New Season of Political Discontent Brewing in Malaysia

Gulf Times (Qatar)

16 September 2016

A new political storm is brewing in Malaysia as democracy activists vow to intensify their demands for embattled Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to resign over corruption allegations.

“We cannot have a prime minister who steals money from the people and still allow him to be our prime minister,” Maria Chin Abdullah, head of the electoral reforms group Bersih, told reporters in Kuala Lumpur.

Bersih, which was at the forefront of earlier protest rallies, has announced a series of mass actions starting next month to call for electoral reforms and to demand Najib’s resignation.

… But Joseph Chinyong Liow, a former senior fellow in the US-based Centre for East Asia Policy Studies, said that replacing Najib is easier said than done.

“Najib has used the powers of incumbency adroitly to head off any potential challenge and tighten his grip on the party,” he said.

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RSIS / Online

Last updated on 19/09/2016