Mubarak, 43 NGOs condemn Mahathir Declaration

KUALA LUMPUR: More organisations have condemned the move by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to topple the government of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

The Council of Former Elected Representatives of Malaysia (Mubarak) yesterday signed a joint statement with 43 NGOs including Umno Veterans Malaysia, 4B Youth Movement and Peninsula Malay Students Federation, to oppose the movement set on overthrowing the government.

Mubarak president Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Rahman said the movement’s intention to influence the people could undermine national security.

“The plan by the movement to go on a roadshow in the country is to incite the people into opposing the government in the style of the ‘Arab Spring’ that led to chaos in the Middle East,” he said.

He advised the people not to fall prey to the propaganda of the movement.

Abdul Aziz said Mubarak planned to cooperate with NGOs in the states to give the people an understanding of the constitution and democratic rule in the country.

He also said that Dr Mahathir was no longer the patron of Mubarak as he had lost the post by virtue of having quit Umno.

Dr Mahathir announced on Feb 29 that he was resigning from Umno as he was disillusioned with the party leadership.

Abdul Aziz said Mubarak was sad that Dr Mahathir, who had been its patron since 2005, had gone ahead and aligned himself with the opposition parties to issue a declaration calling for the ouster of Najib as the prime minister. - Bernama