Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail clarified that casual and small-scale group activities do not qualify as an “assembly” under the law and therefore do not require the five-day notice to police.
In a written parliamentary reply, he explained that whether an activity counts as an assembly depends on its purpose, scale, location, and public impact. According to Section 9(1) of the Peaceful Assembly Act, only activities that meet the legal definition of an assembly under Section 3—being organised, open to public participation, and involving a significant number of participants in a public area—are subject to notification requirements.
Saifuddin added that an assembly must also affect public safety, traffic, or the rights of others, and convey symbolic messages, statements of stance, or implied protest. His clarification came in response to a question from William Leong (PH-Selayang) on whether activities such as a group of students reading in public would require notice under the Act.
