Amid speculation that Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin may be gearing up for snap polls, disputed Bersatu chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad suggested former Umno president Najib Abdul Razak may exert his influence to escape a possible jail sentence for alleged grand corruption.
In an interview with South China Morning Post (SCMP), Mahathir said there was no way that Najib would support Muhyiddin to remain as prime minister if he knew he was going to jail.
Muhyiddin, who is Bersatu president, is reliant on Umno and PAS if his fledgling party is to survive a snap election.
However, Muhyiddin’s opponents who have been purged from Bersatu have warned that Umno and PAS may jettison his party during an election, spelling doom for Bersatu.
“One thing is certain. Najib is not going to work hard to make Muhyiddin the prime minister if he is going to jail.
“He is not going to leave this man (to become) prime minister, and he goes to jail. He doesn’t want to go to jail.
“If he has a docile prime minister that he can influence, he may escape from going to jail,” Mahathir said in the interview.
Najib led BN to its first defeat since the country’s independence – 61 years – in the 2018 general election amid allegations of grand corruption.
However, the newly installed Pakatan Harapan government collapsed in late February after Muhyiddin pulled Bersatu out of the coalition.
Muhyiddin formed a new pact – Perikatan Nasional – comprising Bersatu, PKR defectors, BN, PAS, GPS, PBS and Star.
However, Muhyiddin only has a two-seat majority in the 222-member Dewan Rakyat and three months after the formation of the PN government is mulling snap polls in the face of a counter-coup being planned by Mahathir.
Mahathir, who was the Harapan government’s premier and had refused to lead the new coalition put together by Muhyiddin, has vowed to fight him.
Mahathir suggested that Najib’s ambition may not be limited to escaping jail but he could also seek a political comeback, even as the prime minister once again.
He cited the recent decision by the prosecution to drop corruption cases against Najib’s stepson Riza Shahriz Abdul Aziz, which was also linked to the 1MDB corruption scandal, and former Sabah chief minister Musa Aman.
“They will come up with all kinds of reasons … In the case of Najib, (they will say) he was a victim of a scam (by fugitive businessperson) Jho Low.
“(They will say) it’s Low, not Najib, so we can find him not guilty. Once he is not guilty he will then be eligible to contest and even become prime minister (again).
“At that stage, I think he is not going to support Muhyiddin as prime minister,” Mahathir added.
Low is an associate of Najib, and based on international investigations and court proceedings, was instrumental in arranging the multi-billion deals involving 1MDB which were subsequently misappropriated.
While Low is on the run, Najib is standing several trials for the multi-billion ringgit theft of 1MDB’s funds.
Mahathir told the Hong Kong-based publisher that he was also not optimistic that people would be outraged at Najib’s comeback.
“People after some time (will forget) about his crimes and all that, even about his trial, because they feel that this man is championing Malay Muslims so the Malays must support him.
“He has reached the point where he can say, ‘yes, I stole money but I am your boss, so it’s all right’ … because he is a Malay Muslim prime minister, although he has stolen money,” Mahathir was quoted as saying.
Mahathir did not discount snap elections but preferred Muhyiddin’s support to be tested in the Dewan Rakyat amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
For his counter-coup to work, Mahathir said he would “have to be together” with PKR president Anwar Ibrahim.
He added that the plan’s success is also heavily depended on East Malaysian MPs who have demanded concessions for greater autonomy.
MKINI
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