Najib digs in for a fight
A multitude of Brutuses await with sharpened knives for the signal to end his career as Prime Minister.
Scott Ng, Free Malaysia Today
We learn a lot about a person’s character from the way he faces adversity. Some are unable to handle the pressure and break. Others panic. Some, however, show that they intend to fight, and despite all earlier impressions of our Prime Minister being weak-willed, he has shown an unexpected fortitude in the face of onslaughts, not just from Mahathir Mohamad, but now from some currently serving leaders of Umno.
Najib seems to have been forsaken by many members of his Cabinet. They have released negative statements regarding Tabung Haji’s recent purchase of land from 1MDB. Indeed the move is widely derided by Opposition and government figures alike, not to mention civil society and individual members of the public.
Mahathir shows no sign of letting up, hoping that he can push Najib ever closer to the edge by maintaining constant pressure for the PM to give unequivocal answers to questions asked of him.
However, Najib has shown a mule-like stubbornness, digging in his heels for the long haul. Yesterday, he told the people of Tawau that he would “continue to carry on” as long as there was support from the people and his party members. He even threw Mahathir’s legacy back in the former PM’s face, citing a point in Umno history when almost 50% of Umno wanted Mahathir out. Mahathir, he reminded his audience, reacted with this statement: “Even if I win by a single vote, I will continue to be Prime Minister.”
This was perhaps the strongest statement of intent the Prime Minister has ever issued, and doubtless many Malaysians wish he had shown this kind of fortitude so many times in the past when we looked to Putrajaya for guidance and were instead met with silence.
However, for Najib to remain in power, he must immediately seek to remove his enemies at the highest levels of the Putrajaya administration as well as Umno and consolidate his position by surrounding himself with loyalists.
