Lim Kit Siang said today that he would have no qualms teaming up with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to restore democracy and implement key reforms as the quest to “Save Malaysia” transcends all racial, religious and political lines.
But standing by Najib must be preceded by the prime minister’s admission to having done wrong by Malaysia and an agreement that the country needs saving, the DAP veteran added.
“I am prepared to work with any Malaysian to Save Malaysia, not only Dr Mahathir and Muhyiddin, but even with Najib 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,” he said in a statement.
Lim was responding to accusations calling opportunistic and unprincipled for joining forces with the likes of long-time Barisan Nasional (BN) loyalists like Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in the campaign to unseat Najib.
He said to achieve this end, national interests must trump racial, religious, political, party and individual interests, and steps can only be taken one at a time.
Lim added the “Save Malaysia” movement and the Citizens’ Declaration cannot be an opportunistic endeavour but one with the blinkered aim of making “Malaysia great again”.
“I believe that the overwhelming majority of Malaysians, regardless of race, religion 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,” he said.