With absolute power, Najib can sell off country, says Dr Mahathir

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad speaks during the ‘Bicara Santai’ forum in Senawang, Negri Sembilan. The former prime minister is warning that giving Datuk Seri Najib Razak absolute power threatens the country’s future. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Nazi Sufari, December 5, 2015. 

Transferring absolute power to Datuk Seri Najib Razak through the National Security Council Bill will lead to the country being “sold off”, says Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

In a review of the security law passed in Parliament on Thursday, Dr Mahathir said the prime minister would be able to arrest anyone, with the power to declare emergency passed from the king to him.

“Now, the king's power has been transferred to him (Najib). He can now declare emergency and anyone deemed dangerous can be arrested,” he said today during a forum in Senawang, Negri Sembilan.

The former prime minister also said the country could face risks, with its future under threat, if absolute power was given to the prime minister or ruler.

“If total power is given to a certain person, and that person is under pressure, surely it will be easy for that person to surrender his power to those pressuring him.

“That is the price if we give a certain person absolute power. If (you) give full power to the prime minister or the king, they can sell off the country,” he said.

Mahathir said history also proved this during the colonisation era, when rulers with absolute power easily gave away their power to others.

“I start with the colonisation period in our country. We were Tanah Melayu, a monarchy, where the sultans in the states had absolute power.

“With that absolute power, they were pressed, and in the end, the nation was given to the British.

“Before that, it was the Siamese. Then we were also colonised by the Japanese, before the British came back,” he said.

- TMI