For the next month at least, can we stop bickering about who will succeed Datuk Seri Najib Razak as prime minister and focus instead on getting everyone to sign the Citizens’ Declaration?
And once this is done, can we all march to the palace to present the declaration to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong?
Can we also think about what plans we need to put in place so we can get rid of corruption and abuse of power in the next government?
For a start, we need to build a grand coalition of citizens and groups – some of these have been sworn-enemies for a long time – so people will once again believe that we can be united for the good of the country.
We have already taken the first step. As proof of this, we will show the people on March 27 that we can work together to save Malaysia.
We must be united if we want to remove Najib from office and curb corruption and the abuse of power.
Gerakan Selamatkan Malaysia is not a fancy idea. It will not soon evaporate, as claimed by Umno leaders. It is a movement to save the country from Najib and systemic corruption so that honest leaders can help steer Malaysia towards a better future.
The movement can help stop the looming retrenchments. It can help ensure that our workers have decent jobs and are paid fairly. The movement can also stop the influx of more cheap foreign labour.
Our movement seeks to restore democracy and good governance. Malaysia will once again be governed by just laws which are implemented fairly by enforcement agencies, such as the police, that take care of all citizens and not just those who support the incumbent prime minister.
We are also crowdfunding from citizens to support the activities of the movement.
We will not look for financial help from the tycoons and the Jho Lows of the world for the simple reason that seeking “help” from businessmen in exchange for favours is the root cause of systemic corruption.
Either we go the route of the Jho Lows or we seek support from ordinary people to fund the political future of the country.
We will never exchange financial support for favours. The seed of corruption is planted when politicians receive money from businessmen. This vicious cycle must stop.
The question is are the people of this country willing to own up and reclaim this country from the oligarchs? We must give the people the chance to contribute in the struggle for a better Malaysia.
I call on the people of Malaysia to make a small personal commitment – even RM10 – to show that they care about our collective future.
More details later. – March 11, 2016.
* Datuk Zaid Ibrahim is a lawyer turned politician and a former minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of legal affairs and judicial reform.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer, organisation or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.
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