PAS vice president Iskandar Abdul Samad denied the party had barred its members from participating in the upcoming Bersih 4 rally on Aug 29 and 30.

"There are accusations that PAS is preventing its members (from participating) but that is untrue.

"We had never prevented any members from participating in the Bersih 4 rally. We have no problems with it so long as it is safe and peaceful," he told journalists in Shah Alam today.

This is the first time PAS will not be mobilising its members to participate in a Bersih rally.

All other major opposition parties including DAP, PKR, and PSM have announced a mobilisation of their members to join Bersih 4.

PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said the party will only send two representatives to the party while its information chief claimed PAS was not invited by Bersih to join the rally.

Bersih chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah, however, rebutted this, stating the movement had even invited the ruling coalition to join.

The mass rally comes amid several scandals plaguing Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, including the RM2.6 billion deposits into his personal bank accounts.

'Bersih rally within democratic norms'

Meanwhile, law group Lawyers for Liberty said it was concerned by the authorities’ reaction to the Bersih 4 rally in Kuala Lumpur, with some in the government calling it "illegal".

"It is extremely irresponsible for the authorities to mislead the public and make exaggerated claims that the rally is 'illegal' or 'out to topple the government' when Bersih’s planned activities and demands are clear, peaceful, and certainly within democratic norms.

"Further, Bersih’s previous rallies and other rallies in general, have been peaceful until the authorities unnecessarily arrested, assaulted, shot tear gas and chemical-laced water cannons against the protesters," Lawyers for Liberty executive director Eric Paulsen said in a statement today.

He added that there are no provisions in the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 to declare an assembly illegal.

Paulsen said it is the authorities' responsibility to handle any agent provocateur, saboteur, or counter-demonstrations, and not use them as an excuse to stop the Bersih 4 rally.