Malaysia opposition leader calls for switch of focus

By P Prem Kumar

KUALA LUMPUR

Malaysia's imprisoned opposition leader on Monday called for his countrymen to work for institutional reforms in the country, instead of solely demanding the resignation of embattled Prime Minister Najib Razak.

Speaking outside Kuala Lumpur High Court, Anwar Ibrahim called for economic and political change, and underlined that fairness and transparency are very important for Malaysians, and not Razak's resignation which is being called for by a growing number of people.

“You cannot have this game of the elite to try and determine the course of the nation," Ibrahim told reporters outside the Kuala Lumpur High Court, when asked whether Razak's resignation would be sufficient.

Ibrahim had been temporarily let out of prison to attend court in an effort to initiate a judicial review of his sodomy conviction.

“It must be the people's choice, democratic choice, so back to democracy and institutional governance, that seems to be lacking even in the declaration, the issue of independence, of the judiciary, independence of the election commission, and the need to have institutional reforms,” he said.

On Sunday, politicians from both sides of the divide and civil society leaders joined former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad in calling for Razak's resignation.

Ibrahim -- who has previously expressed support for one-time arch nemesis Mohamad's campaign -- said a prime minister must be democratically elected in a "fair election" and not for a group of people to decide.

“It must be a fair, democratic election so the independence and integrity of the Election Commission is paramount,” he underlined.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission has opened an investigation into Razak over funds found in his accounts, and another into the finance ministry's SRC International -- a former subsidiary of 1MDB.

The moves came after international media released reports in July quoting documents from a probe into 1MDB – Razak's brainchild that has amassed debts worth 42 billion Ringgit ($11.6 billion) in just six years of operations – that claimed that $700 million from 1MDB ended up in Razak's accounts.

Ibrahim was dismissed as deputy prime minister by Mohamad, sacked from his United Malays National Organisation in 1998 and later jailed for sodomy with an aide.