Bersih says it will not back down from hitting the streets despite its former co-chaiperson Ambiga Sreenevasan being hauled up by the police.

"Despite the threats of arrest made against activists like Ambiga, we will not be deterred from taking to the streets in our struggle for these reforms," it said in a statement today.

The electoral reform group had announced an overnight Bersih 4 rally on Aug 29, amid corruption allegations against the government.

Ambiga was today summoned by the police under Section 124 of the Penal Code after she warned that the government risked facing street protests if it did not address its scandals.

Section 124 of the Penal Code concerns activities detrimental to parliamentary democracy.

Bersih said it was appalled at Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar ( photo ) for wanting to summon Ambiga, who is also the National Human Rights Society (Hakam) president.

"Bersih demands to know how asking for a prime minister who is determined to undermine the democratic process through the buying of elections, sacking those investigating him, and dismantling parliamentary inquiries is 'detrimental to parliamentary democracy'.

"Instead, Bersih stresses it is the harassment of those who stand up for the democratic process, that is the threat to democracy," it said.

Bersih added that the right to assemble peacefully is enshrined in the Federal Constitution.

"To fail to respect this right is a failure to protect the spirit of Malaysia's democracy," it said.