Suhakam will be monitoring the Bersih 4 rally and how the authorities and participants conduct themselves in the mega rally at end of this week.

"The commission has decided that we will monitor the gathering because of two things. We want to observe and note the conduct of the authorities.

"(Also because we want) to uphold the right to peaceful gathering. I emphasise the word peaceful gathering, okay?" Suhakam commissioner James Nayagam said at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today.

James stressed that the commission was not taking any sides and that it would observe both the authorities and the participants.

Suhakam wants to ensure that the authorities are fulfilling their obligations to maintain a peaceful rally, he said.

On the other hand, the human rights body will also be monitoring the behaviour of participants to see if they adhere to their promise of a peaceful gathering.

"We are very neutral, we are not taking sides," James emphasised.

Suhakam also recommended that the authorities facilitate traffic flow and refrain from hindering the participants or using force during the rally.

'Don't provoke authorities'

Meanwhile, for the participants, they should not take the law into their own hands, James said.

They should also not provoke the authorities and consider the safety of others during the rally.

"They must be responsible to the issues that they want to highlight," he asserted.

Suhakam will be sending about 20 officers to monitor the rallies in Sabah, Sarawak and Kuala Lumpur.

James explained that they will then make a report, which will be presented at a commission meeting.

"We will then come up with a plan of action on how best to respond to what has been observed," James added.

Electoral reform movement Bersih is planning a mega rally called Bersih 4 to be held on Aug 29-30 in Kuala Lumpur, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu.

The rally is to demand four things: 1. Clean elections; 2. Clean governance; 3. Saving the economy; and 4. Preserving the right to dissent.