A coalition of civil society groups today submitted a memorandum to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Paul Low, demanding further action be taken on scandals linked to 1MDB.

National Human Rights Society (Hakam) chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan told reporters that Low had, during their meeting today, promised to raise the groups' six demands with the cabinet.

"We have made demands of the cabinet ministers as well as all MPs that they immediately take the necessary actions.

"We are becoming an international laughing stock and disgrace... The position of Malaysian Official 1 is untenable and it cannot carry on," said Ambiga after the meeting with Low, which lasted for about two hours.

She was referring to the individual mentioned 36 times in the United States Department of Justice's civil suit to recover nearly US$1 billion in assets linked to 1MDB.

Top of the list of their demands was for steps to be taken to remove, through legal means, the person identified as Malaysian Official 1.

They also want the government to establish a Royal Commission of Inquiry into 1MDB and other financial scandals, as well as to declassify the auditor-general's report on 1MDB.

Bersih chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah, Suaram executive director Sevan Doraisamy and Professor KJ John also attended the meeting with Ambiga and Low today.

The memorandum was endorsed by 34 civil society organisations.

Asked whether she believed that the government would respond to their demands, Ambiga said: "We expect some outcome and we must keep pushing. At least they know Malaysians will not take this lying down.

"We may sound like a broken record but we need them to know that we are not forgetting (the scandals)," she said.

'Views noted'

In a statement, Low later confirmed that he received the memorandum in his capacity as minister in charge of governance, integrity and human rights.

"I duly took note of their views and assured them that I will bring their concerns to the attention of the cabinet," he said.

Among the endorsees of the memorandum was student coalition Gabungan Tangkap Malaysian Official 1, which had recently announced it would hold a rally in Kuala Lumpur on Aug 27.

Critics had claimed that Malaysian Official 1 could only refer to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

Najib and his supporters, however, insisted that no assumptions should be made on the matter.