Reuters, Kuala Lumpur :Former Malaysian leader Mahathir Mohamad on Friday joined hands with long-standing foes, including the party of the jailed Anwar Ibrahim, to crank up pressure on scandal-plagued Prime Minister Najib Razak to quit, marking a seismic political shift.In a dramatic flourish, Mahathir read a statement signed by 58 politicians and anti-corruption activists at a news conference where he was flanked by opposition leaders and some members of the ruling party he has now quit.”We call upon all Malaysians, irrespective of race, political affiliation, creed or parties, young and old, to join us in saving Malaysia from the government headed by Najib Razak,” the statement said.One of those beside Mahathir was a close aide of his former protégé, opposition leader Anwar, with whom he fell out when he was prime minister in the late 1990s.Anwar issued a statement from prison a day earlier, saying he would “support the position” of those in civil society, political parties and individuals, including Mahathir, in the push to remove Najib.Besides demanding the resignation of the prime minister, the so-called “core” group demanded the removal of those who had covered up misdeeds, the repeal of laws that violated fundamental rights and the restoration of institutions it said had been undermined, including the police and anti-graft agency.
