Hisham declares Bersih an outlaw organisation

(Malaysiakini) The Coalition for Clean & Fair Elections (Bersih 2.0) has been declared an unlawful organisation effective yesterday, the Registrar of Societies (ROS) said today.

In a statement, ROS director-general Abdul Rahman Othman said the declaration was made by Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein under section 5 of the Societies Act 1966.

Investigations showed that Bersih 2.0 was not a registered organisation, he said.

The statement said Bersih 2.0 had been moving actively, creating unease among the people.

It said the coalition had also been spreading pamphlets containing propaganda with the aim of toppling the government.

Its activities had brought about negative impact on the country's image and threatened public order, security, economic prosperity and the country's sovereignty, and undermined harmony among the people, it said.

Hindraf outlawed in 2008

Bersih 2.0 plans to organise rallies in Kuala Lumpur, Sabah and Sarawak on July 9 to call for clean and fair elections.

In October 2008, the Hindu Rights Actions Force (Hindraf) was declared an illegal organisation.

Then home minister Syed Hamid Albar said the decision to outlaw Hindraf was made after facts and evidence that showed the organisationwas being used for unlawful purposes and posed a threat to public order and morality.

Hindraf organised a massive rally calling for a better deal for Indian Malaysians on Nov 10, 2007 - two weeks after 40,000 turned out for the first Bersih rally.

Registrar of Society Act 1966

5. Power of the Minister to declare a society unlawful

(1) It shall be lawful for the Minister in his absolute discretion
by order to declare unlawful any society or branch or class or
description of any societies which in his opinion, is or is being
used for purposes prejudicial to or incompatible with the interest
of the security of Malaysia or any part thereof, public order or
morality.

(2) An order made under this section shall be published in the
Gazette and shall operate to cancel immediately the registration
of any such society or societies, if already registered under this
Act; and no society against which an order made under this section
applies shall be so registered.

(3) The provisions of section 17 shall apply in respect of a local
society affected by the order made under this section.