Amid claims of inaction against alleged attacks by Umno-linked red shirts on Bersih 5 convoys, Johor Bersih coordinator Thomas Fann has commended the police for separating the two groups last Saturday.

Relating the incident, Fann told Malaysiakini that the Bersih 5 convoy was getting ready to flag off from outside the Johor Baru City Council premises at about 8.30am and the red shirts were already there.

"They (the red shirts) came pretty early. There were about 60 of them.

"On our side we had about 300 people in 70 cars. The police were there and separated our two groups," Fann said when contacted yesterday.

"We (Bersih) proceeded with our convoy briefing. We were about 50 metres apart," he said, adding that the red shirts had attempted to block the road and prevent their cars from passing but were restrained by the police.

"The police pulled them (red shirts) away and formed a human barricade around us. I have to commend the police for their action," said Fann who confirmed the incident as seen in a two-minute video that has gone viral.

He also said the convoy was initially scheduled to be flagged off at 10am but they followed police advice to leave about 9.40am, in order to prevent a physical clash with the red shirts.

Asked whether he knew the original source of the video, Fann said it must have been recorded by a red shirts member, based on a screenshot of the video uploaded on a Facebook account that also tagged Umno Youth exco member Armand Azha Abu Hanifah.

Umno Youth member confronted police

In the video, the police were seen physically restraining and pushing a red shirts member, believed to be Armand.

Armand, who fell down, got up to confront the police surrounding him.

He repeatedly shouted "siapa polis tolak saya?" (who’s the police that pushed me?), while one police officer in the background was heard saying "jaga keselamatan bang… kereta, kereta" (taking care of safety, brother… cars, cars), as more red shirts tried to surge across the road.

When contacted by Malaysiakini, Armand said he had later apologised to the police, out of respect, as they were only performing their duties.

"Even though the police shoved me, as a youth leader, I apologised to them because I respect them for carrying out their duties as police officers," Armand said.

On the same day, red shirts and yellow-clad Bersih supporters also physically clashed for the first time, in Teluk Intan, after red shirts leader Jamal Md Yunos tried to grab a banner from Bersih participants whom he confronted.

The convoy will make its way across 246 cities, towns and villages, with various activities being held at the areas they pass along the way.