A Gerakan Youth leader has urged the police to clamp down on the anti-Bersih red-shirts movement as the group poses a threat to peaceful assembly.

"Although I do support peaceful assembly as provided under the laws, violent acts or actions that cause hatred and disharmony is a big no.

"Hence the police should clamp down not only the yellows (Bersih), but the reds.

"It is proven in the past by demonstrating openly in the public, no one can guarantee a peaceful gathering especially when there is provocation," said Gerakan Youth deputy chief Andy Yong on his Facebook.

Sungai Besar Umno chief Jamal Md Yunos has vowed to stop the upcoming Bersih 5 rally for electoral and democratic reforms, with his red shirts movement.

The group has been confronting Bersih's nationwide convoys over the past weeks, with some incidents of violence particularly in Jamal's own home ground in Selangor.

To take on Bersih, which in last year's two-day Bersih 4 rally on Aug 29 and 30 saw at least 150,000 or more gather in the capital to protest electoral fraud and the 1MDB scandal, Jamal has threatened to round up 300,000 red shirts to counter them.

The red-shirts' debut counter protest last year in Sept 16 saw an estimated 45,000 participants flood Dataran Merdeka to show defiance against Bersih 4.

'Other ways to skin cat'

Ironically, Yong said holding the rally in a stadium, a suggestion his Youth chief Tan Keng Liang had often raised, would not serve the purpose of a public rally.

"Doing it in a stadium or enclosed areas will not have such impact," he said.

However the lawyer cautioned public rallies face the risk of altercation particularly if there are forces that provoke the crowd.

"It is proven in the past by demonstrating openly in the public, no one can guarantee a peaceful gathering especially when there is provocation.

"There are many ways to skin a cat; aggressive behaviour should not be one of it," said Yong.

"Certain parties want to see blood; this is so when they are provoked.

"All it takes is a spark of fire, worse if an agent provocateur who intentionally caused it.

"So it is no longer a question of democratic rights or liberty; it is about stability of the country," he said.