Former IGP maintains Bersih's aim is to topple gov't

Former inspector-general of police (IGP) Khalid Abu Bakar maintained in the High Court in Kuala Lumpur today that electoral reform NGO Bersih is intent on toppling the government.

Khalid was testifying in former Bersih chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah’s defamation suit against Sungai Besar Umno division leader Jamal Md Yunos for claiming that Bersih had been infiltrated by Islamic State or Daesh elements.

Testifying as the first defence witness for Jamal, Khalid said that while Bersih's perceived aim in holding rallies is to demand clean elections, its actual intent is to overthrow the government.

He added that the Bersih 3 rally in 2012 had resulted in chaos, as there were assaults that took place and the destruction of public property.

Questioned by Jamal's lawyer Mohd Nasser Yusof, Khalid said based on the briefing he received on Bersih 3, he was told the rally was chaotic and had led to the destruction of government property.

Asked what was the destruction caused, the witness, who was deputy IGP during the Bersih 3 rally, said several police vehicles were damaged.

Nasser: Is overthrowing the government an offence?

Khalid: Certainly.

Khalid added that police had identified Bersih participants as the ones who had created the commotion during Bersih 3.

He said Bersih always did not follow the law and the police advice on the Peaceful Assembly Act  2012.

The witness agreed with Nasser that Maria was one of the organisers of the Bersih 3 rally and that she had been arrested in 2016 by the police under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012.

Khalid said Bersih was investigated for allegedly accepting funds from foreign sources.

Cross-examined by Maria's lawyer N Surendran, Khalid agreed that Maria was released without any conditions, but was uncertain whether the investigation files on her were closed as he had retired as IGP in September last year.

He also agreed that Maria had not uttered any statements calling for violence and was not charged under Sosma.

Asked about the violence during Bersih 3, Khalid said he was unsure of a civil claim by the government against the electoral watchdog group, which was rejected by the court.

In January 2017, the Federal Court dismissed the government's appeal against Bersih. 

Khalid also testified that he did not know whether anyone was charged for Bersih 3.

He disagreed with Surendran's suggestion that overall, the Bersih rally was peaceful and that nothing untoward happened after the protest.

During the re-examination by Nasser, Khalid said police had to use tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowd during Bersih 3.

"If we did not resort to that, the situation would have been much worse. Bersih's move to incite the people and hold street protests are actions to topple the government," he added.

The hearing continues before Justice Mohd Zaki Abdul Wahab, with former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad testifying this afternoon. -Mkini