Yes, I've deviated from your struggle, Najib tells '91-year-old man'

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, after being repeatedly accused by ex-prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad of deviating from Umno's struggle, admitted that his fight is no longer the same as the past.

However, Najib, referring to Mahathir as a "91-year-old man" without naming him, indicated that this was for good reasons.

"It is true that the struggle of the past and now are different.

"Last time, he, who is now 91 years old, struggled for independence.

"Now, I am struggling for the nation's development," Najib said in a blog posting today.

Najib pointed to major infrastructure programmes during his tenure such as the Mass Rapid Transit, Bus Rapid Transit, Light Rail Transit, Pan Borneo Highway, Refinery and Petrochemical Integrated Development in Pengerang and Kota Iskandar.

He also listed several other people-centric and welfare programmes under his leadership, such as e-Kasih, 1Malaysia Housing Project (PR1MA) and Urban Transformation Programme.

"... Is improving the economy and the people's quality of life not a struggle?

"Is advancing sports to achieve the best performance in history also not a struggle?" said Najib in apparent reference to the recently concluded Rio Olympics and Paralympics.

Najib added that in his 40 years in the government, he had his own ways to advance religion, race and country.

Instead, the prime minister questioned the direction of this "man" who is trying to unseat him

"We all know that the new political party by this old leader is working to overthrow the government, so much so that he is willing to collude with a chauvinist party whose leader had been charged with corruption.

"Who is the one that had deviated?" he said.

He appeared to be referring to Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia's (Bersatu) cooperation with DAP.

Najib said the accusation against him of "deviating" was ultimately an attempt to recruit members into Bersatu.

"There is a leader who is inciting the people and organising efforts within and outside the country to accuse me of the same things he was accused of when he was in power.

"Regardless of what they say, I and the Cabinet are committed in our struggle for religion, race and country," he said.-Mkini