Kuala Lumpur (The Star/ANN) - Malaysian police are investigating reports that Bersih 2.0 chairman S. Ambiga had received funds from foreign non-governmental organisations to organise rally this weekend.
Bersih, a loose coalition of groups campaigning for electoral reform, had insisted on holding the rally on Saturday, despite severe warnings by the authorities who declared it illegal.
"Bank Negara will help the police in this investigations," said Inspector-General of Police Ismail Omar.
"We will investigate anyone whose action can jeopardise the country's public order, security and safety," he told reporters after launching a joint exercise between the police and the armed forces at the Senior Police Officers' College in Cheras here.
He was commenting on a report that the former Bar Council president had received foreign funds up to hundreds of thousands of ringgit through her bank account.
A Malay daily also alleged that part of the bank's shares were owned by an Opposition politician, which was why Ambiga and the non-governmental groups had chosen it to channel funds for their plans.
Ismail also called on the public not to misconstrue the joint exercise between the police and the armed forces, adding that this had nothing to do with the rallies this Saturday.
He said this was not the first time both forces had carried out such exercises.
"It was planned two years ago as the army has been assisting us in carrying out crime prevention patrols along the border and in a few states.
"They also assisted us during the Bukit Antarabangsa landslide incident," he said, urging everyone to heed the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's advice.
In Butterworth, 21 Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) members and three juveniles pleaded not guilty in a Sessions Court here with possessing documents for an illegal assembly under Section 48 (1) of the Societies Act,
They were also slapped with a second charge under the Internal Security Act for carrying documents deemed as subversive.
Sessions Judge Ikmal Hisan Mohd Tajudin allowed a 4,000 ringgit (US$1,330) bail for each offence with one surety and fixed July 21 for mention.
They were alleged to have committed the offence inside a bus at the Sungai Dua toll plaza along the North South Highway at about 3.30pm on June 25.
They also face an alternative charge of helping to carry 600 pamphlets for Bersih 2.0 at the same time and place.
