Waning popularity a message from the people, Najib warns BN

Najib asked voters to give BN more time to execute the changes it has planned for the country. — Picture by Choo Choy May

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 2 ― Again calling for change in Barisan Nasional (BN), Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today voters are choosing Pakatan Rakyat (PR) because they want to send a message to the ruling coalition.

“The message is for us to change as a party,” the BN chairman said while launching the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) annual general meeting (AGM) here.

“They want BN as a party to be more fair, inclusive, and so that every citizen of Malaysia will receive equal treatment and benefits from BN.”

The prime minister’s remarks came after PPP president Datuk Seri M. Kayveas’s address, in which the latter said voters are flocking to PR because they are “worried” by perceived discrimination and prejudice under BN’s rule.

Fresh from closing Umno’s annual assembly here yesterday, Najib again called on voters to give BN more time to renew itself by supporting it in the polls.

“We’re in the process of renewal. Real changes are taking place in Malaysia.

“Real changes are taking place while the same party is in power in Malaysia,” the Umno president said.

Najib also criticised the “Ubah” (change) slogan touted by DAP and PR, comparing their call for change to the recent “Arab Spring” revolution.

“If we change, are we sure we’re getting something better?

“(The people involved in Arab Spring) are not enjoying the ‘spring weather’. They’re still in the winter of discontent,” Najib said.

The prime minister said that the revolutions in the Middle East had caused the countries involved to lose out on tourism and currency exchange, as well as suffer declines to their security.

But Najib also confessed that winning the next general election will not be easy, saying that voters’ opinions were now easily swayed by current issues.

“Before this, we can just put a songkok (to contest) and we would still win.

“Now we need to read the desires of the public, understand the wishes of the people.”

Najib then appeared to criticise grassroots leaders for failing to disseminate the aspirations of the BN administration effectively, leading to problems with perceived discrimination and prejudice.

“The problem is not at the top, the problem is on the ground.

“These people must try to understand what the government wants. If we say we must treat every citizen equally, the whole system ... must do that,” Najib added to applause from the floor.

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