"The departure of Najib appears simply to be a matter of time and a matter of how to find a 'face-saving' formula.
"This is the perfect time for Malaysians to prepare a new direction for their nation. Like it or not, they have to embrace fully fledged democracy," said an editorial in the English-language daily, The Jakarta Post, today.
The paper made a comparison between Najib's reaction to the protest with the late Suharto's dismissal of the "reformasi" protests in Jakarta that eventually forced the long-serving dictator to resign in May 1998.
"The corruption and abuse of power allegations against the prime minister have gained strength and he has apparently failed to convince the people of his innocence," said the paper.
"Like Soeharto, Najib has tried to play down the impact of the public protests by saying that he will not listen to the protesters, whom he has described as showing a 'shallow mind and poor national spirit'."
Najib, reacting to the Bersih 4 rally which saw tens of thousands converging in Kuala Lumpur on August 29 and 30, had described the protesters as "shallow and poor" in their patriotism.
"Don't they understand, are they that shallow and poor in their patriotism and love for their motherland? Don't they understand the country was built on the blood and sweat of our freedom fighters?" he told an Umno delegates meeting on the first day of the rally.
The rally, the fourth by electoral reforms coalition Bersih 2.0, was called as Najib battles allegations of corruption in the wake of the 1Malaysia Development Berhad controversy, as well as revelations that he received some RM2.6 billion in his accounts.
Najib has since denied any wrongdoing, saying the money was from a Middle Eastern donor and was being held in trust for Umno.
Saying there was nothing new in Malaysia's silencing of dissent, The Jakarta Post said Najib now would find it harder since the opposition was from within Umno as well as his former political mentor, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Dr Mahathir had openly backed the protests and called for "people power" to topple Najib.
"Malaysia can only adopt a true democracy if its constitution guarantees equal rights and responsibilities for all citizens, regardless of their ethnicity or religion. As long as the nation resists this revolutionary mindset it will remain a segregated nation.
"Najib’s departure is merely one step in Malaysia’s bid to achieve this far-reaching vision," the paper added.
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