PAS still remembers how Bersih supporters had stomped on an image of its president Abdul Hadi Awang during a rally last year.

The Islamist party's secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said such actions were unacceptable.

He reiterated that PAS would not join the Bersih 5 rally on Nov 19 because the party considered the electoral reform group to have strayed from its original agenda.

"We were invited to attend a meeting and our representative explained to the organiser that we would not join them. One of the reasons is because the struggle has sidetracked from the original focus

"PAS is confident if the late tok guru (spiritual leader) Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat was still around, he would agree with the party's stand.

"We still remember what happened during Bersih 4. Photos of PAS leaders were stomped on.

"It was an insult and now they come to us again to convince us. What is the guarantee (it won't happen again)?" he was quoted as saying by Sinar Harian.

Takiyuddin also revealed PAS received a letter from Bersih chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah expressing regret over the photo-stomping incident.

Detractors of Bersih 4 had highlighted how the majority of participants were Chinese and criticised the movement along racial lines.

Observers had attributed the lack of Malay participation to PAS' decision not to participate.

This time around, Bersih has embarked on a nationwide convoy with the hope of attracting more Malays, especially from rural areas, to join its protest.