Civil society groups have called on the public to make their anger known to MPs who have betrayed the people's vote through defections.

In a joint statement, they said all MPs who won on a Pakatan Harapan ticket but have switched sides must resign immediately.

They added that if the MPs fail to do so, then Parliament should be dissolved to make way for fresh elections and urged the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong to do so.

"We call on all citizens to voice out their anger and disappointment and make the two demands together with the civil society at this betrayal and abandonment of the mandate given to the Harapan government.

"They could express this through social media, writing to their MPs and even organise peaceful assemblies wherever they are.

"The formation of any backdoor government must not be tolerated and cannot go down without any form of protest," they said.

The statement was signed by 34 organisations including Bersih, Suaram and Amnesty International Malaysia.

It added that Bersih, as the lead issuer of the statement, is prepared to call for a “Bersih 6” rally if the demands are not met.

The NGOs were responding to the move by Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin to take his party, which has 26 MPs, out of Harapan, and former PKR deputy president Azmin Ali orchestrating the defection of a total of 11 PKR MPs.

Yesterday, Muhyiddin, Azmin, BN chairperson Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, GPS president Abang Johari Openg and Warisan president Shafie Apdal had met with the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong on forming a new coalition government.

However, Azmin revealed that the ruler had asked for more time to decide.

Dr Mahathir Mohamad did not appear to approve of the move and resigned as both the prime minister and the Bersatu chairperson.

The NGOs today said the attempt at forming a "backdoor government" is undemocratic and a betrayal of voters who voted for change in the last general election.

"The rakyat voted for Harapan and its coalition parties based on their promises and policies in their respective manifesto.

"Such reconfiguration of the component parties mid-term through the shifting of alliances and defections has nullified the election manifesto of Harapan, the Buku Harapan.

"As voters, we are utterly disgusted by such political machinations by both the government and opposition MPs who defy democratic norms of responsible party politics," they said.