KUALA LUMPUR, June 7 — Despite his repeated election failures, Kuala Kangsar independent candidate Izat Bukhary Ismail Bukhary is not one to give up.

The former Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) lecturer has pledged to sign the Citizens’ Declaration seeking the ouster of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in return for the political support of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who is among several influential politicians spearheading the initiative.

“I support [the Citizens’ Declaration], no problem. I’ve long been interested in what he’s doing and I am counting on him now,” Izat told ProjekMMO, Malay Mail Online’s sister publication in Bahasa Malaysia when contacted.

He was referring to former prime minister Dr Mahathir who has been on a nationwide campaign to rally public support to remove Najib from office.

“I am ready to give my support because I see many things that are not right. I don’t like it. I will support things that are right,” he added.

The Kelantan-born is clearly the underdog in a four-way battle for the Perak suburban parliamentary seat against Barisan Nasional’s Datin Mastura Mohd Yazid, the widow of its former MP Datuk Wan Mohammad Khair-il Anuar Wan Ahmad who was killed in a helicopter crash over Sarawak last month; Dr Najihatussalehah Ahmad from PAS dan Parti Amanah Negara candidate Dr Ahmad Termizi Ramli.

Dr Mahathir is the most prominent personality in the Save Malaysia movement and has claimed that their Citizens’ Declaration petition has garnered 1.2 million signatures in the two months since its launch in March.

Izat said he was confident that many more people would sign the petition, but said the message may not be realised if he were to campaign for it solo in his bid for Kuala Kangsar.

“What we have been waiting for will happen. One Malaysia will come down and the Citizens’ Declaration will succeed and that is the main victory.

“If I’m alone, I fear the message will not be received. This is a job for everyone. At the moment,  I need other people’s support,” he said.

However, he admitted that he had yet to sign the petition.

“If I meet him, I will sign in front of him, no problem. I can also show that I support in front of everyone,” he said.

Izat had contested in two other seats previously and lost his electoral deposits it all of them.

He first ran in the 2013 general elections for the Pengkalan Kubor parliamentary seat, and received 65 votes. He made a bid for the same seat the following year during the by-election and this time garnered a paltry 38 votes.

He didn’t give up hope. In another by-election last year, Izar ran for the Chempaka state seat that had been held by the late Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat and received 51 votes.