I have been asked what I meant when I said in Sungai Patani yesterday that I am prepared to work with any Malaysian to Save Malaysia, not only Tun Mahathir and Tan Sri Muhyiddin, but even with Datuk Seri Najib Razak if the Prime Minister is prepared to admit that he had led the country on a wrong tangent and that Malaysia must be saved with far-reaching democratic and institutional reforms.

I said in Sungai Patani that I believe that the overwhelming majority of Malaysians, regardless of race, religion, race or politics, love this country and can subordinate self-interest to national interests and support a Save Malaysia campaign to stop the country hurtling down the slippery slope towards a failed and a rogue state.

I am glad that the people of Sungai Patani, Semiling, Anak Bukit and Alor Star which I visited yesterday had given me full endorsement for taking a strong stand to “Save Malaysia”, even to work with Mahathir and Muhyiddin and all like-minded political and civil society leaders who could agree with the two major thrusts in the Citizen’s Declaration – the removal of Najib as Prime Minister and far-reaching democratic and institutional reforms.

But if Najib is to come board the “Save Malaysia” campaign, there are at least five things he can and should do immediately:

1. Free Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and restore to him all his political rights and civic enfranchisement like Nelson Mendela when the South African leader was released from prison after 27 years or 10,000 days in imprisonment so as to fully participate in a national consultative process on the democratic and institutional reforms necessary to restore national and international confidence in Malaysia.

2. Establish an independent and credible Royal Commission of Inquiry to carry out comprehensive and far-reaching investigations into Najib’s RM55 billion 1MDB and RM2.6 billion “donation” twin mega scandals, summoning all relevant personalities to testify, including Najib himself; the four Tan Sris in the previous Special Task Force on the twin mega scandals, namely Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail, former Attorney-General, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar, Bank Negara Governor at the time Tan Sri Zeti Akhar Aziz and the Chief Commissioner of Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamad; the present Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohamad Apandi Ali; the donor or donors who deposited RM2.6 billion (figure has increased to RM4.2 billion); all the key operatives of 1MDB and of course, the corporate-cum-government “mover and shaker” billionaire Jho Low.

3. Najib taking leave as Prime Minister until the outcome of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into his twin mega scandals, to allow the RCI to operate without any suggestion of being intimidated or pressured by an incumbent Prime Minister, who is the central figure of the RCI.

4. Halt the lurch towards dictatorial trends, by not only withdrawing all draconian legislative proposals, including proposed amendments to the Official Secrets Act, the Sedition Act, the Penal Code or the Printing Presses and Publications Act, the withdrawal of the National Security Council Bill, but also to withdraw all charges and investigations against Opposition and civil society leaders under a variety of repressive and undemocratic laws.

5. Immediately suspend the Goods and Services Tax (GST), slash RM50 billion of wasteful government expenditures and corrupt practices, including halving the size of the Cabinet and to give high priority to focus on the education, health and housing needs of all Malaysians.

(Statement during visit to Padang Besar, Perlis with DAP Padang Besar Branch leaders on Sunday, 13th March 2016 at 12 noon)