The signing of the Citizens' Declaration on Friday was hailed as a landmark re-alignment of forces in the country as it brought together the establishment loyal to former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the opposition and civil society.

Much of the spotlight have been on the top activists, opposition leaders and members of the ruling coalition who signed declaration, which among others called for the ouster of scandal-plagued Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and institutional reforms.

But little attention has been given to how the 37-paragraph document came about as it reflected the behind the scenes debates and negotiations in the run-up to the high-profile announcement.