FINAL COUNTDOWN FOR NAJIB: DR M, KU LI, MUHYIDDIN JOIN FORCES AS NO-CONFIDENCE VOTE NEARS

KUALA LUMPUR - As Prime Minister Minister Najib Razak ratchets up authoritarian measures to stem the advance of his political rivals, an unprecedented alliance is being formed to oust him from power and bring him and his family to justice for alleged kleptocracy and grand-scale corruption.

Over the past week, the talk in top political inner circles is that former deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin had struck a deal with the newly-formed Pakatan Harapan parties, who are preparing to move a no-confidence motion in Parliament against Najib.

And this morning itself, ex-prime minster Mahathir Mohamad announced in Najib's Putrajaya stronghold, the joining of forces of Umno bigwigs including Muhyiddin and Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh, Sabah leader Shafie Apdal, and former Kedah chief minister Sanusi Junid.

Their mission is ostensibly to 'criticise' Najib for charging and sacking ex-Batu Kawan Umno division chief Khairuddin Abu Hassan and lawyer Matthias Chang.

But insiders read this as the 'final countdown' for Najib and his unpopular wife Rosmah Mansor.

"Make no mistake. This is the prelude or equivalent of announcing they will be challenging Najib in the no-confidence vote, whether the motion is raised by the Opposition or by Umno-BN themselves," a political source told Malaysia Chronicle.

The landmark press conference is also attended by former MCA president Ong Tee Keat, who surely must represent the interests of some, if not all of the 7 seats that the Chinese-based party holds in Parliament.

Khairuddin and Matthias, who have been vocal critics of Najib's 1MDB sovereign fund, were charged today with alleged sabotaging of the Malaysian economy when they lodged police reports against 1MDB in France, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Hong Kong and Singapore, between June 28 and August 26 this year‎.

Time's up for Najib

While the Attorney-General’s Chambers may have cleared 1MDB of any wrongdoing, it is really a question of when, and not if Najib will have to resign. All the indications so far show that Najib has been pushed to a corner and it is only a matter of time before he is evicted from the office of prime minister.

Landmark presser in Putrajaya

Indeed, it is urgent for Malaysians to throw Najib out of office as soon as possible before, in the desperate bid to cling on to power, he does even more damage and destruction to the nation which is already reeling under the impact of 1MDB and Najib’s leadership.

Mahathir, having been a former prime minister of Malaysia, is perhaps the best person to look up for guidance and instruction in the bid by a growing many Malaysians who want to oust Najib from office as the nation starts to totter on the edge before a crash.

If Malaysia crashes, it will be like what happened previously to Brazil, Mexico and Greece and the people are the ones who will suffer greatly and have nowhere to run. This is why Malaysians of all stripes need to wake up to the rallying call by Mahathir to ensure Najib leaves office.

From the time Najib took over control of this country from his predecessor, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the country has slid to an abysmal low with a great deterioration from how well it was doing previously that it is now among the weakest performing economies in ASEAN.

Now or never

While Mahathir’s stance is very clear and unwavering, the Malaysian opposition political parties need to urgently clean up their act and stand united and speak in unison to chart a course for the ouster of Najib.

The fact that the opposition is in disarray and splintered, it gives Najib the opportunity to stay on in office, and this is why it is imperative that the opposition coalition go about making drastic changes and be firm to group together under one banner.

Other parties with vested interests like Bersih, the numerous Non-Governmental Organizations and pressure groups that have surfaced are also in the frontline in a now or never push by right-thinking Malaysians who are bent in getting back control of the country.

There are also indications on the ground, from the assertions of ordinary, man-on-the street types that there is a rising trend and a great number of Malaysians who are rallying to the call of Mahathir to get Najib to leave office.

This is because living conditions and the Quality-of-Life in the country has deteriorated so badly under Najib’s tenure as prime minister that Malaysians are getting uncomfortable and restive and this shows by protests and demonstrations being staged.

Najib & Rosmah's shocking audacity

For quite some time now the momentum to oust Najib has been building up. But when the 1MDB fiasco erupted into the open, Mahathir and many Malaysians were angered and outraged by the audacity of Najib and his wife Rosmah that the bid to oust Najib took on great momentum.

This momentum to oust Najib has not gone unnoticed recently and there are rumors and speculation is rife that Barisan Nasional (BN) parliamentarians are beginning to covertly support moves to oust Najib though they have yet to be drawn into an alliance or pact with opposition MPs.

But the noose is beginning to tighten on Najib and it really looks as if he has painted himself into a corner as the royal houses issued a joint declaration that they wish the 1MDB issue to be resolved speedily and for all guilty wrongdoers to be accordingly punished.

The royalties in this country have further stated that there should be a separation of powers and no one should be spared if they are found guilty of wrongdoing and the relevant authorities investigating 1MDB need to act without fear or favor.

This gives Najib nowhere to hide now. But what are of interest to note are the conflicting findings of those investigating 1MDB which includes the police, the attorney-general’s chambers, the Malaysian anti-corruption commission and Bank Negara Malaysia.

A nation watches

Not only are Malaysians watching daily the unfolding drama of 1MDB, but the international community are being asked to and being appealed to assist Malaysia revert to democracy from what Mahathir asserts - that the nation has become a police state.

Restoring democracy is top priority for Mahathir and the heavy backing he receives from a slew of Malaysians all over the country and this is why more Malaysians have doubts and aspersions over how open and transparent investigations into 1MDB are turning out to be.

Ask any Malaysian and many of them will readily state that the truth, and the whole truth is not emerging from the investigations into 1MDB and these Malaysians also believe there are unseen hands at work to determine the outcome of investigations to free Najib.

This is why there is rising anger and growing discontent by Malaysians who are reaching out and appealing to the international community to ensure that the culprits behind the 1MDB, no matter how high their position or status in society, be duly called to answer truthfully.

The spate of on-going investigations so far has dissatisfied and further infuriated Malaysians who are frustrated that an open and transparent finding has not been so far duly furnished to satisfy them. This is why there is a growing call for the real offenders to face the music.

Unless and until the whole truth behind the 1MDB fiasco is not revealed to Malaysians the country will remain in a troubled and disturbed state and it will not be able to move forward but continue to regress further to the detriment of all.

Only clear facts and the complete truth behind the saga of 1MDB will satisfy Malaysians and the guilty offenders being duly charged to face their punishment will allow Malaysians to breathe with relief once again and to continue to pick up the pieces to rebuild this nation. - MAILBAG