Najib's Perth holiday: NGO to lodge nationwide police reports for abuse of power

Malaysian youth NGO, Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia or SAMM, will lodge a police report at all major states in the country to protest Prime Minister Najib Razak's alleged abuse of power in using a special government jet to go on holiday to Perth, Australia with his family and friends.

"Times have changed and the youth of Malaysia expect first world transparency from our top leaders. If it is true that the Prime Minister Najib Razak did use the government plane to fly himself and his family for a holiday in Perth, then the police must investigate," SAMM chief Badrul Hisham Shaharin told Malaysia Chronicle.

"If it is found that he is guilty, then the government must take action. Any abuse must be punished and seen to be punished. The students in Perth and the student communities around the world are looking at us. How can we pretend nothing happened?"

Slagging off Mat Sabu - the cheek of it!

According to Badrul, the 58-year-old Najib made matters worse by sneaking out of the country on August 31, Malaysia's Independence Day that has been traditionally celebrated as a mark of respect for the country's founding fathers.

Ironically, there has been ongoing heated debate over who were the real founding fathers of Malaya's independence from British colonial rule in 1957. Nonetheless, despite hurling a barrage of criticism against PAS deputy president Mat sabu, Najib saw fit to sneak off for a another holiday break.

"There's no call for him to slam Mat Sabu and then he himself dsappears on Merdeka Day and he is the UMNO president. What is this?" asked Badrul.

The holiday PM

Amongst Malaysia's 6 prime ministers, Najib has probably travelled overseas the most during his first two years in office. But he has been sharply rebuked in Parliament by the opposition for over-lavish first-class that usually included a large entourage.

In July, he was in Italy for a vacation that was abruptly shortened, and in June he had been in Kazakhstan, where he was accused of intentionally scheduling an official visit so as to coincide with the engagement of his daughter to the scion of wealthy Kazakh family.

In Perth, Najib's trip would have gone under the radar had not the Malaysian government jet been spotted at the Australian airport. After initial refusals to confirm his whereabouts, his aides finally confirmed he had gone there.

However, their clumsy attempts to mask his trip as being intended to address a students' dinner backfired badly, attracting attention and ridicule from the Malaysian diaspora around the world and back home.

The BN-media over-exaggerated Perth students' response to Najib's speech as "awesome" and "inspirational", sparking their anger and disgust. As a result, some them exposed him on Facebook, prompting another media frenzy in Malaysia.

But apart from being titillating news, the incident sadly underscores Najib's penchant for life on the lavish lane, and a misplaced dependence on make-believe and showy public relations.

On Friday, SAMM groups will lodge police reports in Seremban Two, Penang, Pahang, Johor and Perlis. Most of the groups have co-ordinated the timing for 10.30am, although there is a possibility that in some states, the report may be lodged in the afternoon.

"As you can see, we will lodge reports from north to south, from Perlis to Johor. If the police do not take action, we will make further reports in the central states," Badrul said. - Malaysia Chronicle