The Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) has reiterated its neutrality and that it will be monitoring all parties during tomorrow's Bersih 4 rally.
"Suhakam has explicitly said that all parties involved in the Aug 29 rally including the authorities, organisers, and public have to respect and obey the right to peaceful assembly," Suhakam acting chairperson Mahmood Zuhdi Ab Majid said in a statement today.
He was responding to inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar's remarks yesterday, chastising the commission for wanting to observe the police instead of Bersih's organisers and participants.
"We (the police) are just implementing the law. It clearly shows that Suhakam is only concerned with the rights of people who are breaking the law," Khalid had said.
Suhakam said it had a right and mandate to monitor assemblies, under the Human Rights Commission Act 1999.
The commission has often sent observers to major rallies in the country, to monitor if there are human rights abuses.
Previous Bersih rallies have ended in violence, with police using force to disperse protesters.
The 34 hour Bersih rally will be held 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.
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