PETALING JAYA, July 10 — The Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) today condemned the call for voters to back politicians found guilty and imprisoned for corruption, emphasising that Malaysia no longer requires leaders tainted by such allegations.

The alliance reiterated its commitment to upholding integrity and unity in Malaysian politics by expressing concern over the lack of public outcry regarding recent remarks made by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi backing convicted Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

"It was reported by Utusan Malaysia where the deputy prime minister said that if you want to defend Najib, you must vote for them, Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional. In fact, in their previous rally, they said they would have two, three, four more Najib Razaks.

"We want to say that we no longer need Najib in Malaysia. We no longer need people who are proven and sent to prison for corruption and spending people’s money. We don’t need them anymore,” Muda secretary-general Amir Hariri Abd Hadi said in a press conference here.

Expressing disappointment, Muda noted the absence of vocal critics who previously denounced issues of abuse of power and corruption. It questioned why those who once rallied against corruption remained silent when confronted with such a crucial matter.

"I did not hear the voices of those who mentioned the issue of continuity, the issue of abuse of power, the issue of corruption when this statement came out.

"Where are the fierce voices used to be on the streets, mentioning and shouting at the top of their lungs against corruption? But now, no one is talking about this issue,” he said.

He said that Muda was founded by a group of individuals who grew tired of the "politics of lies” and the tendency for promises made during election campaigns to be disregarded after securing power.

"It used to be ‘A’ but after the election it becomes ‘B’. They used to talk about this issue but when the election was over, none talked about this because of their power,” he said.

Muda also called for the rejection of divisive politics that exploit religion, race, and royalty issues for political gain — dubbed "3R” in Malaysia.

"Muda is not only taking the difficult road, but we know that in Malaysian politics, there are also groups that like to play the 3R issue and make people afraid to talk about many fundamental issues,” he said.

The alliance stressed the need for mutual understanding and respect by highlighting the importance of harmony among Malaysia’s diverse communities.

"The only way forward to our country is to learn, get to know each other and respect our differences because, until the end of the world, Malays, Chinese, Indians, Ibans, Kadazan and all nationalities will be in this country.

"No matter how much we hate different ethnic groups, the only way forward for us as a country is to learn to live together,” he said.

He also said Muda is determined to uphold its consistent message and fight against politicians who exploit sensitive issues for their personal interests, ultimately causing division among the public.

Last week, Malay daily Utusan Malaysia quoted Umno president Zahid telling supporters of former prime minister Najib, especially among party members, to vote Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional candidates in the six state elections.

Zahid said that it would be an effort to support the former Umno president so that he would get justice after formerly serving as prime minister.