Speaking to more than 1,000 people at the People’s Congress here, Zaid called for total reform of the country’s political systems, beginning with the ousting of Najib, which he hoped would be the catalyst for removing all other political leaders complicit in covering up wrongdoings.
“They claimed to reject corruption, to fight for Islam, to place priority on integrity when in reality, they are more than comfortable with corrupt practices. Most of the Rakyat are now living a troubled life as no country in this world can spread its wealth fairly if its leaders are voracious and swimming in corruption.
“There is no agenda, be it for the Malays, the Muslims or whatever, that can be executed unless the leaders are among those who are transparent and honest,” said Zaid in his opening speech of the congress, which follows on from the Citizens’ Declaration initiated by former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad on March 4.
Dr Mahathir is scheduled to provide the climax of this afternoon’s event, which will feature speeches from 19 people in the political and reform movements. They include Umno rebels Muhyiddin Yassin and Mahathir’s son Mukhriz, opposition leaders Lim Kit Siang, PKR deputy president Azmin Ali and Amanah party president Mohamad Sabu. Others present include civil society luminaries Ambiga Sreenevasan, Maria Chin Abdullah. and the former premier’s daughter Marina Mahathir, former MCA president Ling Liong Sik and former agriculture minister Sanusi Junid.
Zaid, a former law minister, said the disparate group of political leaders – many faces once constantly at each other’s throats – were “finally speaking in one united voice” driven by their common goal to restore Malaysia’s former glory.
“Our country was once respected by the world. Many of the leaders present today were part of the success story. But today Malaysia is facing a crisis which we never thought could take place in a democratic country. Under Najib’s leadership, Malaysia struggles in corruption and financial scandals unlike anything we, or the world, had ever witnessed.”
He declared that Najib’s credibility was tainted, and he was no longer qualified to continue.
“Our dignity has been affected and we are embarrassed by what has taken place,” he said. Corruption and abuse of power were no longer limited to the running of the government’s investment arm 1Malaysia Development Bhd but was obvious in other cases related to the administration.
Zaid listed the effects on the administration from the continuing investigations into 1MDB, which included the removal of Gani Patail as Attorney-General, and changes among four members of the Public Accounts Committee midstread into the investigations.