Opposition parliamentarians were told to meet Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and urge him to advise Prime Minister Najib Razak to take leave.

"I suggest opposition MPs to meet the deputy prime minister, so he can ask the premier to take leave," said S Ambiga, the patron of civil society NGO Negaraku today.

"This is because there is ongoing investigation (against Najib)," she said.

It's therefore important to ensure that the investigation is conducted in a fair manner,  Ambiga said.

"Those who are carrying out the investigation should do it without fear and must be left alone. The prime minister must not give them any instructions.

"We must protect our whistleblower and the media. Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has to hold his hands and allow the press to carry on with their duty without fear," she said, adding that the government should stop issuing notices to media organisations.

Even so, the former Bersih chairperson urged a fresh general elections to be called within one year to allow the public to decide on a new mandate.

"In my view, you can have the prime minister to take leave, while the deputy prime minister can carry on as usual. Things can carry on as usual.

"Because while everyone pointing the gun at the prime minister, I would like to know who else knew about this money. They are just as culpable," Ambiga said.

Form a caretaker government

Ambiga ( photo ) said there is a need to form a caretaker government which would be best fulfilled by a unity government.

"There has to be a unity government, then they can move on. There must be a promise of fresh elections within one year.

"We need one year to clean up the system before elections.

"The evidence we have seen so far has really questioned the credibility of our election (system). We have to clear that doubt, and the only way is to call for fresh elections," she said.

Ambiga said this when speaking to over 100 opposition MPs and civil society NGO representatives at Parliament square.

They had gathered there to discuss the controversial Wall Street Journal report which implicated Najib in the siphoning of state funds.

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