Bekas menteri kabinet, Datuk Zaid Ibrahim mencadangkan agar Tun Dr
Mahathir Mohamad berbaik semula dan bekerjasama dengan para seterunya
bagi menggulingkan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Zaid mencadangkan demikian dalam tulisannya berhubung pertemuan di antara Mahathir dan orang kepercayaan Anwar, Azmin Ali yang didakwa berlangsung bulan lalu.
“Adakah ini pemulaan bagi satu pertemuan paling penting di antara Dr Mahathir dan Anwar?
“Semua orang menunggu ia berlaku – apatah lagi, kedua-dua personaliti itu membentuk politik Malaysia sejak 30 tahun lalu.
“Mungkin merekalah gandingan yang dapat menyatukan negara ini dan membawanya keluar dari kekusutan sekarang,” katanya.
Tambahnya, kemunculan Mahathir di majlis pengebumian allahyarham bapa Anwar awal bulan ini juga menunjukkan bahawa hubungan kedua-duanya semakin baik.
Trio Anwar, Mahathir, Ku Li
Dalam tulisan di blog zaid.my itu, beliau seterusnya berkata, usaha kedua-dua tokoh itu “untuk menyelamatkan Malaysia” dapat diperkuatkan lagi jika disertai oleh seorang lagi veteran Umno, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah.
“Pemerintahan mereka bertiga akan memastikan kerajaan Najib dalam dilupuskan dengan pantas,” katanya lagi.
Katanya, gandingan Mahathir dan Anwar yang dibentuk pada pada 1989 itu kini dapat dijayakan.
“Kini
mereka berpeluang menjayakannya, mungkin dengan Tengku Razaleigh
sebagai perdana menteri sementara untuk tiga tahun, sementara menunggu
pilihan raya umum akan datang.
“Kemudian, Anwar boleh mengambil alih dengan rancangannya untuk negara ini,” katanya lagi yang turut mempromosi agar orang ramai menyertai perhimpunan besar 1 Mei bagi “menunjukkan jalan keluar bagi Najib”.
Beliau yakin, gabungan blok pembangkang dan BN akan dapat menggulingkan Najib.
Bagi mencapai tujuan itu, Mahathir dan Anwar bagaimanapun perlu mengubah sikap ke atas satu sama lain, katanya.
Mahathir perlu memadamkan rasa benci pada Anwar, dan begitu juga sebaliknya, kata peguam itu lagi.- mk
Zaid mencadangkan demikian dalam tulisannya berhubung pertemuan di antara Mahathir dan orang kepercayaan Anwar, Azmin Ali yang didakwa berlangsung bulan lalu.
“Adakah ini pemulaan bagi satu pertemuan paling penting di antara Dr Mahathir dan Anwar?“Semua orang menunggu ia berlaku – apatah lagi, kedua-dua personaliti itu membentuk politik Malaysia sejak 30 tahun lalu.
“Mungkin merekalah gandingan yang dapat menyatukan negara ini dan membawanya keluar dari kekusutan sekarang,” katanya.
Tambahnya, kemunculan Mahathir di majlis pengebumian allahyarham bapa Anwar awal bulan ini juga menunjukkan bahawa hubungan kedua-duanya semakin baik.
Trio Anwar, Mahathir, Ku Li
Dalam tulisan di blog zaid.my itu, beliau seterusnya berkata, usaha kedua-dua tokoh itu “untuk menyelamatkan Malaysia” dapat diperkuatkan lagi jika disertai oleh seorang lagi veteran Umno, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah.
“Pemerintahan mereka bertiga akan memastikan kerajaan Najib dalam dilupuskan dengan pantas,” katanya lagi.
Katanya, gandingan Mahathir dan Anwar yang dibentuk pada pada 1989 itu kini dapat dijayakan.
“Kini
mereka berpeluang menjayakannya, mungkin dengan Tengku Razaleigh
sebagai perdana menteri sementara untuk tiga tahun, sementara menunggu
pilihan raya umum akan datang.“Kemudian, Anwar boleh mengambil alih dengan rancangannya untuk negara ini,” katanya lagi yang turut mempromosi agar orang ramai menyertai perhimpunan besar 1 Mei bagi “menunjukkan jalan keluar bagi Najib”.
Beliau yakin, gabungan blok pembangkang dan BN akan dapat menggulingkan Najib.
Bagi mencapai tujuan itu, Mahathir dan Anwar bagaimanapun perlu mengubah sikap ke atas satu sama lain, katanya.
Mahathir perlu memadamkan rasa benci pada Anwar, dan begitu juga sebaliknya, kata peguam itu lagi.- mk
Embrace Anwar to oust Najib, Zaid tells Dr M...
Anwar Ibrahim went from heir-apparent to nemesis,
and now former law minister Zaid Ibrahim is suggesting that Dr Mahathir
Mohamad and his former number two bury the hatchet after 17 years of
animosity.
This, he said, is to unite the nation and rid it of the current leader.
He also called on the former premier to put aside his personal dislike for Anwar as the latter is better than Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.
"Whatever
Anwar's faults, they are nothing compared to Najib's wide-ranging
failure to govern the country," he added in his latest blog.
Zaid argued that Mahathir's dislike should not prevent Anwar from administering the nation.
"Anwar has been convicted and is serving his time. That's enough punishment for what is essentially a moral offence.
"Anwar certainly has a lot to offer the country and Mahathir knows this, otherwise he would not have groomed him as his successor all those years ago," he said.
He added that perhaps Mahathir and Anwar are the only two people who could unite the nation and steer it out of the present morass.
Zaid also mentioned the purported meeting between Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali and Mahathir in London, which was never confirmed, asking if was a prelude to the "mother of all meetings".
"Everyone is now waiting for it to happen - after all, those two personalities shaped Malaysian politics over the past 30 years," he added.
Dr M-Anwar-Ku Li triumvirate
Zaid also pointed out that Mahathir's presence at Anwar's father's funeral (photo) recently was a good sign of an improvement in the relationship between the two.
"I mentioned earlier how Mahathir and (former finance minister) Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah could do wonders if they just sat down together to work out how to save the country. That work would be more effective if Anwar were to join the group.
"Such a triumvirate would ensure the quick disposal of Najib's government because the parliamentary opposition combined with BN would be enough to unseat the prime minister, who is now getting support from some royal houses," he added in reference to the Pahang sultan endorsing the current administration.
Zaid (right) also said Anwar is not an agent of the West, as Mahathir used to describe him in his anger over the financial crisis of 1998.
"His fault was to swallow hook, line and sinker the prescriptions of the International Monetary Fund as the only solution to manage the crisis.
"This would have meant massive 'restructuring' that would have put the sovereignty of the nation at risk.
"Mahathir acted well and saved the country but he is wrong to accuse Anwar of deliberately trying to wreck the country for the benefit of the United States.
"He must surely know that doctors sometimes use different methods to treat the same ailment," he added.
Tengku Razaleigh as interim PM
This, he said, is to unite the nation and rid it of the current leader.
He also called on the former premier to put aside his personal dislike for Anwar as the latter is better than Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.
"Whatever
Anwar's faults, they are nothing compared to Najib's wide-ranging
failure to govern the country," he added in his latest blog.Zaid argued that Mahathir's dislike should not prevent Anwar from administering the nation.
"Anwar has been convicted and is serving his time. That's enough punishment for what is essentially a moral offence.
"Anwar certainly has a lot to offer the country and Mahathir knows this, otherwise he would not have groomed him as his successor all those years ago," he said.
He added that perhaps Mahathir and Anwar are the only two people who could unite the nation and steer it out of the present morass.
Zaid also mentioned the purported meeting between Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali and Mahathir in London, which was never confirmed, asking if was a prelude to the "mother of all meetings".
"Everyone is now waiting for it to happen - after all, those two personalities shaped Malaysian politics over the past 30 years," he added.
Dr M-Anwar-Ku Li triumvirate
Zaid also pointed out that Mahathir's presence at Anwar's father's funeral (photo) recently was a good sign of an improvement in the relationship between the two."I mentioned earlier how Mahathir and (former finance minister) Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah could do wonders if they just sat down together to work out how to save the country. That work would be more effective if Anwar were to join the group.
"Such a triumvirate would ensure the quick disposal of Najib's government because the parliamentary opposition combined with BN would be enough to unseat the prime minister, who is now getting support from some royal houses," he added in reference to the Pahang sultan endorsing the current administration.
Zaid (right) also said Anwar is not an agent of the West, as Mahathir used to describe him in his anger over the financial crisis of 1998."His fault was to swallow hook, line and sinker the prescriptions of the International Monetary Fund as the only solution to manage the crisis.
"This would have meant massive 'restructuring' that would have put the sovereignty of the nation at risk.
"Mahathir acted well and saved the country but he is wrong to accuse Anwar of deliberately trying to wreck the country for the benefit of the United States.
"He must surely know that doctors sometimes use different methods to treat the same ailment," he added.
Tengku Razaleigh as interim PM
On the same note, Zaid called on Anwar to forgive and forget.
"He should cease describing his condition as the result of a 20-year 'political conspiracy' by Mahathir and others to deprive him of political power.
"He should cease describing his condition as the result of a 20-year 'political conspiracy' by Mahathir and others to deprive him of political power.
"He must want to open a new chapter of moving the country forward. He must come up with a new plan to overcome systemic corruption, improve and depoliticise the civil service, abolish the Sedition Act and yet maintain public order.
"He needs a new economic plan to save the country and Government
agencies. He should leave conspiracies out of the discussion now and
forever," he added.
Zaid recalled how Mahathir and Anwar conceived of their tag-team in 1989, and now have an opportunity to make it a success with Tengku Razaleigh perhaps as interim prime minister for three years in preparation for the next general election.
"Then Anwar can take over with his new plans for the country. If those plans include the so-called crooked bridge, why not? It's not a bad idea to remind Singapore once in a while that we are able to decide what we want for ourselves.
"Mahathir would be assured that there would be no more 1MDB (1Malaysia Development Berhad) - types of ventures, that BR1M (Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia) would be scrapped and that billions of government ringgit would be used for proper economic policies.
"Mahathir can be assured that Anwar would be very pro-Islam but Malaysians would have their rights protected, and I am sure Anwar would have no difficulty scrapping the Sedition Act and other laws that are unnecessary for our well-being.
Zaid recalled how Mahathir and Anwar conceived of their tag-team in 1989, and now have an opportunity to make it a success with Tengku Razaleigh perhaps as interim prime minister for three years in preparation for the next general election.
"Then Anwar can take over with his new plans for the country. If those plans include the so-called crooked bridge, why not? It's not a bad idea to remind Singapore once in a while that we are able to decide what we want for ourselves.
"Mahathir would be assured that there would be no more 1MDB (1Malaysia Development Berhad) - types of ventures, that BR1M (Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia) would be scrapped and that billions of government ringgit would be used for proper economic policies.
"Mahathir can be assured that Anwar would be very pro-Islam but Malaysians would have their rights protected, and I am sure Anwar would have no difficulty scrapping the Sedition Act and other laws that are unnecessary for our well-being.
"If you like my proposal, go tell Mahathir, Anwar and Siti Nurhaliza (the singer who expressed support for Mahathir amid his ongoing feud with Najib).
"Then let's march together on May 1 and show Najib the way out - peacefully, of course," he added. - mk
Who's to blame for 1MDB? Najib tops list...
The majority of the people do not know who to
blame for the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) imbroglio - but most who
do point the finger at Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.
According
to a Merdeka Center survey, conducted in collaboration with BFM, 52
percent of the respondents said they are unsure of who to blame while
six percent said "don't know".
In an interview with the radio station aired this morning, Merdeka Center director Ibrahim Suffian said for the 42 percent who did assign blame, 18 percent faulted Najib and 16 percent the federal government.
Five percent said the 1MDB management was responsible while three percent pointed at other institutions.
A total of 1,011 voters from peninsular Malaysia were surveyed in the study between March 12 to 27, of which 60 percent were Malays, 31 percent were Chinese, and nine percent were Indians.
The study also found that 49 percent of respondents said they were "not confident at all" or "somewhat not confident" with the government's handling of 1MDB.
This
is in contrast to 18 percent who said they were "a great deal
confident" or "somewhat confident" of Putrajaya's management of 1MDB.
The remaining 32 percent said they were unsure, and one percent refused to answer.
Despite the apparent lack of confidence, when respondents were asked if they will be affected by 1MDB, only a third, or 33 percent, thought it strongly or somewhat affected them.
In contrast, 36 percent felt strongly or somewhat felt that 1MDB will not affect them.
The remaining 30 percent were unsure and another one percent refused to answer.
'Middle class feel the pinch'
In the interview, Ibrahim said the vast majority who thought they would be affected were from the middle class or younger respondents with Internet access.
"In the rural areas and low-income groups, they don't feel that they are affected because the vast majority of Malaysians don't pay taxes before April 1.
"If the money is lost, (they feel) it is not their money, it is someone's else's money.
"For the middle class, they feel the pinch because it will be their tax dollars supporting or bailing out any financial failure," said Ibrahim (left).
According to the survey, many respondents also admitted to not being aware of what exactly the 1MDB controversy is about; 69 percent said they knew "nothing" or "not very much".
Only 29 percent said they knew "a great deal" or "quite a lot".
The gulf is even wider when respondents were asked about their knowledge of the company, with 75 percent stating they knew nothing or "not very much" about it.
Only 23 percent said they knew "a great deal" or "quite a lot", while two percent said they were unsure. - mk
According
to a Merdeka Center survey, conducted in collaboration with BFM, 52
percent of the respondents said they are unsure of who to blame while
six percent said "don't know".In an interview with the radio station aired this morning, Merdeka Center director Ibrahim Suffian said for the 42 percent who did assign blame, 18 percent faulted Najib and 16 percent the federal government.
Five percent said the 1MDB management was responsible while three percent pointed at other institutions.
A total of 1,011 voters from peninsular Malaysia were surveyed in the study between March 12 to 27, of which 60 percent were Malays, 31 percent were Chinese, and nine percent were Indians.
The study also found that 49 percent of respondents said they were "not confident at all" or "somewhat not confident" with the government's handling of 1MDB.
This
is in contrast to 18 percent who said they were "a great deal
confident" or "somewhat confident" of Putrajaya's management of 1MDB.The remaining 32 percent said they were unsure, and one percent refused to answer.
Despite the apparent lack of confidence, when respondents were asked if they will be affected by 1MDB, only a third, or 33 percent, thought it strongly or somewhat affected them.
In contrast, 36 percent felt strongly or somewhat felt that 1MDB will not affect them.
The remaining 30 percent were unsure and another one percent refused to answer.
'Middle class feel the pinch'
In the interview, Ibrahim said the vast majority who thought they would be affected were from the middle class or younger respondents with Internet access.
"In the rural areas and low-income groups, they don't feel that they are affected because the vast majority of Malaysians don't pay taxes before April 1.
"If the money is lost, (they feel) it is not their money, it is someone's else's money."For the middle class, they feel the pinch because it will be their tax dollars supporting or bailing out any financial failure," said Ibrahim (left).
According to the survey, many respondents also admitted to not being aware of what exactly the 1MDB controversy is about; 69 percent said they knew "nothing" or "not very much".
Only 29 percent said they knew "a great deal" or "quite a lot".
The gulf is even wider when respondents were asked about their knowledge of the company, with 75 percent stating they knew nothing or "not very much" about it.
Only 23 percent said they knew "a great deal" or "quite a lot", while two percent said they were unsure. - mk
Mantan Perdana Menteri Malaysia,Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad menyuarakan kekecewaan apabila pelbagai cadangan pembangunan dipersetujui selama ini tidak dilaksanakan oleh Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak termasuklah idea cetusannya bagi membina jambatan bengkok di Johor.
Beliau dalam satu sesi temuramah eksklusif yang diadakan bersama Peraktoday@kl menjelaskan bahawa semua pihak berhak membuat sebarang interpretasi tersendiri mengenai hubungannya dengan pemimpin nombor satu negara itu.
Katanya, hubungan antara beliau dengan Najib dalam keadaan baik sehinggalah tercetusnya perbezaan pendapat dan kritikan berhubung pentadbiran Najib.
“Apabila Najib memegang tampok kepimpinan, perkara yang dijanjikan tidak dilaksanakan walaupun pembinaan tersebut bukannya berkisar untuk kepentingan dirinya.
“Harapan saya bila Pak Lah tiada, dia akan membina jambatan, kereta api dan macam-macam lagi perkara yang kita telah persetujui ketika saya menjadi perdana menteri akan tetap diteruskan selepas saya letak jawatan,” katanya.
Ujarnya, pembinaan tersebut perlu dilaksanakan meskipun negara Singapura tidak memberikan persetujuan terhadapnya kerana kawasan projek tersebut tidak melibatkan negara tersebut.
Tambahnya, Najib tidak perlu meminta persetujuan daripada negara itu berikutan sebelum ini, Singapura sendiri telah memutuskan hubungannya dengan Malaysia.
“Adakah kita sebahagian daripada Singapura? Nak buat kereta api perlu bertanya kepada Singapura, Singapura halau dari sana…kita pula pergi mintak nak buat kat Singapura,” soalnya.
Tegasnya lagi, Malaysia merupakan negara merdeka dan bukannya berkaitan dengan negara sempadan itu.
Dalam pada itu, beliau berkata, Najib pernah menerangkan kepadanya mengenai pembinaan tersebut yang tidak dapat dilaksanakan berikutan oleh perjanjian yang tidak membenar kedua-dua pihak menyentuhnya melainkan persetujuan bersama.
“Jadi tunjukkan perjanjian itu… kita buat sebelah kita, dia nak buat dia buat lah,” katanya.
Sementara itu, beliau menyatakan bahawa perjumpaan yang diadakan dengan Najib menunjukkan rasa hormat terhadap pemimpin tersebut.
“Namun, tiada satu cadangan saya diterima dan dia masih meneruskan tindakan yang saya rasakan tidak betul,” tegasnya lagi.
Ujar Mahathir lagi, situasi negara ini bukannya sebuah negara yang kaya dan kepimpinan pada masa ini perlu lebih berhati-hati dalam mentadbirnya.
Jambatan bengkok dalam perancangannya mahu dinamakan sebagai Jambatan Indah merupakan struktur jambatan sepanjang 1.4 kilometer yang diimpikan bagi menggantikan Tambak Johor sepanjang 1.06 kilometer yang sudah digunakan sejak tahun 1923.
Pada permulaannya, idea pembinaan jambatan lurus telah dicetuskan, namun ia kemudiannya diubah menjadi ‘bengkok’ kerana Singapura tidak mahu mengubah struktur penghubung di sempadan negaranya.- peraktoday
Najib gave me silent treatment for 6 months...
"For six months he didn't talk to me," Mahathir revealed in an exclusive interview with the Perak Today web portal yesterday.
He said the fallout followed a dinner between him and Najib during which Mahathir asked why the bridge project had not been carried out.
"He
(Najib) said there was an agreement regarding the Johor Causeway which
said we couldn't touch the causeway unless both sides (Malaysia and
Singapore) agreed to it."(So I said) 'show me the agreement' (but) there was no such agreement," said Mahathir.
After that, Mahathir said Najib gave him the cold shoulder for six months until he (Najib) had a chat with 'Adnan Pahang'.
"He had a chat with Adnan Pahang and then he decided we should talk again. Okay, I talked, I met him," the former premier said.
'Adnan Pahang' is believed to be Pahang Menteri Besar Adnan Yaakob.
Mahathir said he had hoped Najib would build the bridge after Abdullah Ahmad Badawi did not.
However, he denied building the bridge would benefit him in any way.
"I'm not happy (Najib didn't build the bridge) because he had promised. (But) it is not for me, it is not I who will get the contract.
"Will I die if I don't get the bridge?" he quipped.
Instead he said, the bridge should have been built because it was Malaysia's right to do so.
"I don't want to 'kow tow' (prostrate) to Singapore. If Singapore doesn't want to build (another bridge) then I'll build on my side [...] that is our sovereign right [...] half the causeway belongs to us," he added. - mk
Pak Lah tidur pun dapat 140 kerusi...
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad berkata penggantinya Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi menunjukkan prestasi lebih baik daripada Datuk Seri Najib Razak walaupun mempunyai masalah berkaitan tidur.
Mahathir, perdana menteri keempat, berkata Abdullah walaupun begitu memastikan BN mendapat 140 kerusi dalam pilihan raya umum 2008.
Sedangkan, kata Mahathir lagi, BN bawah pentadbiran Najib pula hanya mendapat 133 kerusi dalam pilihan raya umum lalu.
Menurut rakaman wawancara disiarkan Perak Today, Mahathir juga berkata prestasi lebih buruk berlaku walaupun kerajaan menyalurkan Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M).
Mahathir membangkitkan terdapat masyarakat Cina memberitahunya bahawa tindakan itu rasuah kerana diberikan ketika hampir pilihan raya.
Beliau yang memainkan peranan aktif memastikan kejatuhan Abdullah kini beralih arah kepada Najib selepas memberi amaran BN akan kalah dalam pilihan raya dengan pentadbiran sedia ada. - mk
Even a snoozing Pak Lah did better than Najib...
He
was alluding to the criticism often lobbied at Abdullah, who is fondly
known as Pak Lah, with regard to his penchant for stealing forty winks."Pak Lah (right in photo) slept and got (140) seats (in the 2008 general election), he (Najib) got 133 (seats in the last general election)," he told the online portal Perak Today.
He added that Najib fared worse despite giving out the Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M).
"Giving BR1M so close to an election, was it an accident? The Chinese told me this was bribery and they were not going to vote," Mahathir said.
Mahathir, who played a key role in the ouster of Abdullah, is now calling on Najib to step down, failing which, he warned BN and Umno could lose in the coming national polls.
In his book titled 'Awakening', Abdullah revealed that Mahathir knew he had a sleep apnea problem but still went on to accuse him of sleeping on the job.
Meanwhile, Mahathir said the government should stop giving BR1M.
"We spend RM7 billion giving aid to people who are not even grateful. They say this is bribery," he said.
He added people who are in need of money do deserve help, but it should not be through handouts that would make them dependent.
"You don't want people to be dependent upon government. You want them to work for themselves," he said.
Thus, he said, the best way to help the poor is via development, creating jobs and business opportunities. -mk
Dr M: If people not with me, why go on TV...
Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad has quizzed
the need for Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to explain himself on TV
when it is just "one man" asking questions.
"Why do you need a television show to explain to the people?
"If the people are not supporting me, or not with me, why want to tell them (about the issues he raised)?" he told Perak Today.
He
was referring to the one-hour pre-recorded interview on TV3 last week
in which Najib explained himself, addressing a range of issues said to
be plaguing his administration.
In his trademark sardonic style, Mahathir said Najib shouldn't "care" about what the former premier has to say.
After all, he added, based on what the PM said, "the government is not committed to any one person but is committed to the people and the party”.
Mahathir's recent spate of attacks include the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and the murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu.
Need 'neutral people' to probe
He also called for a proper auditing by independent external parties into the 1MDB issue, which can dig deeper than an Auditor-General probe.
Neither should the investigation be in the form of a Royal Commission of Inquiry, which Mahathir labelled as “cowards”.
“They (the Auditor-General) audit the books but they don’t do investigative reporting. What we need is a commission of inquiry made up of people who have no personal interest.
“Not
a royal commission; a royal commission is (full of) cowards. Even
(when) I was called in before, it is a way for them (the government) to
put me on the stand, but that's alright,” Mahathir said.
Reiterating that “neutral people” were needed to do a comprehensive scrutiny of 1MDB, Mahathir questioned the role Jho Low (right) played in the issue.
“We need to have neutral people to do a thorough investigation on where the money went, who is handling the money, and who is this Jho Low.
“Why is he so important? Suddenly, he becomes so important when he has no position in the government or civil service but he has so much of power,” he added.
Mahathir also said under his administration, government-linked companies did not have to borrow as much money as during the current administration.
“I have never borrowed that amount of money. RM42 billion; that is a lot of money,” he said referring to the recent loan 1MDB took from the government.
Meanwhile,
commenting on his recent attacks on Najib, Mahathir said it was
necessary but tough for him personally, as he looked up to Najib’s
father, Abdul Razak Hussein.
“It is difficult for me to say things against him (Najib) simply because I was the one who was involved in getting him to be prime minister and he is the son of Abdul Razak.
“Abdul Razak was my mentor; (it's) not easy for me to go against him but when you do something wrong, I have to comment and 1MDB is wrong,” he said.
Mahathir added because he felt he owed it to Abdul Razak, he had had a hand in helping Najib progress in his career. - mk
"Why do you need a television show to explain to the people?
"If the people are not supporting me, or not with me, why want to tell them (about the issues he raised)?" he told Perak Today.
He
was referring to the one-hour pre-recorded interview on TV3 last week
in which Najib explained himself, addressing a range of issues said to
be plaguing his administration.In his trademark sardonic style, Mahathir said Najib shouldn't "care" about what the former premier has to say.
After all, he added, based on what the PM said, "the government is not committed to any one person but is committed to the people and the party”.
Mahathir's recent spate of attacks include the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and the murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu.
Need 'neutral people' to probe
He also called for a proper auditing by independent external parties into the 1MDB issue, which can dig deeper than an Auditor-General probe.
Neither should the investigation be in the form of a Royal Commission of Inquiry, which Mahathir labelled as “cowards”.
“They (the Auditor-General) audit the books but they don’t do investigative reporting. What we need is a commission of inquiry made up of people who have no personal interest.
“Not
a royal commission; a royal commission is (full of) cowards. Even
(when) I was called in before, it is a way for them (the government) to
put me on the stand, but that's alright,” Mahathir said.Reiterating that “neutral people” were needed to do a comprehensive scrutiny of 1MDB, Mahathir questioned the role Jho Low (right) played in the issue.
“We need to have neutral people to do a thorough investigation on where the money went, who is handling the money, and who is this Jho Low.
“Why is he so important? Suddenly, he becomes so important when he has no position in the government or civil service but he has so much of power,” he added.
Mahathir also said under his administration, government-linked companies did not have to borrow as much money as during the current administration.
“I have never borrowed that amount of money. RM42 billion; that is a lot of money,” he said referring to the recent loan 1MDB took from the government.
Meanwhile,
commenting on his recent attacks on Najib, Mahathir said it was
necessary but tough for him personally, as he looked up to Najib’s
father, Abdul Razak Hussein.“It is difficult for me to say things against him (Najib) simply because I was the one who was involved in getting him to be prime minister and he is the son of Abdul Razak.
“Abdul Razak was my mentor; (it's) not easy for me to go against him but when you do something wrong, I have to comment and 1MDB is wrong,” he said.
Mahathir added because he felt he owed it to Abdul Razak, he had had a hand in helping Najib progress in his career. - mk
cheers.
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