The steering committee of Bersih 2.0, the electoral reform movement behind last weekend’s mammoth #BERSIH4 rally, will be summoned to Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) headquarters in Bukit Aman to give its statements on the gathering, declared illegal by the authorities.
To be called up are Bersih 2.0 chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah, vice-chair Sarajun Hoda Abdul Hassan, Masjaliza Hamzah, Mandeep Singh, Farhana Abdul Halim, Fadiah Nadwa Fikri and Adam Adli Abdul Halim.
The Bersih 2.0 members will be investigated under Sections 120B, 124C and 141 of the Penal Code, for the offences of concealing plans to commit an offence, carrying out an act detrimental to parliamentary democracy, and organising an illegal gathering.
Astro Awani confirmed the matter with a senior source within the PDRM, who declined to be named.
Director of Bukit Aman’s Criminal Investigation Department (JSJ) Mohmad Salleh said his team would issue an official statement on the investigation soon.
#BERSIH4 called for clean and fair elections, a clean and transparent government, respect for the people’s right to dissent, the rescue of the Malaysian economy, and the resignation of Prime Minister Najib Razak, following his implication in the 1MDB scandals and the RM2.6 billion transfer into his personal bank accounts in 2013.
The Home Ministry declared the gathering, held in KL, Kuching, and Kota Kinabalu, as well as 50 other cities worldwide, to be illegal just days before it was set to take place. One day before #BERSIH4, the ministry also outlawed the public display of the colour yellow, T-shirts with the Bersih 4 logo, and other merchandise and publications related to the protest.
