PAS president supports Najib staying on as PM

PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang backs Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak's stand to remain as prime minister. – The Malaysian Insider pic, May 12, 2015.Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang wants Datuk Seri Najib Razak to continue as prime minister as he was elected through a fair system, The Star Online reported today.

The PAS president said the Umno chief should not succumb to pressure and should be allowed to solve the problems he is facing, the report said.

"I agree with him that he should not have to step down and I must say that he should be given a chance to finish his term," he was quoted as saying in Kuala Terengganu today.

Hadi’s statement of support for Najib is the first from a Pakatan Rakyat leader following the intense attack on his leadership from former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The Marang MP was quoted in the report as saying it was pointless to pressure the prime minister to step down over controversies such as 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

In the report, Hadi said that pressuring Najib to step down was a scenario that had happened during the leadership of the previous prime ministers.

"This is not entirely new. Before 1MDB, we also had problems with Perwaja (Steel Sdn Bhd) and Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ), just to name a few," he was quoted as saying.

Yesterday, the Umno Supreme Council expressed renewed support for Najib and deputy  president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who had earlier criticised Najib’s leadership while on an official trip to Italy last week.

Najib said he had met personally with Muhyiddin before the meeting and had pledged to have more “heart-to-heart” discussions with the latter, to prevent anyone from tearing the party’s top leadership apart.

“The Supreme Council expressed renewed support for the president and the deputy president. The Supreme Council wants the president, deputy president, the council and all Umno leaders to unite as a team to face all the challenges and take positive action to strengthen Umno and Barisan Nasional’s position among the people,” said Najib.

On his Facebook page yesterday, Najib said he was aware of the accusations and criticisms thrown at him and the present leadership.

"The mandate given to me was through a democratic process and is determined by the people and Umno members nationwide."

He added that every leader, including himself, faces different challenges during their tenure and reiterated his stance of not bowing down to pressure for him to resign.

"At the end of the day, this struggle is not about me. It is for the nation." said Najib.

Calls for Malaysia's sixth prime minister to resign have risen since Muslim pilgrims’ fund Lembaga Tabung Haji confirmed buying land from 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), the debt-ridden state investment fund.

Dr Mahathir said that Umno and Barisan Nasional will lose the next general election if Najib did not resign.

- TMI