A NGO has dismissed calls for former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad to spearhead an initiative to rescue the nation, pointing out that Malaysia is ailing because of the doctor turned politician.
Engage also argued that removing Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak would not save the country as he is a symptom and not the root cause.
Therefore, Engage chairperson Thomas Fann ( photo ) called on all quarters to put institutional reforms including electoral and parliamentary reforms at the heart of any negotiation and pact for post-Najib settlements.
He pointed out Najib is not the only Malaysian prime minister who has been accused of corruption.
"Less than a decade ago, Malaysia lost RM 12 billion – nearly 30% of 1MDB’s loss – in the Port Klang Free Zone land deal under Mahathir," he added.
According to Engage, "prime ministerial corruption" happens due to three systemic malaises, which are manipulated elections, concentration of power in the executive, and, suppression of right to dissent.
"Engage reminds Malaysians, if the system remains the same, the next prime minister will soon have his own 1MDB or PKFZ.
"Engage therefore questions the wisdom of calling for Mahathir to lead any 'save Malaysia' plot when he is responsible for electoral manipulation, power concentration and suppression of right to dissent," said Fann in a statement.
He was responding to DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang who suggested that Mahathir and his former deputies Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Musa Hitam could initiate a grand coalition to prevent the 1MDB fiasco from destroying Malaysia.
Without institutional reforms, Fann warned that the installation of a Mahathir's proxy at the helm may pose a greater danger than Najib.
Engage, he said, called upon all political, social and corporate leaders in plotting their post-Najib arrangements to be committed to institutional reforms, amongst others the 10-point agenda of Bersih 2.0:
1. Electoral reform
2. Making the Election Commission a constitutional party answerable to Parliament
3. Barring the prime minister from simultaneously holding the office of finance minister
4. Parliamentary reform
5. Making MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission) answerable to Parliament
6. Separating the attorney-general from the role of public prosecutor
7. Freedom of information laws at federal and state levels
8. Public declaration of ministers and senior government servants’ assets
9. Repeal of/amendments to draconian laws
10. Establishment of the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC)
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