KUALA LUMPUR, July 31 — Bersih 2.0 reminded the police today that Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan’s alleged call for street protests was democratic after the national police chief said the activist would be questioned for undermining parliamentary democracy.
The electoral watchdog claimed it was the police harassment of those like Ambiga who stand up for the democratic process that posed a threat to democracy, noting that the right to peaceful assembly is protected under Article 10 of the Federal Constitution.
“To fail to respect this right is a failure to protect the spirit of Malaysia’s democracy,” Bersih said in a statement.
“Bersih 2.0 remains committed to a transparent and democratic government. Despite the threats of arrest made against activists like Ambiga, we will not be deterred from taking to the streets in our struggle for these reforms,” the group added.
The police are set to interview former Malaysian Bar president Ambiga this afternoon under Section 124C of the Penal Code, which covers the offence of committing actions detrimental to parliamentary democracy, over her remarks allegedly warning of street demonstrations unless federal lawmakers suspend Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Bersih has announced that it will hold a two-day rally dubbed “Bersih 4.0” in Kuala Lumpur, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu next month to press Najib to step down over his handling of the 1Malaysia Development Berhad controversy and to call for institutional reforms.
