INTERVIEW Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad is now welcome to officially speak at the next Bersih 5 rally, electoral reform coalition Bersih chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah says. But there are conditions.

In a recent interview with Malaysiakini at her office in Petaling Jaya, Maria said this when asked whether Bersih 2 would change its stand on allowing Mahathir to speak at their rally, given his current apparent support for institutional reforms.

“Our position remains the same. Whoever speaks on our stage would have to agree on institutional reforms and for clean and fair elections,” said Maria.

“So of course, if you agree, then you can join us. Do whatever you can to support us. This has always been our stand,” she said.

Mahathir agreed to incorporate civil society’s demands for institutional reforms as part of the Citizens’ Declaration document, which he drafted to call for Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s removal from office.

At the Bersih 4 rally in Kuala Lumpur last year, Mahathir, in a surprise appearance on the second day of the three-day rally, addressed the crowd very briefly and encouraged them to continue with the protest.

He also made another visit on its last day, but was escorted to speak at a hastily organised press conference held at a restaurant near Pasar Seni – a short distance from the main rally points (photo).

Bersih 4, the biggest rally of its kind in Malaysia so far, was organised in reaction to criticisms over scandals linked to state-investor 1MDB and it called for Najib’s removal, which was supported by Mahathir and then Umno deputy president, Muhyiddin Yassin.

More than a year has passed and Bersih is now gearing up to call for Bersih 5.

This time, Maria said, both Mahathir and Muhyiddin would be formally allowed to speak – as long as they supported Bersih’s core demands. This was because the opposition also had the opportunity to speak at its past rallies.

“But it will have to be on institutional reforms, clean and fair elections and stress for no interference in elections,” she said.

Since Bersih 4, Mahathir has quit Umno, while Muhyiddin, its deputy president, was eventually sacked from the party.

Bid to attract disgruntled Umno members

To further their agenda, Mahathir and Muhyiddin recently filed for the registration of a new political party, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), in a bid to attract disgruntled Umno members and supporters.

Maria did acknowledge that there were Bersih supporters who were disappointed with her personal endorsement of the Citizens’ Declaration and involvement with Mahathir.

“I do understand that a lot of people are very angry about what Mahathir had done. Some of us have endorsed the Citizens’ Declaration, but we have not lost our focus.

“We are quite clear on the reasons why we are currently at this stage. They have a lot to do with the policies that were put forward by Mahathir and his cabinet,” Maria said, adding that she had personally addressed the concerns raised by several activists, who had protested against Mahathir’s dictatorial rule during his 22-year tenure.

“Mahathir is no longer the prime minister. Najib and his cabinet are the people who are running the country, so the focus should be on (removing) them first,” stressed Maria, whose late husband, Yunus Ali, was among the activists detained during the 1987 Ops Lalang, marked in Malaysia’s history as the beginning of Mahathir’s authoritarian rule.

Bersih’s struggles for institutional reforms, she said, have never stopped and would continue, with more pressure to be placed on Najib’s successor, leading up to the 14th general election, which should be called by 2018.

“If we are able to have a change of government, we will have the opportunity to correct what has gone wrong in this country. Get rid of repressive laws, and set up a much stronger human rights institution and anti-corruption commission.”

However, to reach that goal, Maria said Mahathir’s critics should accept the reality that there is now a prime minister who must go, before any form of change can take place.

“It is our dream (to reform the system) but the reality is that we still have a prime minister who doesn't want to move and to continue the corruption… He must be removed,” she stressed.

Najib’s premiership has come under international scrutiny over financial scandals linked to 1MDB, culminating in the United States Department of Justice’s legal suit to seize assets allegedly purchased with money siphoned from the state investment fund.

Some US$731 million from 1MDB was purportedly transferred into a bank account owned by an individual that the DOJ identified as 'Malaysian Official 1'.

Critics claim that 'Malaysian Official 1' could only refer to Najib himself.

However, Najib and his supporters insist that no assumptions should be made on the matter, claiming it to be part of a larger international conspiracy to topple the BN government.

Tomorrow: Part II - For now, rallies to 'topple gov't' may not happen, says Maria