That was the argument from Deputy Home Minister Nur Jazlan Mohamed to the media today, when asked by Malay Mail Online if the probes represent a crackdown.
The authorities are not persecuting NGO’s but rather are probing the agendas of only those who received foreign backing, he said. He confirmed that the probes began last month.
“Only 20 out of 50,000 are being investigated, it is a small number, and a focused investigation. Why are you scared of being investigated if you are not guilty?
“The basis of the probe is when Bank Negara Malaysia, the police, detect any money flowing through the NGOs. We want to know what the funding is for and for what purpose,” he told the news site.
“If, as they say… using money to promote democracy, then it is fine. But Bersih is organising demonstrations, and they are supposed to be a company,” he added.
Other groups being probed are Lawyers for Liberty, the National Human Rights Society and the Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism.
“Bersih came under the radar when its chairman Maria Chin was barred from leaving Malaysia to receive an award in South Korea,” he told the online site.
He claimed the sponsors of the award were linked to the Open Society Foundations, which is accused of undermining democracy in Malaysia.