The recent warning issued by the police against organisers of the planned demonstration in conjunction with the visit of President Donald Trump for the ASEAN Summit is a clear violation of the Federal Constitution and an abuse of authority. Any attempt to prohibit or intimidate citizens from exercising their constitutional right to peaceful assembly strikes at the heart of the rule of law and erodes the very foundations of Malaysia’s democracy.

The right of all citizens to assemble peaceably and without arms is not a privilege to be granted or withdrawn at the discretion of the authorities; it is a fundamental liberty enshrined in Article 10(1)(b) of the Federal Constitution, forming an essential pillar of democratic participation and public accountability.

While Article 10(2) allows for such rights to be subject to restrictions as Parliament may deem necessary or expedient in the interest of security or public order, such restrictions must always be reasonable, proportionate, and consistent with the purpose of the constitutional guarantee. The police, as the primary law enforcement agency, are constitutionally and statutorily bound to respect, protect, and facilitate the exercise of this right.

Recent Federal Court rulings have asserted the police have a positive duty to enable and assist peaceful assemblies, and that their role is not to suppress or prevent such gatherings, but to ensure they take place safely and lawfully. The decision underscores that the right to assemble cannot be negated by administrative fiat or speculative apprehension of disorder.
In light of this binding precedent, the police statement declaring that the proposed assembly “will not be permitted” and threatening to disperse participants is inconsistent with constitutional guarantees and contrary to the Federal Court’s pronouncement.

The proximity of the proposed venue to the designated “red zone” for the ASEAN Summit is not, in itself, a lawful basis for prohibition, so long as demonstrators remain outside the officially demarcated restricted area. The right to assemble peacefully in public spaces cannot be extinguished merely due to geographical proximity to official events or dignitaries.
Accordingly, we urge the police to withdraw the threat of enforcement action and instead engage proactively with the organisers to ensure that the demonstration proceeds peacefully and in accordance with the law. 

Waytha Moorthy Ponnusamy

The latest leadership crisis in the Malaysian Indian Community Transformation Unit (MITRA) is not a coincidence, nor is it merely a matter of administrative confusion. It is the result of a deliberate and calculated political manoeuvre by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to divide Indian leaders within his own party and deflect blame from his consistent failure to deliver real progress for the Indian community.

By orchestrating a revolving-door leadership in MITRA — first appointing an all party committee chaired by Ramanan, then shifting it to Saraswathy, less than a year later installing P. Prabakaran as a sole Chairman, and now abruptly reinstating R. Ramanan under opaque circumstances . Anwar is fuelling infighting among Indian leaders in PKR and DAP. This internal conflict is not accidental; it servesAnwar’s political purpose. It keeps Indian leaders and community distracted and at odds with one another while the real culprit – PM himself remains untouched.

MITRA’s ineffectiveness is shifted onto the Indian leaders themselves, giving the false impression that the failures are due to their infighting. This is a classic divide-and-rule tactic, executed to perfection by Anwar. As Indian MPs and leaders scramble for clarity and control, Anwar positions himself as a distant, uninvolved authority — above the fray, and conveniently absolved of all responsibility.

But the truth is this: Anwar has consistently failed to introduce meaningful policies or allocate sufficient resources for the socio-economic upliftment of Indians, especially in the 13th Malaysia Plan. MITRA, which should have been a vehicle for empowerment, has instead become a symbol of neglect, confusion, and manipulation — all under his watch.

This is not leadership — this is manipulation. The Indian community must see through the illusion. The repeated failures of MITRA are not the fault of individual Indian leaders, but the result of a Prime Minister who discriminates, fabricates a false narrative of a multiracial Malaysia, and systematically shortchanges the Indian community.

Waytha Moorthy Ponnusamy

ASEAN cannot claim to stand for peace while opening its doors to a man whose policies have fuelled one of the worst humanitarian catastrophes of our time. If Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim truly believes in justice for Palestine, then as ASEAN Chair, he must take a stand — Donald Trump must not be allowed to step onto ASEAN’s stage.

Under Trump’s watch, the United States has armed the siege of Gaza to the teeth. His administration approved or proposed nearly USD 12 billion in weapons sales to Israel — the same weapons that turned homes, hospitals, and schools into graves. In 2025 alone, Trump pushed through a USD 6 billion arms deal, including Apache helicopters and combat vehicles. He then used “emergency” powers to fast-track another USD 4 billion in military aid, bypassing Congress entirely. A further USD 3 billion in munitions sales slipped through under the same excuse.

At every step, Trump made a choice: to arm the oppressor, not protect the innocent.

He even scrapped a Biden-era policy that linked arms transfers to international humanitarian law — effectively removing any check on how U.S. weapons are used. Where others hesitated over civilian deaths, Trump’s team hit the accelerator.

The results are horrifying.

The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has documented relentless strikes on Gaza’s hospitals and clinics. Médecins Sans Frontières calls it a “campaign of total destruction.” The World Health Organisation has verified 697 attacks on health facilities since October 2023.

Israel’s blockade has weaponised food and medicine; 54,000 children under five are now acutely malnourished. More than 67,000 people have been killed, mostly women and children. The actual toll, researchers warn, may be far higher.

These are not numbers; they are lives — lives destroyed by the very weapons Trump rushed to deliver.

Inviting him to an ASEAN summit would reward the enabler of this tragedy. It would stain ASEAN’s credibility and make a mockery of every call for peace or humanitarian justice.

Anwar Ibrahim has long spoken of conscience and moral courage. Now is the time to prove it. As ASEAN Chair, he must lead, not follow; act, not appease. Refusing Trump’s presence is not about politics — it’s about principle. It’s about saying that Southeast Asia will not roll out the red carpet for those who profit from war and suffering.

If ASEAN stands for peace, it must stand firmly against those who destroy it.

If Anwar Ibrahim stands for justice, he must say, clearly and without apology:

Donald Trump’s hands are bloodied — and he has no place at our table.

பொன். வேதமூர்த்தி வழக்கு!
பிரதமர் அன்வார் பின்வாங்குகிறார்!

பிரதமர் டத்தோஸ்ரீ அன்வார் இப்ராகிம் அந்தப் பதவியை வகிக்க அரசியல் சாசனப்படி தகுதி பெற்றுள்ளாரா என்பதை உறுதிசெய்ய மலேசிய முன்னேற்றக் கட்சி-எம்.ஏ.பி. தலைவர் பொன்.வேதமூர்த்தி தொடர்ந்த வழக்கை பிரதமர் அன்வார் நேரில் எதிர்கொள்ளாமல் பின்வாங்குகிறார்.

இதன் வெளிப்படைத் தன்மையைத் தெரிந்துகொள்ள நாட்டு மக்கள் உரிமை பெற்றுள்ளனர்.  ஆனால், மலேசியர்கள் எழுப்பும் பல நியாயமான கேள்விகளை பிரதமர் அன்வார் ஏன் தவிர்க்கிறார் என்று இதன் தொடர்பில் வெளியிட்டுள்ள அறிக்கையில் பொன் வேதமூர்த்தி வினவியுள்ளார்.

தன்னுடைய வழக்கறிஞர் நிறுவனத்தின் சார்பில் தொடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ள வழக்கை எதிர்கொள்ளாமல் அதை தள்ளுபடி செய்யும்படி பிரதமர் அன்வார் செய்துள்ள விண்ணப்பம், முக்கிய பிரச்சினையில் இருந்து நழுவப் பார்ப்பதுடன் இந்த வழக்கைத் தாமதப்படுத்தும் உத்தியாகவும் தெரிகிறது.

நீதியை நிலைநாட்டும் போர் மறவராக தன்னை எப்பொழுதும் காட்சிப் படுத்தும் பிரதமர் அன்வாரிடம் உண்மையும் வெளிப்படைத்தன்மையும் பொறுப்பும் இருந்தால் இந்த வழக்கை அவர் நேரடியாக எதிர்கொள்ள வேண்டும்; மாறாக, இப்படி, நீதிமன்ற நடைமுறைக்கும் நாட்டின் உயர் பதவிக்கும் பின்னால் ஒதுங்கக்கூடாது.

சரித்திர சாதனை இயக்கம் ஹிண்ட்ராஃப் தலைவருமான பொன்.வேதமூர்த்தி, ஒன்றை தெளிவுபடுத்துவதாகக் குறிப்பிட்டுள்ளார். “அரசியல் சாசன விதி 42-இன்படி அன்வாருக்கு அரச மன்னிப்பு வழங்கப்பட்டதில் தனக்கு முழு உடன்பாடு உள்ளது; அதேவேளை, நாடாளுமன்றத் தேர்தலில் போட்டியிட அவருக்கு விதிக்கப்பட்டிருந்த தடையை அகற்றுவதற்கு ஏதுவாக, அரசியல் சாசன விதி 48-இன்படி அன்வார் அரச அனுமதியைப் பெற்றாரா என்பதை அறிய  நாட்டு மக்களைப்போல நானும் விரும்புகின்றேன்.

இது குறித்த உண்மையை அறியவும் நாட்டு மக்களுக்கு எடுத்துரைக்கவும் பிரதமர் அன்வாருக்கு எதிராக தான் தொடர்ந்துள்ள வழக்கு, சாரமில்லாதது, அற்பமானது, எரிச்சலூட்டக்கூடியது; நீதிமன்ற நடைமுறையை அத்து-மீறுவது என்றெல்லாம்கூறி பதுங்கவும் ஒதுங்கவும் முயற்சிப்பது பொருத்தமான நடவடிக்கை அல்ல;

தன்னுடைய வழக்கு அரசியல் சாசன விளக்கத்தைப் பற்றியதேத் தவிர அரசியலுக்கானது அல்ல என்பதை மாண்புக்குரிய நம் அரசியல் சாசனம் தெளிவாக எடுத்துரைக்கிறது.

24-11-2022இல் நாட்டின் 10-ஆவது பிரதமராக பதவியேற்பதற்கு முன்பு அரசியலமைப்பு சட்டத்தின்படி அன்வாரின் நாடாளுமன்ற தகுதி நீக்கம் முறையாக அகற்றப்பட்டு இருந்ததா என்பதற்கு நேரடியான பதிலும் விளக்கமும் நாட்டு மக்களுக்குத் தேவை என்று முன்னாள் அமைச்சருமான பொன்.வேதமூர்த்தி விவரித்துள்ளார்.

Anwar’s Application to Strike Out Legal Challenge does not address the core issue.

The application filed by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to strike out my legal challenge is nothing more than a delay tactic. If he truly believes in transparency and accountability, he should have no hesitation in facing this matter head-on. After all, he often portrays himself as a pendekar — a warrior for justice. A true pendekar does not hide behind procedural maneuvers.

What Malaysians deserve to see is clear proof that Anwar Ibrahim was granted a free pardon under Article 48 of the Federal Constitution, which is necessary to remove his disqualification from contesting parliamentary seats.

Let me be clear — I am not challenging the royal pardon granted to him under Article 42 of the Constitution. I fully acknowledge that this prerogative was exercised by the previous Yang di-Pertuan Agong. However, the fact remains that the Agong did not also grant him a free pardon under Article 48 means the automatic disqualification under that provision was never removed.

For Anwar to now claim that my civil suit is “unsustainable,” “frivolous,” “vexatious,” and “an abuse of court process” is untenable. The Federal Constitution speaks clearly on the matter. My legal action is grounded in constitutional interpretation — not political motivation.

Instead of dismissing this challenge as harassment or a political ploy, Anwar Ibrahim should address the core issue: Was his disqualification properly removed in accordance with the Constitution before he assumed the office of Prime Minister?

The people of Malaysia deserve clarity and transparency. Why is he evading the many legitimate questions posed by Malaysians regarding his eligibility to serve as Prime Minister in the first place?