IPOH, April 14 (Bernama) -- The government will not prevent any party from holding peaceful assemblies according to the Peaceful Assembly Act 2011 which was passed by parliament recently, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.

However, he said, their wish would be granted subject to their responsibility and understanding that the public would not be inconvenienced, besides assuring the police that the assembly would be peaceful.

"All parties are bound by the same conditions," he told reporters after opening Barisan Nasional (BN) Young People's Assembly at the Menteri Besar's official residence, here, today.

He was asked to comment on several non-governmental organisations yesterday having applied to assemble peacefully to protest against the efforts of certain groups to achieve the agenda of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people as well as free sex in the country.

All the NGOs applied for permission from the Dang Wangi police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur yesterday to hold the assembly at Dataran Merdeka on April 21.

On the assembly to pressure the government to write off the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) loans by a small group of undergraduates in the federal capital today, Hishammuddin said the opposition was looking for issues against the government even though the move had incurred the anger of members of the public.

However, the matter which was being exploited was under control, he said. Earlier, in his speech, Hishammuddin who is also Umno vice-president, said

BN Youth and Puteri Umno needed to create a young people's wave in each state.

He said the nation's future depended on the actions of the youths of today. "Tomorrow, the prime minister will be tabling the repeal of the Internal Security Act (ISA) while the Universities and University Colleges Act will be amended. All these are being done because we listen to and respect the voice of the younger generation out there," he said.

He said the opposition was bankrupt of ideas and was championing the abolition of PTPTN loans to garner the support of young people.