BERSIH Sarawak plans to hold a statewide convoy this year, starting from Miri on Oct 1 and ending in Kuching on Nov 19.

A group representing various participating NGOs today went to the state police headquarters at Jalan Baharuddin here to present a letter seeking permission to hold the event.

Its spokesman Ahmad Awang Ali said around 5,000 people were expected to join the convoy which will pass through a number of towns along the Miri/Kuching trunk road.

"The participants include those who will attend our planned rallies and other activities in towns like Sri Aman, Lachau, Simunjan, Balai Ringin, Gedong, Serian, Kota Samarahan, Kota Padawan, Petrajaya, Matang, demak Laut, Kota Sentosa and finally Tabuan," he told the media here.

He said the main objectives of the event were to demand for a clean and free election and for parliamentary democracy to be upheld, and to fight for the rights of Sabah and Sarawak within Malaysia, besides local issues.

"It will be part of the nationwide BERSIH convoy to be held during the same period," he said.

Ahmad said opposition parties in the state had also been invited to join in.

Meanwhile, he said BERSIH Sarawak also condemned the state government for banning one of its steering committee members, Thomas Fann from entering the state, recently.

Fann was allegedly told by Immigration Department officers upon arrival at Miri Airport that he was barred from entering the state under Section 67 of the Immigration Act.

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