Najib played a crucial role in that tussle and had he not rallied Pemuda Umno behind the Prime Minister, Dr Mahathir would have been ousted after just six years in office instead of serving as Malaysia’s longest Prime Minister.
THE CORRIDORS OF POWER
Raja Petra Kamarudin
Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has been accused of keeping quiet and of not responding to the allegations against him. His critics are demanding that he respond, in particular regarding 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).
Najib responded by ordering an investigation into the affairs of 1MDB. But the criticism did not stop. His critics, led by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, continued to attack him.
They then raised the issue of Lembaga Tabung Haji being used to bail out 1MDB. Actually, the Tabung Haji-1MDB land deal was struck long before 1MDB became a controversy. The spin, however, is that Tabung Haji is being used to save 1MDB, which is not quite true if the deal had been agreed earlier.
Tabung Haji has been forced to abort the deal and will now only make RM5 million instead of RM170 million had the deal gone on. And this has upset the Prime Minister.
In front of a 40,000-strong crowd in Tawau, Sabah, on Sunday, 10th May 2015, Najib said, “In 1987, I was among the ones who supported him. Why did he remain as prime minister? Because we stood together in difficult times.”
Najib was responding to Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s attacks against him and related it to the 1987 push to oust him during the Team A versus Team B crisis that almost destroyed Umno and resulted in it getting deregistered.
Najib played a crucial role in that tussle and had he not rallied Pemuda Umno behind the Prime Minister, Dr Mahathir would have been ousted after just six years in office instead of serving as Malaysia’s longest Prime Minister.
“When he was in trouble, we supported him to stay on. If we did not support our leader in a time of trial, he would not have lasted for 22 years as prime minister.”
“During the Team A and Team B test (Dr Mahathir) nearly lost. Almost 50 per cent of the Umno members called him to step down. But what was his answer? ‘Even if I win by a single vote, I will continue to be the Prime Minister.’ Oh! That was a great answer.”
“So, do not forget, when he became prime minister, we gave him full support. Now when he is no longer prime minister, support us in return. If cannot support, then don’t make so much noise.”
“I only bow down to party members and the people. As long as the party members support me, and as long as people give their trust, I shall continue to serve.”
Najib also said Dr Mahathir had made misleading and contradictory statements about 1MDB. “At one time he says 1MDB lost RM42 billion and then says 1MDB did not lose but owes RM42 billion.”
This ‘declaration of war’ is Najib’s vow that he is not going to give in and will fight his detractors within the party.
Meanwhile, Zaid Ibrahim said he received unconfirmed reports that the Deputy Prime Minister is in discussions with some Umno ‘warlords’, Tun Daim Zainuddin included, in Milan, Italy, on the move to oust the Prime Minister.
If that is true then they are going to have a fight on their hands because Najib made it very clear he is not about to back down. If Najib really wants to win this fight, however, he will have to get rid of those traitors and enemies in the blanket who smile in front of him and curse him behind his back.
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