KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 23 — A government official challenged today Bersih 2.0’s claim as a non-political and non-partisan group when its leaders persists in telling Malaysians to reject Umno.

Datuk Rizal Mansor from the Special Division in the Prime Minister’s Office asked the electoral watchdog’s chairman Maria Chin Abdullah to justify her group’s claim to being a politically free entity after delivering speeches against the ruling government last year and then throwing its support behind Penang Chief Minister and DAP leader Lim Guan Eng who has been charged with two counts of corruption.

"Is calling for the people to reject a certain political party part of BERSIH’s so-called elections reforms agenda?” he asked in a statement posted on his Facebook page.

He included a brief video clip showing Bersih 2.0 leaders at its fourth rally last year chanting for Umno and the prime minister to step down.

The Yayasan Perdana Ummah chairman said the group was not as "clean” as it touted, adding that further indications of its true nature can be seen when it asked Lim to launch its Bersih 5 campaign in Penang recently.

"This is despite many calling for Lim Guan Eng to step down if he was charged for corruption including Ambiga and Tony Pua earlier but yet he is still holding on to his elected office,” Rizal said, referring to former Bersih 2.0 co-chair and lawyer Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan and DAP MP Tony Pua.

"As BERSIH is clearly political and partisan, it is wise for all religious leaders — including a certain Bishop in the news — to refrain from joining or openly asking others to join BERSIH’s activities,” he added, without naming the Christian cleric.

Bersih 2.0 has been on a nationwide roadshow to galvanise support for its Bersih 5 rally scheduled to be held in the national capital on November 19.