If jailed former opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim had become prime minister in 2013, Malaysia would have been spared the agonies it's now suffering under Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's administration, said DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang.

He pointed to the 1MDB scandal, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) lawsuit that is damaging the nation’s international reputation, and the latest label of Malaysia as a global kleptocracy.

"If the 2013 general election had been fair, democratic and reliable, Anwar would be PM, not Najib, and the country would have been spared the agony of the protracted 1MDB scandal.

"There would be no DOJ lawsuits to seize US$1 billion 1MDB-linked assets in the United States, United Kingdom and Switzerland. No stolen money from some US$3.5 billion 1MDB funds belonging to the people of Malaysia, and no so-called mystery regarding Malaysian Official 1.

"Even more important, Malaysia would have been spared the infamy and ignominy of being labelled as a global kleptocracy – to the contempt of the international community," said Lim.

Failed state

Speaking at Anwar's 69th birthday celebration organised by his family and supporters outside Sungai Buloh prison last night, the veteran politician hit out at Najib who has argued that Malaysia is not a failed state under him.

"This question was answered by the former DPM Musa Hitam at the launching of his new book, 'Frankly Speaking' in Kuala Lumpur, who warned that Malaysia is going downhill and may end up like how the Philippines was once before.

"Musa noted that since the government is faced with mega scandals, other matters, such as shootings in broad daylight, are not dealt with. The people, he added, are getting used to the situation, and like in the Philippines of the past, are carrying weapons for self-defence," said Lim.

He added that Musa had dubbed these developments as the “new normal” and that the former DPM had also asserted that the country is moving downhill, surely and steadily.

However, the DAP adviser said that Malaysia still has a chance to arrest its trajectory towards a failed state, by continuing to demand for Anwar's release and persevere with his ideals and struggles to save Malaysia from corruption, abuses of power and injustice.

"We must not only ensure the toppling of Najib in the 14th general election, but also a complete reform of a system which has allowed corruption, abuses of power, human rights violations and injustice to thrive under the Najib premiership," he said.