Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has called for the people to rise up to oust Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

“I think the time has come when parties do not matter anymore. This is a problem affecting the nation.

“I want everybody to act as citizens who are concerned with what is happening in this country. As a citizen, it does not matter whether you are for the opposition or the government.

“Now it is time to act as citizens, irrespective of party affiliations or loyalties,” he said today.

Mahathir was asked to elaborate on his meeting with PAS lawmaker Mahfuz Omar last Friday. Mahfuz had claimed that Mahathir had called for the unity of the opposition and NGOs to topple Najib.

In their meeting last Friday, Mahfuz had urged the country's longest- serving prime minister to lead the campaign against Najib. Mahfuz later claimed Mahathir had remained mum on this request.

At his press conference in Putrajaya today, Mahathir said the people have asked him to act.

“A lot of people met me and say they support me. [...] I am willing to do something to explain to the public. Because of this support, I need to make some progress,” he said.

“The first thing I did, I advised Najib, but it didn't work. Then I told Najib through a private letter that I don't support him any more but it didn't work. He hid the letter.

“The people support me quietly so Najib cannot hear. I need to make it clear to Najib that it's not me, it's the people.

“Lots of them are concerned about this kind of administration based on cash is king,” he said.

'No freedom of speech'

Mahathir also warned Najib that the issue was far from over, adding that a crime was still a crime even if the money stolen was returned.

The ex-premier also slammed Umno for no longer respecting freedom of speech in mulling action against its outspoken deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin.

“What he (Umno supreme council member Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz) said is that we cannot speak out now. We can only say we support Najib.

“This means there is no freedom of speech in the party and in the country,” said Mahathir.

Nazri had said that he would propose to Umno to have Muhyiddin sacked after the latter claimed Najib was preventing him from performing his duty as the party's number two.