Citizens’ Declaration is about PM’s ouster, not pact with Dr M

Ramkarpal Singh justifies Pakatan Harapan’s involvement in Citizens’ Declaration after vowing never to work with Mahathir Mohamad due to the many atrocities he committed while in office.

(FMT) – Ramkarpal Singh of DAP has justified the decision by members of the Opposition to work with Dr Mahathir Mohamad via the Citizens’ Declaration, as long as all members strive towards a common goal – to see Prime Minister Najib Razak out of office via democratic means.

In a statement today, the Bukit Gelugor MP attempted to clarify an assertion he made in April last year that working with Mahathir to “Save Malaysia” would be an unimaginable disaster waiting to happen, considering the “many atrocities” the former premier committed while in office and the “infamous judicial crisis in 1988″ that he was responsible for.

“The position is, however, different in the case of the said Citizens’ Declaration as same does not imply a working relationship between the Opposition and Dr Mahathir but rather, a recognition of one of the objectives of the Opposition, namely the democratic ouster of Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Najib Razak due to his many shortcomings and failures,” he said.

“In other words, the question of working with Dr Mahathir does not arise as the purpose of the said Citizens’ Declaration is merely to formally recognise the fact that Najib has to go, a view which is commonly shared by the Opposition and Dr Mahathir.”

Ramkarpal said the Declaration ought to be supported as it demanded for Najib’s removal via “non-violent and legally permissible means.”

“It has, and always will be the position of the Opposition that not only Najib has to go but the entire Barisan Nasional government as well (preferably by way of a no-confidence motion in Parliament now if not through the ballot box in the next General Election) since the BN has failed the Rakyat and advocates a system which is corrupt, outdated and oppressive.

He added that only a change in government would allow for necessary reforms to be made, specifically in the Attorney-General’s Chambers, the judiciary and law enforcement agencies, all of which were the long-term goals of the Opposition since day one.