Dr M’s Abdullah vendetta continues
(The Malaysian Insider) APRIL 22 – Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is clinical. Not surprising for a medical doctor who found fame as a politician and visionary who put Malaysia on the map when he was in power.
While he clinically orchestrated and led Malaysia’s rise, he has also been clinical in wrecking his successor Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s career, decisions and those associated with him.
Today, he turned his sights on at least two politicians in Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’ cabinet that he objected to, calling Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz and Datuk Johari Baarum “unsavoury characters”.
He said Nazri was nasty to him which came as no surprise as the minister in the Prime Minister’s Department had vigorously defended Abdullah from Dr Mahathir’s intense attacks in the past.
Johari, too, had defended Abdullah then and Dr Mahathir once accused him of blocking the Kubang Pasu Umno division from nominating the former party president as a delegate.
But Dr Mahathir did not refer to this incident, merely pointing out that the deputy agriculture minister had been previously accused of accepting RM5 million to release people when he was the deputy home minister.
Yesterday, the former prime minister continued his war against the foreign media and accused them of demonising him and Najib.
But he reserved his harshest comments for the “friends” of the foreign media who fuel the anti-Najib sentiment for fear of losing their stranglehold on the media.
Without naming names, he was referring to several media personalities seen as Abdullah’s confidantes when the latter was in power.
On Monday, Dr Mahathir commented on the crooked bridge project to replace the Causeway which Abdullah had cancelled and sparked his predecessor’s campaign to oust him in 2006, noting that some people were now keen on the project.
In the past three days, the common thread in all these comments and posts have been Abdullah and his need to clinically finish off his successor’s legacy.
His constant sabre-rattling these past few days is also a warning to Najib that his views need to be taken into account although he publicly claims to hold no influence in the new administration.
Dr Mahathir’s supporters have also sent a message to the new administration that there will be serious consequences if the views are not considered.
No one said it more bluntly than his ex-political secretary, Matthias Chang, who last week warned Najib to “shape up or be shipped out” like Abdullah.
This is one vendetta that will endure and Najib will have to ensure he is not part of it.
