Controversies Still Dog Najib, Says Kit Siang

ARCHIVES 2009

By MT Webmaster On Mar 20, 2009

However, he pointed out, there are others who feel that asking Abdullah to remain as Prime Minister is not the real option and propose that a more suitable candidate should be chosen from the present UMNO ranks, with Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah’s name most often mentioned in this context.

MySinchew

Najib’s impending takeover as the sixth Prime Minister is sufficiently dogged, hounded and haunted by grave doubts and allegations about his integrity and legitimacy, to the extent that for the first time in the 52-year history of Malaysia, strong objections are being raised publicly about the suitability of the Prime Minister-in-waiting, according to Lim Kit Siang.

“Hardly a fortnight to his ascension to the highest political office in the land – and which is growing stronger by the day,“ said the veteran politician who is also DAP Parliamentary Leader and MP for Ipoh Timor.

“There are so many so skeptical and cynical about Najib’s suitability, integrity and legitimacy to become the next Prime Minister that they have spawned an increasing chorus of calls to stop Najib from becoming the sixth Prime Minister of Malaysia.”

Lim said at a party dinner in Petaling Jaya Thursday night (19 March), the latest to join this chorus is the former Law Minister, Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, who called on the Yang di Pertuan Agong to reject Najib if UMNO puts him forward as Prime Minister to replace Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and to appoint someone who would “bring us back from the brink”.

He added that there are online campaigns to get Abdullah to remain as Prime Minister even after the UMNO General Assembly next week, not because Abdullah is an effective and successful Prime Minister but because his replacement, Najib, is “evil”.

“Although Abdullah’s popularity rating had plunged from a record high of 91% in Nov 2004 to 61% in Jan 2008 (just before the 8 March 2008 general election), down to 46% in Dec 2008, he was at all times more popular than Najib, as demonstrated by the following surveys by Merdeka Centre,” Lim said.

“I do not think anyone will dispute that if an opinion poll is now conducted, Najib’s popularity would have fallen further even below the lowest point of 34% recorded in July last year, while Abdullah would have improved in his popularity rating.”

There is of course another scenario, which is for Pakatan Rakyat to replace Barisan Nasional at the federal government, but as the numbers are not present, this option is not really available, Lim added.

“Putting aside for the moment the question as to how real or realistic are these growing rumblings to stop Najib from become the next Prime Minister, the inescapable fact is that such public opposition to a Prime Minister-in-waiting is happening for the first time in the 52-year history of the nation, as was never the case in the nation’s history, whether Tun Razak, Tun Hussein Onn, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad or Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi,” Lim said.

“In fact, such doubts and objections to Najib taking over as the new Prime Minister seems to growing stronger by the day, the nearer to Najib’s ascension to the highest political office in the land.”

This is why, Lim said, Najib’s RM60 billion second economic stimulus package have failed to rally confidence, as he is seen as the most divisive and distrusted Prime Minister-designate, who will not enjoy the customary political honeymoon of “First 100 days” for new Prime Ministers, as his Machiavellian machinations in his pre-100 days, like the undemocratic, unethical, illegal and unconstitutional power grab in Perak, the selective and malicious prosecution of DAP National Chairman Karpal Singh for sedition and the arbitrary and high-handed one-year suspension of DAP MP for Puchong, Gobind Deo Singh without pay and parliamentary privileges, have created widespread concern whether Najib’s ascension as the sixth Prime Minister marks the start of a national nightmare.