KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 13 — The police will take stern action against Bersih 2.0 if the group continues to hold “illegal” gatherings in future, deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Noor Rashid Ibrahim said.
Noor Rashid was reported in the Mingguan Malaysia, the Sunday’s edition of Utusan Malaysia, as saying that Bersih had not informed the police of some of its previous gatherings in the country and thus had gone against the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012.
“We have been informed that several locations by the Bersih 5 convoys today are being done without informing the police.
“For today’s convoys, some have been informed and some are being organised without serving us the notice. For those that are against the law, we will take stern action,” he was quoted as saying.
To date, Noor Rashid reportedly said that the police have called in several individuals from the group for questioning.
He also said that the police have completed investigations into all aspects of Bersih 2.0, including its source of funding, but did not explain on the findings.
Last Tuesday, Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said Bersih 2.0 steering committee was yet to fulfil the preconditions from the authorities to hold a rally next Saturday.
Bersih 2.0 remains adamant that it has met all conditions to hold the Bersih 5 rally on November 19.
It said that it had personally delivered the 10-day notice required under Section 9 of the under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 to the federal police headquarters in Bukit Aman.
Bersih 2.0 has also refuted the top officers’ statements that the group did not submit notices for their nationwide convoys, calling it untrue and baseless.
The Bersih 5 rally by the polls reform group seeks free and fair elections, a clean government and a stronger democracy.
The street demonstration is scheduled to take place at Dataran Merdeka, with two meeting points for protesters to gather at — Dataran Maybank and Masjid Negara — before heading to the historic square.
