No swift resolution of political conflict in sight says Mahathir

By MT Webmaster On Apr 25, 2016

(The Independent) – Malaysia’s former Prime Minister Tun Mahathir Mohamad said he did not see any resolution of the political crisis in Malaysia, but actions are still on the cards to oust Prime Minister Najib Razak.

“It is not going to resolved anytime soon, because all the means of redress has been subverted.

“You know, now when you report something wrong to the authorities, you get arrested. And the people can’t get the vote of no confidence in the Parliament,” he lamented.

He said during an interview in Kuala Lumpur, that was because all these people (Members of Parliament) are somehow indebted to the government, in some way or another.

“Thus, you can’t get them to vote. You cannot report to the authorities, you cannot do anything,” he said.

He also said a painful exercise is underway in Malaysia, one destined to get a large number of signatures against the rule of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.

Those who sign the petition has to provide their identification card number, in order to give credence to the effort, since the campaigners did not want any false signatures.

That is a very difficult process, he said.

He said since public rallies not allowed, the chances to see a resolution of the situation in Malaysia was limited.

He said he himself, was barred from seeing people.

“Without the police overseeing me, I am not allowed to see people. I went to Kedah the other day, and I was barred from all the meetings. I was barred,” he said.

On his appearing with opposition members in his campaign against the Malaysian PM, he said he is not working with the opposition.

“They are also not working with me, but as citizens, even though they have position in the opposition parties – just like I used to have position in the government – these are citizens of the country. They are unhappy with the current administration that they have now,” he said.

He said the group of citizens are trying to get the people to express their opinion against the present regime.

“We are trying, but the thing of course, is we are working under intense pressure. The best thing is to do a referendum, but that is not possible,” he said.

In any case, he said, the authorities will not allow for a free and fair referendum to be carried out.

Speaking in Dubai, Dr Mahathir called on foreign governments and agencies investigating 1MDB for suspected misappropriation of as much as $US6bn to make public their findings.

He said inquiries that are kept secret are of no use to anyone.

Dr Mahathir, whose has made an application for a court-ordered freeze on Najib’s assets urged the foreign countries not be too diplomatic in raising the 1MDB issue.

“Being diplomatic isn’t going to help Malaysia or anyone else. They must recognise action needs to be taken and do what is necessary.”

Mahathir Najib