Wednesday 08 / May / 2024
Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian police arrested the head of pro-democracy group Bersih on Friday, widening a crackdown on government critics a day before a rally calling for Prime Minister Najib Razak to step down.
Thousands are expected to march in Saturday's protest organised by Bersih, an electoral reform group, to demand Najib resign over his involvement in a multi-billion dollar scandal at state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).
Najib has denied any wrongdoing.
Bersih chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah and secretariat member Mandeep Singh were arrested shortly after the group's offices were raided.
City police said they were arrested for offences under the Penal Code related to rioting. Laptops, bank and payroll statements were seized.
Human Rights Society chairwoman Ambiga Sreenevasan, Bersih's former chief, said in a text message the demonstrations would go on despite the arrests.
"I think we will have a larger turnout because of them," she said.
Last year, more than 200,000 people attended a similar rally organised by Bersih, which has held several mass protests calling for electoral and institutional reforms since 2007.
Bersih, along with other groups, is being investigated after reports that it received funds from Open Society Foundations, an organisation linked to business tycoon George Soros.
Najib's administration has cracked down on the media and civil society in an attempt to silence criticism over his involvement in a money-laundering scandal at 1MDB.
Founded by Najib, who chaired its advisory board, 1MDB is currently the subject of investigations in at least six countries, including Switzerland, Singapore and the United States.
Lawsuits filed by the US Justice Department in July say more than $700 million of misappropriated funds from 1MDB flowed into the accounts of "Malaysian Official 1", whom US and Malaysian officials have identified as Najib.
