Several public-listed companies are among those identified as being involved in sponsoring the move to overthrow the government, says Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Abdul Rahman Dahlan.

He said these companies were hypocrites because, at the same time, they also went for government contracts.

"Some of these are public-listed companies. It is not wrong to sponsor anyone at all but do not appeal to or ask the government for contracts," he told reporters after attending the LIFE@WORK Awards organised by Talent Corporation Malaysia (TalentCorp) in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

Asked on the identity of the companies, Abdul Rahman said: "I know these companies. I will not reveal them."

In a statement on Sunday, he said companies which sponsored such gatherings or demonstrations would be blacklisted from government contracts.

The Economic Planning Unit (EPU) and the Public-Private Partnership Unit (Ukas) had been instructed to check on the background of the companies which applied for government contracts through them.

Elaborating, Abdul Rahman, who is in charge of EPU, said companies having won government contracts that backed the move to overthrow the government would have their contracts reviewed.

He also advised GLCs not to engage legal firms which provided services to those who wanted to topple the government.

Commenting on the same matter at another event, the minister said the move to blacklist was not a threat but a reminder so that companies which really wanted to cooperate with the government would distance themselves from illegal attempts to topple the government.

"That's why I told them that after getting government contacts, they support Bersih to topple the government. To me, it doesn't make sense.

"So, I want to tell these companies that they should either do business with the government and be neutral or support the movement which wants to topple the government illegally.

"It's your choice. I will not deal with you. There are many better companies out there... I'll give them priority," he said.

In a statement later, Abdul Rahman said it was time to drop all pretense that Bersih was a non-partisan and apolitical movement.

"It's time to call a spade, a spade and to admit that Bersih is now just another tool for the opposition rather than a body that supposedly fights for election reforms," he said.

"Their actions over the past few years have proven beyond any doubt that this is the case," Abdul Rahman said, citing a number of examples.

He noted that Bersih leaders had spoken at numerous opposition party events such as during the Teluk Intan by-election.

Taking a swipe at Bersih for joining the opposition in anti-GST rallies, he said: "A universally accepted and modern taxation system has nothing to do with election reforms."