Was Muhyiddin behind Najib’s turnaround?

Premier Najib Tun Razak's 'flip-flop' stand has vindicated doubts over his true intentions of setting up a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC)

PETALING JAYA: Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s ‘flip-flopping’ on his decision in relation to the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) could result in the PSC being stillborn.

DAP parliamentary leader and Ipoh Timor MP, Lim Kit Siang said Najib’s disclosure yesterday that the general election could be held anytime and was not bound by the work of the PSC meant that the Barisan Nasional government was not interested in putting to rest suspicions of manipulation of the country’s electoral process.

“Najib’s flip-flop statement has vindicated doubts over the true intention of proposals for the formation of a parliamentary select committee for electoral reforms,” he said in a statement issued today.

Five days ago Najib had given an assurance that the PSC on electoral reforms would allay any suspicion of manipulation by the government in the country’s electoral process.

Najib gave the assurances after announcing that a nine-man parliamentary select committee, led by a minister would look into electoral reforms.

But his statement yesterday, after the Umno supreme council meeting, has spawned fresh speculations that Najib’s flip-flop stand was due to pressure from Deputy Prime Minister, Muhyiddin Yassin.

“Malaysians are asking whether Najib has backed down in four days from his implicit undertaking that the Parliamentary Select Committee would be a meaningful exercise and that general elections would only be held after electoral reforms had been effected because of the hardline pressures such as those emanating from Muhyiddin Yassin who had denied that there is any real problem with the electoral system and that only some minor tweaks are required,” said Lim.

Lim further concluded that the effectiveness of the PSC would rely purely on Najib’s determination.

“Be that as it may, it is now in the court of the Prime Minister as to whether his proposal of a parliamentary select committee will be stillborn because of his refusal to fully consult with and seek the agreement of Pakatan Rakyat on various important aspects of the committee as well to assure all Malaysians that it will be a meaningful exercise and not a political ploy to avoid electoral reforms,” Lim said.