“I make this difficult decision in order to defend my principles to fight for change (reform),” Mohamad Ezam said in a statement today.

He cited his reasons, among others, the Internal Security Act and the Official Secrets Act (OSA) as part of the problem, as obstacles in fighting corruption. He said the OSA was abused in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) case.

In July, Ezam had spoked out about 1MDB, criticising the government’s classification of a report on 1MDB by the Auditor-General under the OSA.

Ezam said the OSA should only be used on information relating to national security.

“This is a million steps backwards in the process of transformation. I realised that I am no longer in a party that wants to focus on rejuvenation in terms of corruption and mismanagement. I cannot compromise in this matter. As a citizen who has been imprisoned under the OSA, I feel responsible to the country where it is used to protect the corrupt,” he said.

Ezam was sentenced to two years’ jail in 2001, when he was head of PKR Youth, for exposing classified information about AP permits for vehicle imports.

A former political secretary to Anwar Ibrahim, he was a leading figure in the Reformasi movement after Anwar was dismissed from government and expelled from Umno, becoming head of PKR Youth.

He was convicted under the OSA in 2001 for allegations against then minister Rafidah Aziz regarding APs. After his release, he formed an anti-corruption group Gerak (Gerakan Demokrasi dan Anti-Korupsi).

He left PKR after difficulties with another Anwar aide, Azmin Ali, and rejoined Umno in 2008, speaking out against Anwar. He was also appointed a Senator for one term and became a communications director for the Treasury.