PETALING JAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Kuala Lumpur's historic Merdeka Square will be the site of the next mass gathering of Malaysia's non-governmental organisation coalition, which is scheduled to last for 34 hours.

In a statement on Tuesday, the group said that the rally, dubbed Bersih 4.0, would begin at 2pm on Aug 29, and end at 11.59pm on Aug 30. The overnight rally will be held to demand free elections and to protest Putrajaya's handling of the 1Malaysia Development Berhad controversy.

"We have decided to camp overnight at Dataran Merdeka to demand for clean elections, corrupt-free government, the right to protest, strengthening parliament democracy and saving the economy.

"We invite all Malaysians to join us in a gathering unlike any other in history. Participants are advised to bring camping gear, sleeping bags and other equipment needed for spending the night at the city," it said on Tuesday.

Bersih chairman Maria Chin Abdullah said on Tuesday that the police and the Kuala Lumpur City Hall had been notified about the rally. Simultaneous rallies will be held in Kuching, Sarawak, and Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.

They also expressed that they are willing to discuss the rally with Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar to ensure the safety of the public and that traffic flow is uncontested.

"Members of the public are advised to gather in five places before moving to Dataran Merdeka: Brickfields, Pasar Seni, Sogo, Masjid Negara and Dataran Maybank," it added.