KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30 —Ten more Bersih 4 supporters were arrested in Malacca City today for refusing to heed a police warning to break up their gathering at the foot of the old clock tower near the historic Stadhuys building, state police chief Datuk Chuah Ghee Lye said today.

Chuah told Malay Mail Online when contacted that the 10 were arrested under the Peaceful Assembly Act (PAA) 2012.

“Basically they were gathering at the clock tower and they had not given any notice to the police.

“When we went and asked them to disperse, most of them did, a few did not and so we arrested them under the Peaceful Assembly Act,” he said, referring to the gathering that had taken place at the popular landmark.

He said they would be investigated under Section 21 (1) of the PAA, which governs the powers of a police officer to issue an order to disperse from an assembly in various situations.

Chuah confirmed that all 10 arrested have been given access to lawyers, adding: “The lawyers are already with them. We are working closely with the Malacca Bar Association to provide them with counsel.

He also said they would be released after their statements were recorded and if routine checks showed that they are not suspected of breaching other laws.

This brings the total number of Bersih 4-related arrests in Malacca since last night to 22, with Chuah confirming that no other arrests have been made in relation to the rally.

Earlier today, Chuah told Malay Mail Online that 12 were nabbed in the state last night for wearing the yellow Bersih 4 T-shirt, which the government had deemed illegal through an order made under the Printing Presses and Publication Act (PPPA) 1984.

He said the 12 were all released on police bail last night after they were picked up and had their statements recorded, also confirming that their shirts with the Bersih 4 logo were seized.

The Bersih 4 rally which kicked off in Kuala Lumpur yesterday afternoon is expected to run for 34 hours and end at midnight today. Other similar rallies in Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, Kuching in Sarawak and elsewhere across the globe were also held.

Bersih 4’s five demands are: clean elections; clean government; right to dissent; strengthening parliamentary democracy and saving the economy.