PM’s quit challenge signals rebels in his Cabinet, veteran newsman says

(Malay Mail Online) – Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s challenge for ministers to resign from their government posts indicates there are rebels in his Cabinet and likely from Umno, the former group editor-in-chief of New Straits Times said today.

Datuk A. Kadir Jasin said it may not be a “full-scale rebellion”, but just open disagreement instead with the prime minister’s stand on the debt-laden 1 Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), as shown by Najib’s cousin and Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.

“There are rebels in his Cabinet,” Kadir wrote on his blog.

“But do not expect any of them to step down. Some would not dare because they owe too much to him while others have dark secrets to hide.

For those who do not have skeletons to hide, they will stay on in defiance of his challenge and, indirectly, dare him to sack them,” he added.

Hishammuddin tweeted Monday his support for Najib’s call for ministers to leave the Cabinet if they disagree with his stand on 1MDB, but on three conditions: that 1MDB is rationalised, accountability if there is any wrongdoing and transparency with the two.

“Could the PM have been checkmated yet again or his Bugis pride is causing his to lose sight of reality?” Kadir questioned today.

The ministers have been put on the spot following a news report by Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia Monday in which the prime minister reportedly told his Cabinet colleagues to resign their posts if  they disagreed with his stand on 1MDB.

Citing an unnamed Cabinet source, the Malay broadsheet further reported that none of the ministers challenged the prime minister on 1MDB in last Friday’s meeting despite being given the opportunity.

Kadir also said that today it is better for PAS to stick with fellow political ally DAP, and Pakatan Rakyat (PR), rather than join Umno ahead of the Islamist party’s election outcome, seeing that Najib is struggling to get support from his own party.

He said Najib might need PAS to come to his “rescue” in case the opposition within his own party, Umno, became “insurmountable”.

“But I do not think that Abdul Hadi (PAS president) or his opponent, Ahmad Awang, will take a risk of partnering Najib or joining BN,” he said.

“PAS is better off being in an unhappy relationship with DAP than remarrying Umno, especially now when Najib’s trouble with his own party and the rakyat (people) appears to be getting more complicated.”

Najib has been criticised for his involvement in the debt-laden 1MDB, especially from former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who has repeatedly called for his resignation.

Meanwhile, PAS and DAP were in constant arguments when the Islamist party president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang tabled a private member’s Bill in Parliament to remove legal obstacles that prevent the implementation of hudud in Kelantan.

On Monday, PAS secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali guaranteed that his party would not make any decision to leave PR during the muktamar, saying all top leaders do not wish to exit the pact.

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng recently remained adamant that his party has officially cut ties with Hadi, but not PAS, while the Islamist party president then reportedly said PAS is ready to sever ties with the DAP for excluding the Islamist party and PKR from its shadow Cabinet.