Najib reminded he also ‘toppled’ Kedah government

How is theurging for Prime Minister Najib Razak’s resignation, which has been deemed a move to topple the government, any different from the Umno president’s similar move to unseat Kedah menteri besar Mukhriz Mahathir, asked an opposition MP.

PAS Pokok Sena Mahfuz Omar said this when commenting that the dismissal of Mahathir as Petronas adviser was no surprise, in view of the antics of the present government which he described as “otak selut” (mud-brained).

Mahfuz questioned how Mahathir signing the Citizen’s Declaration calling for Najib to step down could be considered unlawful, when it would require Najib to either resign by himself, or be removed through the process of parliamentary vote.

This was the same modus operandi used to remove Mukhriz from office, said Mahfuz.

“So, was the episode where Mukhriz was removed as Kedah MB through statutory declarations (SD) forced upon the BN assemblypersons done according to the laws?” he asked.

Last month Mahathir’s son Mukhriz was removed from office after BN representatives signed SDs, forcing him to eventually step down after two weeks of political turmoil in the state.

The move has been seen as an attack against Mahathir, who has been at the forefront of urging Najib to resign since the 1MDB scandal hit the spotlight last year.

Rather than criminalising the attempts to remove Najib, Mahfuz insisted the alleged abuses of power, corruption and financial scandals linked to Najib, were matters which should deemed as going against the law and federal constitution.

Najib and the government have consistently denied all wrongdoing in financial scandals linked to state-investor 1MDB as well as the RM2.6 billion donation.

‘Declaration hasn’t broken laws’

Mahfuz also defended the declaration, signed on March 4 by Mahathir and several BN rebels along with opposition and civil society figures, as not having broken any laws.

"Removing and demanding for Najib's resignation is not tantamount to toppling the government.

“The Citizen's Declaration was meant to restore the government and return Malaysia to the right path.

"The Citizen's Declaration' to Save Malaysia is part of the process to uphold people's power which have been abused by the BN government after they were given the mandate to rule.

“This process does not breach any law or provisions under the federal constitution," Mahfuz said.

Rather than criminalising the attempts to remove Najib, Mahfuz said the alleged abuses of power, corruption and financial scandals linked to Najib, were matters which should deemed as going against the law and federal constitution. -Mkini