Will the issue of a ‘weak Najib’ be raised at the Umno meetings?
Zubaidah Abu Bakar, The Rakyat Post
TUN Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s criticism of the Najib leadership has caught the attention of Malaysians, reigniting the mantra of the Prime Minister being weak among detractors of Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
The issue of Najib’s leadership has became popular overnight, with private discussions centred on the contents of the former premier’s blog posting reprimanding Najib, rather than the simmering Selangor Menteri Besar crisis.
Najib remains quiet, carrying on with his routine as the Prime Minister as usual.
He had expected to be criticised, not only by the Opposition, but also within Umno and Barisan Nasional since it was he who once said the time when leaders knew best was no more.
All the arguments in defence have so far only come from Najib’s lieutenants. Both Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein and Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, while saying Dr Mahathir had the right to criticise Najib, argued that the former premier’s views were not necessarily shared by others.
Several other leaders from Umno and Barisan Nasional component parties had also expressed dissatisfaction over Dr Mahathir reprimanding Najib in public.
Umno ministers, for reasons best known to them, are reluctant to come out in defence of policies in which they themselves were involved in the decision making.
This is what makes Dr Mahathir angry. The key message in his controversial posting is nothing but a challenge to Umno members to stop sucking up to their leaders.
The ministers have just too many reasons to keep quiet. Topping the list is ensuring they get to keep their position in the government, government-linked companies or party.
Dr Mahathir turned into the media’s most wanted man soon after his blog posting titled Menegur was uploaded on Tuesday.
When journalists finally caught up with him after launching the Institute of Excellence For Islamic Jerusalem Studies in Kuala Lumpur, he denied he was asking Najib to resign and that his criticism were merely meant to be a wake-up call.
Dr Mahathir also said it is only a reminder and nothing personal and that he was doing it because no one else dared to criticise Najib.
But the people in Putrajaya are aware that Dr Mahathir is not happy with the slew of reforms introduced by Najib before and after the 13th General Election.
