PKR deputy president says other resolutions in Citizens' Declaration must not be forgotten.
PETALING JAYA: In the face of growing public attention about who could be the next prime minister, the deputy president of PKR, Azmin Ali, issued a reminder today of resolutions calling for political and institutional reforms.
“We want total reformation in the country’s system of governance,” he said today. “This has always been the view of the opposition coalition.”
He said the adoption of the Citizens’ Declaration on Friday by an anti-Najib alliance was not just about pressuring Najib to resign.
The other resolutions were why some opposition politicians put their names on the declaration, read out by Najib’s arch-critic, former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
“If the call is only for Najib to resign, we (the opposition) would not have been there in the first place,” said Azmin.
Earlier today, Mahathir’s son, Mukhriz, who was deposed as Kedah menteri besar last month, had said that the declaration was aimed only at removing Najib from office, rather than bringing down the Barisan Nasional government.
The aim was to “replace Najib with another prime minister from the ruling coalition” implying that the Barisan Nasional would remain in power. Mukhriz had been responding to Umno criticism that the alliance wanted to topple the Barisan Nasional.
However Azmin said that massive reforms in the government and its agencies were badly needed.
“Our aim from the very beginning is clear: there must be a reformation. This includes the resignation of Najib,” he told reporters after a government function which he attended as menteri besar of Selangor.
“Our reform agenda includes granting freedom to the press, restoring confidence in government institutions, and one of the issues discussed in the declaration is the removal of those who acted ‘in concert’ with Najib throughout this ordeal.
“Do not misinterpret the declaration. Stick to what has been written,” he said.
The next step was to take the message to ordinary people. “We will need to go to the ground and explain to the rakyat because we need them to make this declaration successful. This will be a continuous effort.”
There has been growing public criticism of the declaration and the gathering of opposition politicians and civil society leaders around Dr Mahathir, who has waged a year-long campaign to oust Najib as Umno president and prime minister.
Misgivings have been expressed about Dr Mahathir’s involvement and his sincerity, given this 22-year iron-fisted administration of the government during which he was seen to have weakened the foundations of democratic government.
Opposition supporters have said that they would join Dr Mahathir only if there was a promise of reforms of the political system.
However, the declaration is largely a laundry list of complaints about Najib’s role in the affairs of the government’s investment arm 1Malaysia Development Bhd.
Institutional reforms were mentioned only with regard to those institutions involved in carrying out investigations into 1MDB.
-FMT NEWS-
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