Battle lines drawn between Najib and his detractors, says veteran newsman

Veteran journalist Datuk A. Kadir Jasin says former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had met last month where they spoke on a number of issues including 1MDB. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, January 16, 2015.

The recent criticisms of two former Umno stalwarts by mainstream media signifies the drawing of battle lines between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his detractors, a veteran journalist said today.

Former New Straits Times group editor-in-chief Datuk A. Kadir Jasin said criticisms levelled at former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin started soon after a meeting between Najib and Dr Mahathir last month.

"The meeting took place at the home of the former Prime Minister in Seri Kembangan where Najib had dinner with Dr Mahathir," Kadir wrote in his blog, kadirjasin.blogspot.com.

"The present and former prime ministers spoke about a number of issues including 1Malaysia Development Berhad, which Najib is the adviser.

"Sources revealed that Najib was shaken by the discussion on the company," Kadir wrote.

"Attacks against Dr Mahathir and former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin by pro-Najib bloggers and mainstream media started soon after the meeting," Kadir said.

He said the attacks against Dr Mahathir included allegations that he was putting pressure on Najib to revive the crooked bridge project to "satisfy his ego".

"I am not sure if attacks on Dr Mahathir and Daim are the work of a mysterious new adviser to Najib," Kadir wrote.

"Or maybe it is a concerted effort by the entire pro-Najib propaganda machine to burnish his image by maligning his critics.

"What I am more certain is the battle lines between the PM and his detractors could have been drawn!" Kadir wrote.

Kadir noted that the attacks against Najib's detractors appeared to be gaining momentum as mainstream media were also quoting opposition parties.

"Apart from enlisting Umno people in their efforts to silence the critics, the mainstream Umno-linked newspapers and TV stations continue to quote the opposition parties."

Pro-Umno bloggers reported that Daim had been attacked by cybertroopers aligned to Najib for criticising Putrajaya's handling of the economy.

Daim and Dr Mahathir have been strong critics of Najib's administration over his handling of the economy and national politics.

"A couple of months ago they started to attack Daim and about a month ago the attacks spread to Dr Mahathir," Kadir wrote.

"They were too systematic to be the work of individual reporters and editors chasing after news.

"They appear to be working in concert and orchestrated by someone outside the media," he said.

However, Daim has not taken the criticism lying down and has hit out at the Umno media.

In a press statement addressed to Bernama, the New Straits Times Group and Utusan Malaysia, which the mainstream media have yet to publish, Daim said: “I refer to the recent statements by some PKR politicians pressuring MACC to speed up its investigations into my banking business overseas.

“MACC is an independent body that makes its own decision without interference from anybody. I stand ready to support and cooperate with MACC in its investigation.

"Whilst I understand the motivation of these PKR politicians as they know not much other than politics and making baseless allegations, I am quite surprised with the attention given to them by the government-friendly media.

"TV3 which would not give 2 minutes of air time to Pakatan, has aired the PKR press conference no less than 3 times. The NST and Utusan have also carried these news."

"I am aware of who is behind this sudden attention on me. If you don’t like the message, kill the messenger."

- TMI