Najib: Contest against me if dissatisfied

If I am to be toppled, then contest in the Umno elections, but don’t destroy Umno, says party leader.

(FMT) – Umno president Najib Razak has challenged critics to contest and challenge him as president in the coming party elections.

“If I am to be toppled, then contest in the Umno elections but don’t destroy Umno,” he said to loud applause when opening the Cameron Highlands Umno divisional assembly today.

His remark was an indirect reference to his greatest critic, former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who has led a campaign for over two years to oust Najib as Umno president and prime minister.

In another reference to Dr Mahathir, he made a contrast between conditions set for party elections during Dr Mahathir’s 22 years in power and the current conditions.

Najib reiterated that if he had intended to become the prime minister and Umno president for another 22 years, the previous party constitution could have been used.

“Under the old constitution, anyone wishing to contest for the presidency must receive the support from 56 Umno divisions. (Do you) think it’s easy to get that, even one (division) is difficult,” he said, according to Bernama.

“But when I became the Umno president and prime minister, I took measures to amend the (party) constitution and leave it up to the 160,000 delegates who are eligible to vote to decide my fate,” he said.