The police should ask the anti-Bersih red-shirts to hold their rally on a different date, since the red-shirts have admitted that theirs is a counter-rally.

In a statement today, Bersih pointed out it is the duty of the authorities to provide an alternative date, time and venue for the counter-assembly, as provided for under Section 18 of the Peaceful Assembly Act (PAA) 2012.

"The red-shirts led by (Sungai Besar Umno division chief) Jamal Md Yunos have, from the beginning, identified themselves as a counter-rally, specifically to protest against Bersih.

"Bersih will give our full cooperation to the police this Saturday, Nov 19.

"We strongly urge the police to restrain from the use of tear gas or arrest any of our participants as we have complied with the law," the Bersih steering committee added in the statement.

Bersih will hold its fifth rally tomorrow, near Dataran Merdeka, to call for electoral and democratic reforms, and in particular, for the resignation of Prime Minister Najib Razak over the 1MDB scandal.

In response, Jamal has vowed to oppose Bersih 5 with his red-shirts group, which has been confronting Bersih's weekend nationwide convoys leading up to tomorrow's rally.

"With my release from remand, I am declaring 'peperangan secara habis-habisan' (all out war) against Bersih 5.

"My arrest does not weaken my resolve and I will henceforth mobilise the 'red machine' all over the country for war with Bersih 5," Jamal was reported as saying when he was released from remand last month, after a confrontation.

'Cop must do the necessary'

Bersih noted the court also cited Section 18 of the PAA in its decision yesterday to deny an injunction to stop the rally as further reason for the police to tell Jamal to reschedule his counter-rally.

“Section 18 of PAA operates as a safety valve to avert a clash of conflicts. The power to do this lies with the police...

“I agree it is the authorities who are allowed to regulate or place such restriction, while at the same allow time for freedom of assembly (as enshrined under the Constitution),” Justice S Nantha Balan said in his decision.

Bersih said this warrants the police to "take the appropriate course of action" to facilitate tomorrow's Bersih 5 rally in Kuala Lumpur.