Najib should not be PM !

"Sometimes, an unexpected person can go up to become PM. We definitely want to choose people who are qualified but, in a democratic system, the unqualified sometimes win,"

- Mahathir Mohamad (Utusan online)

Early this year, former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad said his handpicked successor Abdullah Badawi should quit to comply with a 'gentleman's agreement' struck in 2003.

Datuk Seri Abdullah, was never meant to serve more than one term, said Tun Dr Mahathir, who went on to suggest that he relinquish power to Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak, 54, after the upcoming election.

'I did say Abdullah should stay on for one term and, after the term expires, Najib should be ready and able to take over,' he said, but added he could not prove that the pact existed.

Tun Dr Mahathir, who had previously said he made a mistake in picking Datuk Seri Abdullah, explained the rationale for the 'agreement'.

He told a press conference: 'That was my thinking, since (Abdullah) was older than Najib, he should be PM for one term and then Najib should be able to take over.

'I know it takes time to implement plans and projects but I think if that is to be used as an excuse to stay in power for 18 years, then that will not be very welcome.'

Najib, 53, is the eldest son of Malaysia's popular second prime minister, Abdul Razak, and nephew of the third prime minister, Hussein Onn. But his chances are not being gauged by pedigree or political standing alone. Unlike some of his deputy premier predecessors, Najib has been careful not to outshine his boss, Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi.

One account has it that Mahathir preferred to make Najib his successor, but, made wary by former deputies trying to outshine him on his political departure, chose the soft-spoken Abdullah to protect his own interests. In return, it's believed that Mahathir demanded that Abdullah choose Najib as his deputy and groom him for eventual succession.

Today's Star Online :"Dr M: Najib should not be PM"

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said he had second thoughts about Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak becoming Prime Minister as Najib had failed to speak up about the real reasons behind Barisan Nasional’s losses in the general election.

The former prime minister claimed that Najib was not “brave enough” to directly say anything that was not liked by his boss.

“We see that he is a penakut (coward). He is always saying, ‘yes sir, yes sir, saya sokong, saya sokong (I support, I support).”

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak today dismissed the claim by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad that he was a coward for failing to speak up about the real reasons behind the Barisan Nasional's dismal performance in the recent general election.

"I'm not a coward," the Umno deputy president said.

"It is not a question of being 'Mr Yes Man' or being not brave enough or afraid because I hold to the principle that the best way is to have an organised transfer of power, in a respectable way. That would be meaningful and would determine that the party's interests are not undermined,"

"The late Tun Hussein Onn handed over the office of prime minister to Tun Dr Mahathir also in a proper way, with tradition dictating the best way practised in the party.

"In my opinion, that's the best way and method for us to execute a change in the country's leadership, as was stated by the prime minister and party president," he said.

He said the transfer of power should be given the chance to take place in a respectable way as all decisions in the short term would have an impact on Umno.

"If we do anything at this time, when Umno and BN are not as strong as they were prior to the general election, we will need time to rehabilitate Umno," he said.

He said disputes and friction would definitely take place and result in two or three factions in the party, which would weaken Umno and the BN.

"We cannot afford to allow such a situation to take place in the party, which can cause a major problem for the government and country," he said.

Najib, who refuted claims that there were cracks in Umno, did not rule out the possibility that the party would be split if there was a tussle for power and the leadership.

"I am not saying that there is a split but if there is a leadership crisis, there may be a repeat of the 1987 and the (Datuk Seri) Anwar Ibrahim crises. The question is whether the BN and Umno can afford to undergo such a scenario again," he said.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi must resign to save Umno and the Barisan Nasional government; the PM gave priority to his family over the country,it was pretty much the kind of answers expected of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

he told the BBC on the international news station’s "HardTalk" programme.

To a suggestion that Abdullah was now attempting to dismantle a system which bred corruption and a tainted judiciary, he responded: “He is not dismantling the system. The newspapers now only report about him. No one can say anything against him.”

When asked to justify his constant sniping at the government, he said he did not understand why he could not criticise the wrongdoings of the present government.

Questioned further as to what wrongdoings he was talking about, Dr Mahathir’s reply was Abdullah’s promise “to remove corruption.”


Targetting The Biggest Ass

There are only three ways to get rid of Abdullah. One is for him to be successfully challenged as party leader in the upcoming UMNO General Assembly in December. Two, would be for a sufficient number of the ruling coalition members to vote with the opposition in a “no confidence” motion in Parliament. And three of course, would be through divine intervention, not inappropriate for a man who is never shy in parading his piety and religiosity.