Opposition bent on opposing government decisions: Najib

(Bernama) – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the opposition would always object to whatever decision made by the government to improve the country’s electoral system.

 

He said when the government wanted to introduce the biometric system for voter verification in the general election, the opposition said using the indelible ink would be better.

“And I believe if the government wants to use the indelible ink, the opposition will say the biometric system is better.

“They just want to reject whatever we do. They want to make it controversial and to find fault. It’s not a constructive position on their part.

“They are not looking for something that can improve the system. They just want to find fault in the system,” he told reporters after attending the 1Malaysia Youth Gathering at the Pendang Mini Stadium today.

He said the government decided to use the biometric system “as it is a scientific system that cannot be manipulated compared to the indelible ink.”

“For the indelible ink, you can identify the source… you can get from other sources too and do the same thing. It’s a loss to the people who cannot go (to vote),” he said.

Earlier, in his speech, Najib said the opposition’s action of disputing the use of the biometric system was only politically-motivated.

He said he was not willing to be prime minister and Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman if he had won in the general election where the results had been manipulated.

“My friends (in BN) would also not want to be federal and state government leaders if they were not chosen the right way and according to the wishes of the people.

“We will again leave our fate to the people when the time comes. We are only prepared to be leaders if we are legitimately chosen by the people.”

Najib said BN had never been afraid of a fair general election, and if BN had been able to manipulate the results, it would not have lost (five states in the last general election).

“After the dark incident in the country’s history on May 13, 1969, my late father (country’s second prime minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein) had absolute power…. had parliamentary and cabinet power. He had executive power and the power to make laws, but a BN leader was not power crazy.

“When calm returned, he (Razak) gave back the power to the people and held elections. We won big but at other times, we lost some too,” he said.

Najib said BN had accepted election results that had favoured the opposition because it respected the Federal Constitution, so the opposition too must respect the Constitution.

He also said that the July 9 illegal rally in Kuala Lumpur was only aimed at tarnishing the country’s image abroad, causing the whole world to be confused or siding the demonstrators.

Najib said the rally was organised when no one had before questioned the credibility of the country’s electoral system and there had also been no evidence of any malpractice.

Also present at the gathering attended by thousands, were Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, Kedah Umno liaison chief Datuk Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah and International Trade and Industry Deputy Minister Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir, who is also state Umno liaison deputy chief.