Your successors’ failures are your own, PAS tells Dr M
(Malay Mail Online) – Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s attack on the administration of his hand-picked successors in an indictment of his own leadership during his time in power, PAS’s Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said today.
Reminding the former prime minister that he personally selected both Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and, later, Datuk Seri Najib Razak to lead Umno and Malaysia, the PAS information chief questioned Dr Mahathir’s motives in subsequently attacking his successors.
“Actually, Dr Mahathir need not attack Najib, and before this, Tun Abdullah Badawi, because he proposed the both of them.
“His (Dr Mahathir’s) failure is the inability to put forth a capable prime minister. Or does this indicate that BN, particularly Umno, no longer has any candidate able to bear this responsibility,” Tuan Ibrahim said in a statement today.
He further added that Dr Mahathir was possibly disappointed that his own Vision 2020 was changing from dreams of transformation and into to a “nightmare”.
In recent remarks, Dr Mahathir said he could no longer remain silent and that the days for diplomacy have long passed, adding he will now push for Najib’s resignation openly.
He said the prime minister’s refusal to address allegations such as those surrounding 1 Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) and linking him to the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu put BN’s rule at risk.
Najib responded last week via a televised interview with TV3, during which he said Dr Mahathir’s criticism was due to his desire for the “Crooked Bridge” to be revived and the 1 Malaysia People’s Aid (BR1M) discontinued.
The so-called “Crooked Bridge” was Dr Mahathir’s idea to replace the Causeway, but was discontinued by his successor, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, and believed to be among reasons why the latter was hounded out of office by the man who put him there.
Across the weekend, Dr Mahathir reportedly said BR1M was spent on ingrates when others, such as those on the island of Langkawi in his home state, were in much greater need.
