Najib feels need to appease Dr M, says Anwar

Prime minister and Umno president Najib Abdul Razak dropped Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s name during the Umno general assembly because he “does not have the clout” to enforce his own views.

Making this claim, Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim said former prime minister Mahathir (left in photo) “is still calling up party leaders and giving them directives”.

"I don't think he (Najib, right in photo) has the courage to deal with the situation, so he will need to appease (Mahathir),” Anwar told a press conference at the PKR headquarters today.

"He does not have the clout to enforce his own policies or views."

Najib had, when winding-up on points raised at the party gathering last Saturday, declared that Mahathir was prepared to back his choice of election candidates even if he (Mahathir) disliked them.

Najib also told delegates that Mahathir had willingly met with Umno grassroots leaders to shore up support for the party ahead of the next general election, even without a request being made.

Anwar added: “We know for a fact that Mahathir has been calling up Umno leaders and state leaders on his own.

“(He has been) appealing for their support and even giving them suggestions - if they are not happy ... win the election first and topple the leader after the election.”

He claimed that almost all the state Umno leaders had been informed of this and criticised Najib for being unable to put his foot down.

"Najib has displayed very little courage as a leader. He cannot deal (firmly) with (Wanita Umno chief) Shahrizat (Abdul Jalil, whose family is involved in the National Feedlot Corporation scandal), so I can't imagine how he can deal with Mahathir," he added.

Anwar, who was deputy prime minister during Mahathir's tenure, was unceremoniously sacked in 1998 from all his government and party posts.