‘Najib guilty of blatant abuse of power’

Athi Shankar | February 11, 2012

DAP veteran Karpal Singh accuses the PM of misusing government facilities to canvass for votes and criticises the AG for keeping silent.

GEORGE TOWN: DAP chairman Karpal Singh has slammed Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak of kickstarting his election campaign trail early by misusing government facilities and paraphernalia.

He questioned why the Attorney-General’s Chambers had not pressed any charges against Najib, who is also the Barisan Nasional chairman and Umno president, for blatant abuse of power.

He noted that Najib had been using government facilities to canvass votes across the country for BN and Umno.

Karpal rebuked Najib’s use of government transportation, bodyguards, state-sponsored functions and civil servants in his current nationwide ala election tour had infringed the election laws.

“This is blatant abuse of power and violation of election rules. I wonder why the AG has not taken any action. Why is the AG so silent and allows the prime minister to get away with it?” he asked.

AG quick to act against Pakatan leaders

Comparatively, he said the AG Chambers had been quick in taking action against Pakatan Rakyat leaders, even for merely suggesting that the Sultan of Perak could be sued.

Karpal noted that the Federal Constitution provisions allowed the royalty to be sued in certain issues.

“However, I am being charged with sedition for making a legal suggestion during the height of the Perak constitutional crisis,” he added.

Pointing out that Pakatan was a government in waiting, he cautioned Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail to carry out his public duty without fear or favour.

“The AG should be reminded that he is being watched closely,” said Karpal.

The DAP veteran also slammed MCA for making false claims that DAP supported PAS’ Islamic agenda.

MCA, he said, had resorted to the cheap political stunts of 1999 to avoid being completely wiped out in the next general election.

In 1999, he added, MCA deceived the people by ridiculing DAP’s electoral links with PAS.

As a result, he said the party suffered major electoral reverses including his and party adviser Lim Kit Siang’s shock parliamentary defeats.

“DAP has always categorically opposed PAS’ agenda of forming an Islamic state and implementing the hudud laws. MCA should stop the lies,” he added.