Socialist party PSM welcomes news that opposition pact Pakatan Harapan has vowed to organise the people in a 'political action' against the powers-that-be if Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak does not go on leave in the face of US government action against alleged misappropriation of 1MDB money.

The party also said that it would set aside any differences it might have with the opposition pact to join such an initiative, but hoped that Harapan would show true resolve in pursuing the matter and not only go halfway.

"PSM can offer a ceasefire with the opposition pact if it is planning a serious, large-scale and encompassing action.

“But we hope that Harapan does not only stop at making media statements alone," said PSM central committee member S Arutchelvan in a Facebook posting.

He noted that previously Harapan parties had vowed to fight to the end against GST implementation, but nothing came of it, with the anti-GST rally fizzling out despite much talk and bravado.

While he did not name names, Arutchelvan made it clear that they would prefer if Harapan would not wait for ex-premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad to be the one to lead the so-called 'political action'.

"PSM hopes that Harapan will not wait for a 90-year-old man to lead the action.

"We hope they do not just issue this warning to Najib without serious resolve to fight the regime," he wrote.

PSM had stayed away from the Mahathir-led bipartisan Save Malaysia movement, adamant that while it was against the present administration, it did not forget that Mahathir was once the prime minister who it claimed was responsible for much of the current problems faced by the rakyat.

Arutchelvan was responding to a statement issued by the Harapan presidential council giving Najib and the BN government an ultimatum, demanding for Najib to take leave, as well as a Royal Commission of Inquiry and emergency sitting of Parliament called to look into the 1MDB matter, or face 'political action'.

This was after the US Department of Justice filed legal suits to seize assets from Najib's stepson Riza Aziz and financier Low Taek Jho, better know as Jho Low, claiming that the assets were bought from monies siphoned out of government investment arm 1MDB.