KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30 — Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the man who staunchly opposed to public demonstrations during his 22 years in power today became a part of a mass street protest demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
The 90-year-old made his debut as a street protester in the Bersih 4 rally like many others since yesterday, using the public trains and after alighting at the Kuala Lumpur KTM station and footing it downtown to the Pasar Seni LRT station, Central Market and Masjid Jamek.“I’m here to show solidarity with the people,” he told a news conference later.
“There’s no more avenue for legal redress. We have to resolve through demo. That’s why I’m here. If there is a taskforce to investigate where is the money, I wouldn’t be here,” he added.
Dr Mahathir had made his intention to oust Najib from power very plain since he began his verbal attacks against the prime minister over Putrajaya’s handling of the debt-ridden state investment company 1 Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) issue.
He stepped up his campaign against Najib in recent days, following the exposé of RM2.6 billion cash deposits into the prime minister’s personal bank accounts, which the opposition believe to be funnelled from 1MDB but which the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and some senior Umno leaders have said were donations from a friendly Middle Eastern nation.
Like many others, Dr Mahathir blamed the current decline of the ringgit and the country’s economic blues on the government’s handling of 1MDB and the introduction of a new consumption tax in AprilI told them not to introduce GST. That is why investors are leaving. That’s why RM is going down. Lots of problem created by the government.
“I don’t know if this is a game changer or not,” he said, when asked about the Bersih 4 rally organised by polls reform group Bersih 2.0, which is pressuring for Najib to resign from office to take responsibility for the country’s purported current gloomy outlook.
“Previously, there was no need to take part in demos. If we make police report, people took action,” he added.
Dr Mahathir drew parallels between Malaysia’s present to the Philippines in the 1960s through to the 1980s under the rule of Ferdinand Marcos.
“It is the last option (street demo). When Marcos ruled they have to overthrow him through demo,” Dr Mahathir said.
The elder politician said he had heard that an Umno MP would file a motion of no-confidence against Najib in the Dewan Rakyat when Parliament reconvenes in October, although he quickly added that he did not know the identity of the person.
He urged the federal lawmakers from both sides of the political divide, but especially Umno, to support the proposal when it is filed.
“You have to tell all your MPs not to support Najib. Support your MP, tell them ‘If you do not support no-confidence motion, we will not elect you as MPs’.
“This is your job as citizens to make this a corruption-free country,” he said.
This time, Dr Mahathir drew parallels to protests in Guatemala where the citizens kicked into major action with marches and road blocks last week demanding the resignation of President Otto Pérez Molina over his alleged involvement in a major corruption scandal that has thrown the central American nation into political crisis.
“If you want the no-confidence vote to succeed, Umno MPs who are loyal to the party must support it. After that, the Najib administration will fall.
“The government after that must be BN, because BN has the majority,” he said.
Dr Mahathir told the news conference he would not stay on for the remainder of the 34-hour rally still going strong in the streets near Dataran Merdeka despite rain in the late afternoon.
“I’m tired. I’m going to go back home,” he said.
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