“It is also a political necessity for a new political alignment to take place,” she told her audience in response to a question posed by DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng.

Ambiga was the moderator of “Hard Talk” titled “Challenges of Enhancing Democratic Space at Federal and State Level” at the International Malaysia Law Conference.

Lim, who is also Penang chief minister, posed this question on why she chose to work with Mahathir, who was in power for 22 years.

Ambiga, who is also Malaysian Human Rights Society president, said the question of Mahathir asking forgiveness did not arise.

“We are facing a bigger evil that is insurmountable.”

She said even former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and DAP strongman Lim Kit Siang were prepared to set aside their differences to work for a bigger cause.

Ambiga said the present system was rotten because of the previous regime.

The Citizens’ Declaration campaign was launched by Mahathir and 40 others in March this year, urging Malaysians to join in the quest to remove Prime Minister Najib Razak via peaceful means.

It also calls for reforms in key government institutions like the police, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and the Attorney-General’s Chambers.