KUALA LUMPUR, March 29 ― After much ado on the Internet over his written support for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, signatory Tan Sri Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah admitted today that the document dubbed the “Kelantan Declaration” was only hype.

The Gua Musang MP said he signed the document together, with other Kelantan Umno lawmakers, as a party member and stressed that it did not change his stand on good governance, amid accusations that he was a turncoat.

“It's a normal document; it's gimmicky, more than anything,” Tengku Razaleigh, popularly known as Ku Li, told a press conference here.

“That document doesn't have an effect or bigger consequence,” added the Umno veteran.

Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, leading the Save Malaysia movement that seeks to oust Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, recently accused Tengku Razaleigh of betrayal after the Kelantan prince signed the Kelantan Declaration.

Dr Mahathir further claimed Tengku Razaleigh had played a pivotal role but failed to get sufficient support for a no-confidence vote against Najib.

Tengku Razaleigh said today that he had signed the Kelantan Declaration as an Umno member as he was “not in any other group than Umno”.

“So how can anyone blame me for being a turncoat?” he questioned.

When pressed on why he signed it, he said: “This is a democracy, isn't it?”

Tengku Razaleigh said he did not think the Kelantan Declaration had any legal effect.

“It's like an attendance book,” he said.

The Umno veteran also said he would not sign the Citizens' Declaration that calls for Najib's removal, as he was “not part of it”.

“I'm part of Umno,” said Tengku Razaleigh.