National Human Rights Society (Hakam) chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan said Bersih supporters who are running a campaign to get people to go out and vote and proponents of the #UndiRosak movement are on the same side of wanting to see a change of government and institutional reforms.

"We are actually on the same side. We are not on opposing sides. Because you dislike the system, we don’t like the system too.

"We say we must vote to change the system but you say you don’t vote to change the system. It's just a difference in our approach," she told a forum in Petaling Jaya today after the launch of Bersih's latest campaign ahead of the 14th general election.

The lawyer said this in responding to a question from the floor on personal attacks launched against #UndiRosak (spoiled votes) proponents and whether spoiling a ballot would be considered a democratic right.

Ambiga, who denounced such attacks, however, argued that the only way she knew how to change a government would be through voting them out in the next polls.

"This is my personal view, don't think I'm imposing it on you because it's your right not to vote. The only way anything is going to change in this country is if we change the government.

"The only way I know how to change the government, is to vote them out," said the former Bersih chairperson who also urged the #UndiRosak proponents to consider whether spoiling their votes would result in the institutional changes that they wish to see for the country.

Earlier, Ambiga who spoke on judicial reforms also pointed out that a key sign of a "too powerful" prime minister would be when the institutions are no longer able to limit his powers.

"The ultimate test (of an independent institution) would be when it is prepared to limit his powers," she said, adding that the courts should also have the highest power to hold the institutions to account.

Among others, she cited failures of the court to allow any challenges to be made to the gazetted electoral roll as something which was unacceptable.

"So far the attitude of the courts is to say that you cannot interfere in anything that the Election Commission does.

"I am totally averse to that proposition," she said, although noting that a final appeal on legalities of Section 9A of the Election Act 1958 which prevents the courts from scrutinising the gazetted electoral roll, is still pending at the Federal Court.

The #UndiRosak movement which started on social media had gained traction in recent months with politicians from both BN and Pakatan Harapan speaking out against it.

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had described the "spoilt vote" campaign launched by certain quarters as an action that contradicts the democratic system being practiced in Malaysia.