Former Bar Council president Ambiga Sreenevasan is the latest to join the chorus of criticism against the cabinet reshuffle and removal of Abdul Gani Patail as attorney-general.

She said the "removal" of Gani ( photo ) was bizarre as he is the one the special 1MDB task force refers to for legal advice.

"None of this makes sense. Unless you relate it with 1MDB, then it makes perfect sense.

"Isn’t it obvious? Everyone critical of1MDB is out within 24 hours," Ambiga told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today.

This morning, chief secretary to the government Ali Hamsa released a statement announcing that Gani had health problems and would be replaced by former Federal Court judge Mohamed Apandi Ali.

Gani who has a contract until October this year however declined to comment on the matter.

This afternoon, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak removed his deputy Muhyiddin Yassin from the cabinet and replaced him with Umno vice-president and Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as the new number two.

Another Umno vice-president Shafie Apdal was also dropped from the cabinet.

Both Muhyiddin and Shafie has been vocal about 1MDB with the former delivering scathing and vitriolic speech against Najib at the Cheras Umno AGM on Saturday.

PAC probe has been jeopardised

Meanwhile, founding director of the Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4) Cynthia Gabriel noted that Parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman Nur Jazlan Mohamed ( photo ) and three other PAC members were also appointed to the government.

She said by doing so, Najib has jeopardised the probe on 1MDB by PAC as well.

"Four of the PAC members were also put into the cabinet, including Nur Jazlan. It means that the PAC probe has been jeopardised.

"Najib has now surrounded himself with a team of loyalists and not let himself be criticised so that he will not be taken to task over the issue," Cynthia who was also present at the press conference said.

PAC members who are included in the cabinet are Mas Ermieyati, Reezal Merican and Madius Tangau.

Ambiga and Cynthia ( photo ) today also presented "Demi Rakyat Action Plan", calling for Najib to take a leave of absence until a final resolution is made on the allegations against him, and for a new government to be constituted.

The action plan, tabled by Ambiga in her capacity as the National Human Rights Society Malaysia (Hakam) president, calls for an emergency parliamentary session to form a 'national government' from among members of Parliament from all sides of the political divide.

"Najib must immediately respond in public to the serious allegations of financial impropriety, and shall take a leave of absence until the final resolution of these allegations," she said.

Besides HAKAM and C4, the plan is also supported by Promotion of Human Rights (Proham) and Negara-Ku Movement.

Form a national government

Ambiga said the national government would not last for long as they would have to appoint an independent Election Commissioners (EC) immediately in the view of holding a free and fresh elections within 18 months of its formation.

"The idea of national government is to form a government represented by parties from the opposition and BN.

"In Sri lanka and other countries, when a nation is facing crisis, everyone should set aside all their differences, and after 18 months they could go back to their parties before the general elections.

However, Ambiga said the plan must get the involvement of people who can pressure their "good" MPs in Umno and BN who are disgusted by the unfolding events.

"The opposition is not enough. Only numbers in Parliament would do us good. We need to articulate support, and now is the time," she said.

Asked who should lead the new government if the proposed national government comes true, Ambiga said the Parliament will appoint a leader who enjoys the most non-partisan support.