NAJIB Razak should distance himself from the Umno front line so that it can continue championing the party’s struggle with a new image.
“Awang Selamat”, the pseudonym for the Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia’s editorial team, said this in a piece in Mingguan Malaysia, the newspaper’s Sunday edition, today.
The editorial was on observations on Pakatan Harapan and Umno in the new government’s first 100 days following the May 9 general election, which saw Barisan Nasional fall from power.
It said besides watching closely the PH government and monitoring the progress made on the pact’s election pledges, the people are observing Umno, too.
“Many factors led to Umno and BN’s defeat in the 14th general election. Among them were the goods and services tax, which caused prices to increase, Umno leaders being linked to corruption, insensitive statements issued by several ministers then, and the former prime minister’s credibility and integrity issues.
“Awang heard that the people could have accepted GST, but they opposed it because they believed the tax was collected to pay off debts resulting from misappropriation by the former prime minister and his leadership, which had mismanaged government-linked companies like Tabung Haji, 1Malaysia Development Bhd, Retirement Fund Inc and Felda.”
The editorial said civil servants were concerned about what was happening, and the issues that cropped up led them to losing confidence in Najib and his team.
It said many civil servants rejected Najib’s leadership, not Umno, the party, per se.
“We think Najib and the new party leadership elected in June should understand each other and realise the current political scenario.
“It would be good if Najib distances himself from the party, so that the new leadership can continue to champion the party’s struggle with a new face.”
The piece compared the Najib-Umno situation with that of the Watergate scandal that led to the resignation of US president Richard Nixon and his Republican party in the 1970s.
“The people, namely Malays, want change in Umno, not only in its leadership, but also its struggle, so that it has integrity and maturity as an opposition party.
“If all 51 lawmakers from Umno can truly serve as checks and balances to the PH government, the people will make their assessments wisely.”
It said within the first 100 days after GE14, Umno should get over its polls defeat and rebuild its spirit, commitment and struggle.
Najib has come under fire from his own party. Among the leaders who have criticised him is Titiwangsa Umno chief Johari Abdul Ghani, who described the former party president as a “burden”.
The former second finance minister earlier this week said it was unwise to have allowed Najib on the Sungai Kandis by-election campaign trail, given the charges against him and the scandal in which he is implicated.
On Wednesday, Najib was slapped with three charges of money laundering, related to RM42 million from SRC International Bhd that made its way into his account.
Last month, he was charged with three counts of criminal breach of trust and one count of misusing his position.
All seven charges are linked to SRC International, a former subsidiary of beleaguered state investor 1MDB, which was Najib’s brainchild.
– https://www.themalaysianinsight.com
Well this character Awang Selamat is trying to hunt with the hounds and run with the hares. Should change the pseudonym to Awang Munafik. Well Awang Munafik where is the ilogical praise that you have been pouring on Najib before PRU14 dissapeared to? We as a human being can coexist with even the wildest animal on earth but there is no way we can coexist with double headed snake Awang Tak Selamat. Anti fake news is just fine for you and some if your umno boss.
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