Pakatan and Muhyiddin snub Najib's 'play-acting' apology

Prime minister Najib Razak's apology for Barisan Nasional's past mistakes seems to have generated the least intended effects, with his deputy Muhyiddin Yasin and Pakatan Rakyat leaders pouring scorn over it in their own ways.

The gist of the message from PR is that an apology from a thief is meaningless if the stolen goods are not returned or the act is repeated.

Earlier, Najib, hinting that it was time for BN to heed to people power, repeated a statement offering his apology.

“I believe that we should not be arrogant. In a parliamentary democracy, we have to subject ourselves to the power of the people. We must have made mistakes for the people to have rejected us.

“We apologise for our past mistakes. The victors apologise, as do the losers,” he was quoted as saying in Kedah, the second apology after the first in Selangor during his pre-election tour across the country.

But while PAS Youth leader Nasrudin Hassan did not deny that an apology was a noble act in Islam, he pointed out that it would be rendered useless if not accompanied by deeds to redress past mistakes.

As such, Nasrudin said Najib should follow up his statement of regret by returning Kelantan's oil profits to the state, compensating those held under the Internal Security Act, and reinstating the Perak state government which fell following a string of defections masterminded by Najib.

However, Nasrudin said Najib’s apology was an admission to the truth of PR's claims, adding that UMNO should now make way for PR.

Meanwhile, Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim, in an interview with Harakahdaily, said he viewed Najib’s apology with suspicion.

“To me, it is not a problem (apologising) at all, but it must not be playing politics only.

"Although (Najib) has apologised, it is hidden within layers. That is wrong. ,” he said, but said that it was up to the public to accept the apology.

“It’s good for Najib to continue to be an accountable, transparent and sincere leader. We are praying not only for Pakatan Rakyat only but for everyone,” Khalid added.

DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang said Najib’s apology was "torn apart" by his deputy, who said that it was a sign of Najib's humility and that it was time to move on.

“As if Muhyiddin’s message was not clear enough, another UMNO leader, its information chief, Ahmad Maslan declared that 'UMNO needs mandate to fix its mistakes' – which was an open and public rubbishing of Najib’s 'apology' as it tantamount to a proclamation that UMNO need not and would not be able to correct its 'mistakes' unless Barisan Nasional wins a two-thirds parliamentary majority in the next general elections!” Lim said in his statement.

The Ipoh Barat member of parliament said Najib must prove that his apology was genuine and sincere by outlining BN’s past mistakes and promising not to repeat them.

“Or is he going to succumb to the UMNO voices led by Muhyiddin that there is no need to particularise the mistakes and that the 'fixing' of the mistakes is even conditional on the BN winning the 'mandate' in the next elections?” he asked.

-Harakahdaily