Bersih 2.0 chairman Maria Chin Abdullah, who signed a declaration for reforms today led by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, says pressing for the former prime minister's apology is not going to help solve the country's current problems. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, March 4, 2016.Harping on Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s mistakes does not help Malaysia out of its present rut, says noted civil society activist Maria Chin Abdullah.
She said this in response to calls for the former prime minister to apologise or to acknowledge his role in ruining Malaysia’s institutions, and in concentrating power in the prime minister’s hands during his 22-year rule.
Such demands had been voiced by activists as a pre-condition for joining Dr Mahathir’s new movement to remove Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
The "Citizens Declaration" was announced and signed today by Dr Mahathir and 57 others, including Maria and other activists.
"His willingness to say that we need institutional reforms means that he has recognised that something is wrong. And I think that is good enough that he says there is something wrong with the system and he actually spelt it out.
"It means mistakes were made previously and we are here now to move forward by correcting them," Maria told The Malaysian Insider after signing the declaration in Kuala Lumpur.
The declaration among others calls for institutional reforms, including restoring integrity to "undermined institutions" such as the police, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, Bank Negara and the Public Accounts Committee.
Maria, who heads the Bersih 2.0 coalition for electoral reforms, said she attended Dr Mahathir's press conference and signed the declaration today in her individual capacity.
She had signed the declaration with 58 prominent politicians and civil society activists such as Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, Cynthia Gabriel and Hishamuddin Rais.
It calls for a return of independence and the principle of separation of powers between the country’s executive, judicial and legislative branches, and a repeal of laws that undermined civil rights.
Activist Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan (far left) after signing the Citizens' Declaration in Kuala Lumpur with other civil society and political leaders today. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Afif Abd Halim, March 4, 2016.Dr Mahathir’s critics, who signed the declaration with him, have for years accused him of authoritarianism and damaging the institutions he now wants to reform.
Dr Mahathir today read out the specific institutional reforms, and was the first to sign the declaration.
Maria stressed that the reforms were non-negotiable and that civil activists like her were in the movement for the long term changes.
"We have to set our differences aside and correct the mistakes of the past."
In a text message to The Malaysian Insider, Ambiga said it was time to rise over the differences activists like her have had with Dr Mahathir, and unite for a larger purpose, which is to remove Najib.
"If Kit Siang (DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang) and Anwar (jailed PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) can do that for the country, we should be able to do that as well."
Lim and Anwar were both imprisoned during Dr Mahathir’s 22-year reign on what human rights groups said were politically-motivated reasons.
"It would not be the first time people of opposing views unite for a higher cause. We need to focus on that higher cause." – March 4, 2016.
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