Will the issue of a ‘WEAK NAJIB’ be raised at the Umno assembly?

TUN Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s criticism of the Najib leadership has caught the attention of Malaysians, reigniting the mantra of the Prime Minister being weak among detractors of Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

The issue of Najib’s leadership has became popular overnight, with private discussions centred on the contents of the former premier’s blog posting reprimanding Najib, rather than the simmering Selangor Menteri Besar crisis.

Najib remains quiet, carrying on with his routine as the Prime Minister as usual.

He had expected to be criticised, not only by the Opposition, but also within Umno and Barisan Nasional since it was he who once said the time when leaders knew best was no more.

All the arguments in defence have so far only come from Najib’s lieutenants. Both Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein and Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, while saying Dr Mahathir had the right to criticise Najib, argued that the former premier’s views were not necessarily shared by others.

Several other leaders from Umno and Barisan Nasional component parties had also expressed dissatisfaction over Dr Mahathir reprimanding Najib in public.

Umno ministers, for reasons best known to them, are reluctant to come out in defence of policies in which they themselves were involved in the decision making.

This is what makes Dr Mahathir angry. The key message in his controversial posting is nothing but a challenge to Umno members to stop sucking up to their leaders.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has not responded to Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s criticism, but Cabinet members have stated that the former premier’s comments were not necessarily shared by others.

The ministers have just too many reasons to keep quiet. Topping the list is ensuring they get to keep their position in the government, government-linked companies or party.

Dr Mahathir turned into the media’s most wanted man soon after his blog posting titled Menegur was uploaded on Tuesday.

When journalists finally caught up with him after launching the Institute of Excellence For Islamic Jerusalem Studies in Kuala Lumpur, he denied he was asking Najib to resign and that his criticism were merely meant to be a wake-up call.

Dr Mahathir also said it is only a reminder and nothing personal and that he was doing it because no one else dared to criticise Najib.

But the people in Putrajaya are aware that Dr Mahathir is not happy with the slew of reforms introduced by Najib before and after the 13th General Election.

Thus, they were not that surprised when their boss became the former’s whipping boy for the problems.

They had heard the same issues that were raised before in Dr Mahathir’s blog postings being voiced out privately or at some public functions.

The repeal of the Internal Security Act, the Emergency Ordinance and the Restricted Residence Act, that had been blamed for the increase in violent crimes, had been raised.

So were Putrajaya’s economic policies being accused as populist, affecting local industries. Chief among the policies is the Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M) to garner votes and popular support.

Dr Mahathir thinks it is a poor strategy to tackle poverty since it makes people dependent on handouts.

The blame for BN’s severe loss to the Opposition in GE13 has been put on Najib’s shoulders, which is rather unfair to the Prime Minister since he had inherited an already weakened Umno and BN.

Dr Mahathir had played a role in “forcing” Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to take responsibility for BN’s heavy losses in the 2008 general election and give up the premiership and Umno presidency.

Then, BN won 140 parliamentary seats. BN had not been able to win back lost support in time for last year’s general election, ending up with only 133 parliamentary seats, leaving Najib to rule with an even smaller mandate from the people.

Is Dr Mahathir trying to create waves of discontent in Umno, as pointed out by his former lieutenant, Datuk Zanuddin Maidin?

If this theory by Zam (as he is popularly known) holds water, the issue of a “weak Najib” will surely be raised at the divisional meetings and the Youth, Wanita and Puteri wings that are due to convene between Thursday and Sunday.

Should these party divisions, and others yet to hold their respective meetings, join in the chorus with Dr Mahathir, the November Umno general assembly can be expected to be crucial to Najib’s leadership.

Otherwise, the assembly will be just another annual gathering of Umno faithful, with a little spark here and there, since motions to be tabled will be screened and debates guided.

Without the support from the majority of Umno’s 191 divisions, any move, if there is really an attempt to begin with, to remove Najib due to his “weak leadership” will not succeed.

At the moment, most divisions still do not see Umno having a better and credible successor.

Zubaidah Abu Bakar

Seasoned journalist Zubaidah Abu Bakar takes a keen interest in Malaysia’s vibrant, and sometimes, dramatic political landscape. -http://www.therakyatpost.com