Bersih has brushed off concerns over PAS' absence from its Nov 19 rally, saying that it does not need the Islamist party to persuade Malays to take to the streets this year.

Although the racial makeup of Bersih's last rally was affected by PAS sitting out, Bersih deputy chairperson Shahrul Aman Mohd Saari said “non-PAS Malays” are now filling in the vacuum left by the party.

“If you notice, PAS (crowds) will have women sitting one side, man one side. But when we see a (Bersih) ceramah in Muar, Johor last week, the women are mixing up and are very active in asking questions.

“We have (received) overwhelming response,” he told a press conference in Petaling Jaya today.

Also present was Bersih chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah, who noted that the crowd gathered that day numbered around 400.