Police have arrested Bersih chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah and the electoral watchdog’s secretariat secretary Mandeep Singh.

According to a tweet from Lawyers for Liberty, Mandeep and Maria will be detained at the Kuala Lumpur police contingent headquarters.

Earlier, a police team from Bukit Aman as well as officers from the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SMM) raided the Bersih office in Petaling Jaya about 3pm.

A tweet by Bersih said the police seized 10 computers, two mobile phones, and documents related to their payroll and bank accounts during the two-hour raid.

The electoral watchdog is being investigated under Section 124C of the Penal Code, which is related to attempts to carry out activities detrimental to parliamentary democracy.

Maria, Mandeep in high spirits

Meanwhile, PKR state assemblyperson Elizabeth Wong, who met them at the police headquarters, said the pair are well and in high spirits.

In a Facebook post, she also penned the messages from Maria and Mandeep.

"Mandeep's message to everyone, 'Sixteen more hours to get the biggest crowd ever! We can do it!'

"Maria's message to everyone, 'No turning back! Proceed, proceed, proceed!'"

In a statement later, Bersih said Maria and Mandeep were taken to the KL police headquarters and would be detained overnight.

It said the investigation was related to the grant Bersih received from the Open Society Foundations.

Bersih condemned the raid as a blatant abuse of power and pure harassment and intimidation.

"No warrant or legitimate reason for the raid and arrests could be provided.

"The authorities have resorted to such desperate measures in a vain attempt to stop the Bersih 5 rally.

"The laws of this country are being turned on its head," it said.

Bersih said it had complied with the law but is being targeted by the police while the red-shirts group, which has threatened violence, remained untouched.

'The double standard is glaring'

"The double standard is glaring. If the authorities hope that this act of pure intimidation will scare us into submission, it will not happen.

"Instead, it has strengthened our resolve to continue with the Bersih 5 rally.

"Maria’s and Mandeep’s arrests have changed nothing. Bersih 5 will go on as planned and we hope that this heavy-handed action on the part of the authorities will spur Malaysians into coming down to the streets tomorrow, not just to demand for institutional reforms but to protest injustices happening in the country," it said.

Bersih also elaborated on the raid, criticising the conduct of the police.

Among the Bersih committee members and staff present during the raid were Shahrul Aman, Thomas Fann, Jay Jay Denis, Zoe Randhawa, Yap Pik Kuan and Maisara.

"The police officers rounded everyone up and took their mobile phones and ICs.

"They were rude and acted out like thugs, pushing Thomas aside and at one point, attempted to cuff Mandeep for using his phone, which they violently snatched away," said Bersih.

It added that Bersih's lawyers were also kicked out of the office after repeatedly questioning the conduct of the police.

"In total, 10 laptops (including chargers), pendrives, hard disks, payroll files, bank statements and documents pertaining to The May 18 Foundation were seized.

"They had also taken several photographs of the office. The raid lasted two hours, ending at 5.15pm," Bersih said.