Human rights lawyer Eric Paulsen has slammed the government for allowing red shirts participants to attack the Bersih 5 convoy since its launch last Saturday.

He said the red shirts supporters were out to harass and stop the 'peaceful' Bersih.

"Absurd to compare Bersih and red shirts. State is abdicating its duty to the constitution if (it) allows hooligans to dictate civil liberties.

"If red shirts want to hold their event separately and peacefully, by all means, go ahead. Don't harass other people's event," he tweeted today.

Red shirts not backed by Umno

Separately, Umno information chief Annuar Musa said it was not accurate to claim that the red shirts are directly backed by Umno as the issue was never discussed or decided by its Supreme Council.

At the same time, he also said that Umno cannot stop any of its members from voicing their dissatisfaction on any issue.

Aggressiveness is an individual's act. If there is any individual who broke the law, let the law deal with them," he told reporters during a press conference at Umno's headquarters today, after chairing a meeting of its information secretariat.

Annuar, without mentioning any names, said that an an opposition leader had also once bit a policeman's ear.

But to me that is an individual's act. I did not label the party as a 'party that bites people's ears, just because one of its leaders had done so," he said.

Sungai Besar Umno division chief Jamal Md Yunus, who vowed to hold red shirts rally simultaneously with Bersih 5 rally on Nov 19 in Kuala Lumpur, has mobilised his supporters to gather at the Bersih 5 torch and convoy events.

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

Few commotions and clashes were also reported in the northern region.

Bersih's seven-week convoy was launched simultaneously from six locations.

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.

The goal, according to Bersih, is to strike up a national conversation on issues linked to state-investor 1MDB and calls for the removal of Najib.