SHAH ALAM: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the situation Malaysia is in right now was his fault as he was a dictator and the one responsible for asking his successor to appoint Datuk Seri Najib Razak as prime minister.
But the former prime minister said he should not be the only one who should be blamed as the problems started when he was recommended by Tun Abdul Razak Hussein to Tun Hussein Onn, who later chose him as his deputy.
Dr Mahathir said he was later elected as prime minister and he had chosen his deputy who was Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, followed by Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Abdullah, on Dr Mahathir’s advice, then appointed Najib as prime minister.
“So, it is my fault, and other people’s fault,” he said at a press conference after a gathering of opposition figures here yesterday.
Dr Mahathir said he would send the signatures collected in the declaration that he had crafted with DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang to the Conference of Rulers in a bid to oust Najib.
Dr Mahathir said the declaration aimed to seek a million signatures from the people by year-end.
“However, there is no provision in the Federal Constitution for rulers to remove a prime minister.
“The rulers can act on the declaration on certain reasons, but we do not know what kind of action.”
But, Dr Mahathir admitted that getting the one million signatures would be an uphill battle.
“I know that people are very frightened (to sign it) because the government can make their lives difficult, especially those in business.
“Because of this fear, we find it difficult for people to sign as they do not want to give their MyKad numbers for fear they would be arrested or something might happen to them.”