(July 14): Removing Datuk Seri Najib Razak as prime minister is not enough to bring change to Malaysia, said jailed former opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today, adding that true reform was still needed in the country's government and institutions.

He said a change of leader would not address systemic corruption and weaknesses, and toppling the prime minister would only hand victory to his rivals without bringing any real change for the people, Anwar said in a message issued through PKR's communications unit.

"We have gone through the fruitless process of changing leaders but the system that is corrupt and archaic remains unchanged.

"We need a serious commitment to reformation and to eradicating corruption.

"Efforts to remove Datuk Seri Najib Razak, which are led by Tun Mahathir, without true reform, will only satisfy cronies and factions; it will not lead to genuine change for the people," Anwar, who is now serving a 5-year jail sentence for sodomy, said in a statement.

He was referring to former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who has become a vocal critic of Najib over the latter's government policies and especially over debt-ridden state investment firm, 1Malaysia Development Bhd.

Anwar said the people must continue to push for reforms in institutions such as the anti-graft authority, the Attorney-General's Chambers and the police force.

He said they must also press ahead with electoral reform and the repeal of laws such as the Sedition Act.

Anwar's sodomy conviction was upheld by the Federal Court in February, putting the career politician behind bars in what he and supporters claim is a conspiracy to remove him from national politics. – The Malaysian Insider