PETALING JAYA: There was no static presence of police outside Bersih headquarters, confirmed district police chief Assistant Commissioner Fakhruddin Abdul Hamid.
He said police had a briefing near the location but they dispersed after taking orders on their routine patrolling duties.
Fahkruddin said police knew about the Bersih press conference, but did not engage with the organisers throughout the event.
"We were there to carry out routine police duties to keep the people and the surrounding safe," he said, when asked to comment on the alleged heavy police presence outside Bersih headquarters at Pusat Perniagaan 8 Avenue, here yesterday.
He said police have all the rights to gather at any place or location to ensure public safety and security.
"This is clearly stated under Police Act 1967 and we were just there on standby, in the event of a possible tension. There was no specific reason for police presence outside the Bersih office," Fahkruddin added.
He said Bersih has the rights to hold any events at its premises and the police presence is not associated with the press conference held by the organisation.
He reiterated that police presence had nothing to do with Bersih's press conference, but part of routine police work to ensure safety and security of the place.
Earlier, Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) had condemned the presence of 10 police officers, two police trucks and several police motorcycles stationed at the Coalition for Free and Fair Elections (Bersih) headquarters during a press conference advocating for a reform agenda.
Its executive director Sevan Doraisamy in an article earlier had likened the police presence as to be an act of intimidation, harassment or reprisal against individuals exercising this fundamental freedom.
He too had called on the government to uphold the right to freedom of expression without reservation.