KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 22): The March 27 rally should be more than just a vessel for Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to fulfil his agenda of removing Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, electoral reforms coalition Bersih 2.0 said today.

Its chairman Maria Chin Abdullah expressed reservations about the rally mooted by the former prime minister's ally Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, saying the agenda was unclear.

"It really doesn't matter who are the people behind it. But the agenda is not clear and that is very important. It shouldn't just be about Dr Mahathir's agenda, which is asking Najib to resign.

"Malaysia has to go beyond that. We need changes to stop corruption, abuse of power by the police and the judiciary. The fundamentals need to be changed, not just the people on top," Maria told The Malaysian Insider.

Bersih was invited to take part in the gathering, but Maria said the steering committee would have to meet and discuss the issue first before deciding whether to join.

She said as a coalition comprising dozens of civil society groups, a consensus on the matter would take a long time.

"Our concern is that the agenda of the rally has to be of reform. Otherwise, there is no point saying we should get rid of the prime minister, but want the old system to remain," said Maria.

Bersih organised its own rally last year demanding Najib's resignation.

Maria said the two-day protest's main aim was to call for reform.

Najib's resignation had been included in their list of demands because he did not believe in reform, and because money from dubious sources had allegedly been used to secure a Barisan Nasional (BN) victory in the 2013 general election, said Maria.

"That's why we felt that for reform to take place, Najib should step down and an interim government take control until fresh elections are held," she said.

"If this March 27 rally has a similar reform agenda, then, by all means, it should go ahead. Our constitution states that we have a right to voice our opinion, so the police should not make threats."

Zaid last Thursday urged the public to "rally behind Dr Mahathir" and demand Najib's resignation, as well as that of the attorney-general and the inspector-general of police.

The former de facto law minister said the March 27 rally would be a peaceful gathering of citizens who wanted those who abused laws and harboured criminals punished.