had overreacted,” it added in a statement.

As an organisation that advocates the concept of civil society and promotes democracy, freedom and human rights, KLSCAH said it was willing to accept the criticisms.

"Meanwhile, we also wish to clarify the rumours circulating online. We were not compelled to listen to instructions from any organisation or foreign embassy to interfere in the rally," it said.

The "929 Global Anti-Totalitarianism" rally participants were forced to change their venue to an open-air carpark nearby after a police report was lodged by KLSCAH executive director Lee Shok Jing.

Lee said the rally had nothing to do with the organisation.

Following this, police are investigating the rally under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 and claimed that the organisers failed to notify the authorities regarding the gathering.

The Chinese Embassy had condemned the rally organisers and participants, saying they “failed to distinguish right from wrong, following mindlessly and being self-righteous about the true meaning of democracy and freedom."