Malaysian Citizens' Declaration Explained

Deklarasi Rakyat
Context:	Demands for Najib Razak to resign as Prime Minister and calls for political reform in Malaysia.
Location Signed:	Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Mediators:	Khairuddin Abu Hassan
Signatories:	Mahathir Mohamad and 57 other signatories

The Citizens' Declaration (ms|Deklarasi Rakyat) was a declaration issued by an array of Malaysian political leaders on 4 March 2016 to demand Prime Minister Najib Razak's resignation from office. It was launched at a press conference chaired by former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.^[1] ^[2] ^[3]

Coming amidst the 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal, the declaration also saw Malaysia's two biggest political arch-rivals, Anwar Ibrahim and Mahathir Mohamad, work together for people's rights.^[4] ^[5] Besides demanding that Najib be removed from his position, the declaration signed by, among others, former Premier Mahathir and 57 other signatories also touched on freedom of speech and a free media.

Content

The main points of the declaration were:

The removal of Najib Razak as the prime minister of Malaysia through non-violent and legally permissible means;
The removal of all those who have acted in concert with him;
A repeal of all recent laws and agreements that violate the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Federal Constitution, and;
A restoration of the integrity of the institutions that have been undermined, such as the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP), the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) and the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

The declaration included several key reasons for the demands:

Concern over the deteriorating political, economic and social situation in the country;
Damage done to the country under the premiership of Najib Razak;
Malaysia becoming one of the 10 most corrupt countries in the world, according to Ernst and Young in their Asia Pacific Fraud Survey Report Series 2013. The 2015 Corruption Perception Index showed Malaysia had dropped four places from 50 to 54; and,
Allocations to all ministries and public institutions, including universities, have been reduced because of a shortage of funds. Even when allocations are budgeted for, no money is available.

Signatories

Mahathir Mohamad – Former Prime Minister of Malaysia
Lim Kit Siang – DAP Supremo and Gelang Patah MP
Azmin Ali – Selangor Chief Minister and Deputy President of PKR
Mukhriz Mahathir – Former Chief Minister of Kedah
Muhyiddin Yassin - Former Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia
Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman – Malaysian Asia Award Winning Best Debater
Zaid Ibrahim – Former Law Minister
Ling Liong Sik – Former MCA President
Mahfuz Omar – PAS Lawmaker and Pokok Sena MP
Maria Chin Abdullah – BERSIH Chairman
Nurul Izzah Anwar – PKR Vice President and Lembah Pantai MP
Mohamad Sabu – President of Party AMANAH Negara
Salahuddin Ayub – Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) Deputy President
Ambiga Sreenevasan – Former Bar Council Chairperson
Rafizi Ramli – PKR Vice President and Pandan MP
Kamaruddin Jaafar - PKR Tumpat MP
Tian Chua - PKR Vice-president
Muhammad Muhammad Taib - Former Selangor Menteri Besar
Anthony Loke - DAP Organising Secretary
Teresa Kok - DAP lawmaker and Seputeh MP
Hishamuddin Rais - Political Activist
Datuk Mujahid Yusof Rawa - Party AMANAH Negara Vice-president
Tok Muda Dato Wan Abu Bakar Wan Mohamed - Former Deputy Defence Minister/ Former UMNO Supreme Council Member
Datuk Hamidah Osman and Anina Saadudin - Former UMNO leader

Observers

Datuk Mustafa Ali – PAS Election Director
Khairuddin Razali – PAS Ulama Council Information Chief

Full Text of Citizens' Declaration

^[6]

Notes and References

Web site: . 4 March 2016. Malaysia alliance demands removal of scandal-hit PM Najib. https://web.archive.org/web/20181009222359/https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/malaysia-alliance-demands-removal-of-scandal-hit-pm-najib-8133850. 9 October 2018. 6 January 2021. Channel NewsAsia.
Web site: Leong. Trinna. 4 March 2016. Malaysia's Mahathir and opposition sign declaration to oust Najib. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200304162713/https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/mahathir-and-opposition-sign-declaration-to-oust-najib. 4 March 2020. 6 January 2021. The Straits Times.
Web site: . 4 March 2016. Dr M: Strange group, but all agree Najib must go. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20201031042605/https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/332716. 31 October 2020. 6 January 2021. Malaysiakini.
Web site: Fernandez. Joe. 4 March 2016. Forgetting old wounds, Anwar-Mahathir now working against Najib. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200924081126/https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2016/03/04/shahbudin-forgetting-old-wounds-anwar-mahathir-now-working-against-najib/. 24 September 2020. 6 January 2021. Free Malaysia Today.
Web site: Shaffer. Leslie. 4 March 2016. Mahathir: Malaysia must rid itself of PM Najib. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200516103707if_/https://www.cnbc.com/2016/03/04/jailed-anwar-backs-old-foe-mahathir-to-bring-down-malaysian-pm.html. 16 May 2020. 6 January 2021. CNBC.
Web site: Teks penuh Deklarasi Rakyat bagi singkir Najib. . 4 March 2016. Malaysiakini. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20201124001115if_/https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/332737. 24 November 2020. 6 January 2021.