PM Najib: Pakatan envies BN for getting Psy first

Pakatan Rakyat, especially DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, is jealous of BN for scoring with Korean "Gangnam Style" star Psy, claimed Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

"Actually, he wants to invite Psy (right) to a function under the Pakatan Rakyat name, but when Psy chose to attend our event, that derailed his plans. 

"That is the real story," the premier told reporters at a press conference after chairing the Umno supreme council meeting in Kuala Lumpur today.

"He may have his reasons, but I am baffled with his reaction. Every year we do the same (event)," continued the PM, decrying Pakatan's alleged politicising of the issue, which included the tearing down of Chinese New Years posters bearing a picture of him wearing a 'fashionable' Chinese tunic. 

Najib had expressed his sadness over the fact that Pakatan is allegedly making much ado about what is supposed to be just an event to celebrate the Chinese New Year for Malaysians of Chinese descent. 

He added that if DAP had their "Ubah Rocket Style" video, then it should be okay if BN has the real thing. 

When asked if he is going to accept the invitation from the major Chinese education pressure group, Dong Zong, to their Chinese New Year celebration, the PM appears guarded. 

"I am still considering it," he answered. 

This is the first time in 50 years that the Chinese education crusaders have extended an invite to a Malaysian prime minister - the latter who are usually at the end of their urgent proddings about more favours for Chinese schools. 

At the press conference, Najib also announced that Umno will tighten its hold over its divisions by forming a disciplinary watchdog committee to stave off any incidental sabotage during the upcoming polls.

He said that Tengku Ahmad Rithauddeen Ismail (right) has been chosen to lead the seven-men body, with its other members yet to be decided. 

The Malay party will also have enforcer-like posts in all divisions, where a representative of the central disciplinary body will be on the committee of each division to keep a closer eye on things. 

The system smacks of the political commissars deployed by the communist party in Russia and China, where a central party representative is embedded in all military units and departments to ensure that they toe the party line. 

Malaysiakini journalists were barred from entering the Umno building to attend the press conference today.

However, an audio recording of the press conference was afterwards made available to the Malaysiakini reporters by other members of the press.