The signing of a petition is not the proper process to change a leader in a democratic system because the General Election (GE) is the actual 'Citizen's Declaration' (Deklarasi Rakyat) said Former Elected Representatives Council (Mubarak) president Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Rahman.

He said in an effective democratic system, votes decide the choice of government and the leaders the people, and that has been the practice in the country for decades.

"Every General Election is the actual Citizen's Declaration. The people vote for the party that will be in power and the leaders who will form the government. It is not decided by signing a petition or by going on a roadshow to collect signatures.

Wait till the next GE to make a choice," he told reporters after Mubarak gathering here last night.

Also present were former Melaka Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Abdul Rahim Tamby Chik who was awarded the 2016 Melaka Mubarak Icon Award and Melaka Mubarak acting president Datuk Nazari Adzim.

Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had March 4 gathered with leaders from BN and Pakatan Harapan as well as civil societies to sign a (Citizen's Declaration) seeking to replace Najib as prime minister.

Abdul Aziz reiterated that Tun Mahathir who led the movement against Najib and his administration was no longer Mubarak patron since he had left Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN).