Opposition ready to talk with BN on forming new government without Najib

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is under pressure over the economy and admission that RM2.6 billion from an unknown Middle Eastern donor was donated into his personal accounts. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Najjua Zulkefli, August 27, 2015.

As pressure mounts to remove Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak from office, opposition MPs from DAP, PKR and Gerakan Harapan Baru (GHB) said they are prepared to discuss with their Barisan Nasional counterparts on forming a new majority for a new government.

In a joint statement today, the opposition MP said the core agenda of the new government, without Najib, would be political reforms with one of the first tasks being the release of jailed former opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Anwar is in Sungai Buloh prison, serving a five-year sentence for sodomy.

"The MPs from DAP, PKR and GHB are prepared to discuss the proposals by MPs from BN to form a new majority to replace the government of Najib with political reforms as the core agenda of the new government.

"The release of Anwar and all other prisoners of conscience should be one of the first tasks to be performed by the new majority. All political persecutions should also be rescinded," they said.

The opposition MPs who signed the joint statement from DAP were Lim Kit Siang (Gelang Patah), Anthony Loke Siew Fook (Seremban), Teresa Kok (Seputih), Liew Chin Tong (Kluang) and Teo Kok Seong (Rasah).

Those from PKR were Rafizi Ramli (Pandan), Datuk Johari Abdul (Sg Petani), Wong Chen (Kelana Jaya), Sim Tze Tzin (Bayan Baru), and S. Manikavasagam (Kapar).

The MPs representing GHB were Datuk Kamaruddin Jaafar (Tumpat), Dr Hatta Ramli (Kuala Krai) and Khalid Samad (Shah Alam).

The opposition MPs also said they have reached several resolutions since their meeting at Parliament yesterday.

They have resolved to support the Bersih 4 rally this weekend and called on Najib and his deputy, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, to commit that there would not be crackdown on the rally.

They said they would also take part in the National Consultative Council on Political Funding if the issue of the RM2.6 billion mysterious “donation” deposited into Najib's private bank account by a foreign party was addressed upfront.

Their other condition was that the scope of the council be expanded to electoral reforms and independence granted to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the Election Commission (EC).

Earlier this month, Najib announced that the national consultative committee would be established to formulate guidelines on political funding to ensure that funds were sourced with integrity.

His announcement was met with scepticism and scorn as it was made at a time when Najib himself was being criticised and questioned over the RM2.6 billion donation from an unknown Middle Eastern donor.

- TMI