The people of Malaysia should not engage in activities that will be detrimental to the harmony of the country such as illegal assemblies.

This is the call made by the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of national unity, Joseph Kurup, at a Malaysia Day celebration in Kuala Lumpur today.

"We, as people of 1Malaysia, should strive not to be involved in activities that will adversely affect the harmony of the country, such as illegal assemblies organised by certain parties.

"(These assemblies) aim to damage the image of the country on the international stage," Joseph said in his speech at the Malaysia Day celebration organised by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor (KLSCCCI) today.

His advice against illegal assemblies comes a day after electoral reform movement Bersih announced that its latest rally, dubbed Bersih 5, will be held in Kuala Lumpur on Nov 19.

When asked whether he was referring to Bersih in his speech, Kurup said he wasn't.

"No, no, I'm just saying that doing assemblies like that, particularly when they are based on race, is not conducive to national unity," he clarified to reporters after the event.

He also conceded that people have the right to assemble peacefully under the law, but added that he did not think it was the most effective way to solve problems.

The best way to solve issues, he said, was to sit down together and have a discussion about them.

Bersih yesterday announced the date for their fifth mega rally, which will have five main demands.

Top of the list are reforms linked to the establishment of a clean government, and preventing a recurrence of financial scandals like those surrounding state investor 1Malaysia Development Bhd.

Bersih steering committee chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah had also said that the rally would be preceded by a nationwide Bersih Convoy, beginning Oct 1.

'Bill is confidential'

Meanwhile, Kurup also commented on the issue of the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976 (LRA) amendments.

In response to the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) saying they had yet to see the proposed amendments to the LRA, Kurup said that the bill was confidential.

"They (MCCBCHST) have given their opinion. I actually referred this matter to them some time back...and we have gathered their views," he said.

He added that they will be having further discussions on this matter today, and he hoped that the conclusion they come to will be acceptable to everyone.

When pushed on whether the bill will be shown to the interfaith group, he simply said that they would eventually come to know about it anyway.

On Tuesday, MCCBCHST had denied agreeing to the proposed amendments to the LRA.

The amendments are meant to resolve child custody disputes arising from unilateral conversions, but the interfaith group's deputy president RS Mohan said they have yet to see the proposed amendments.

“Until today, we haven’t seen the draft amendment on that, therefore we can’t agree without seeing the draft,” he had said.

In 2009, the government had said that matrimonial disputes arising from civil marriages ought to be resolved in the civil court, and that legal amendments would be made to reflect that.

In the past, the civil courts and Syariah courts had issued contradicting child custody awards, when one spouse unilaterally converts himself and the children into Islam and files for divorce.

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had said that the amendment bill will be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat during its October session, while de facto law minister Azalina Othman told reporters on Sept 1 that the draft had already been completed and would be tabled in the cabinet ‘soon’.