Anwar Ibrahim claims that the former premier
has been asking Umno state leaders to grit their teeth and lend their
support to Umno and BN for now.
PETALING
JAYA: Dr Mahathir Mohamad is asking Umno state leaders to postpone
their plan to kill off Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak until after the
general election, according to Anwar Ibrahim.
The opposition leader said he “knew for a fact” that Mahathir had
been asking state leaders to lend their support to Umno and Barisan
Nasional while suggesting that they could “topple the leader after the
election.”
“This message has gone to almost all state leaders. I think that is
why because of this fear, Najib feels that his personal position is
rather insecure,” he told a press conference here.
Anwar was responding to Najib’s sudden move to thank Mahathir for
voluntarily campaigning for Umno towards the end of the party’s annual
general assembly on Saturday and congratulating the former premier for
his Vision 2020 yesterday.
“Najib has displayed very little courage as a leader, he cannot deal
with [Wanita Umno chief] Shahrizat [Abdul Jalil] firmly, can’t imagine
he can deal with Mahathir firmly. That is why he is trying to appease
everyone,” he said.
Asked if he thought Najib now realised that he needed Mahathir in the
run-up to the 13th general election, Anwar said: “Knowing Najib he will
need to cling to everyone; his personality of seemingly [appearing]
confident was never Najib’s style.”
Anwar said that Najib’s camp was not happy that Mahathir had been
“interfering with government matters and in the giving out of contracts
to cronies”, but had no choice as Najib was unable to put his foot down.
“Najib does not have the courage to put his foot down… you have a
party where Dr Mahathir still goes around calling party leaders. I don’t
think he [Najib] has the courage to deal with it… [so] he has to
appease all parties, because he does not have the clout to enforce his
policies or views,” he said.
On the Umno general assembly, Anwar said that the ruling party’s
confidence of winning back four opposition-held states and re-capturing
the two-thirds majority was a sign of denial.
“They [Umno leaders] are in a state of denial. They sit in five-star
hotels, smoke expensive cigars, spend time in lounges, that’s where they
devise their strategy… a clear disconnect between the multimillionaire
Umno leaders and the masses on the ground… the urban, rural Malays…
non-Malays,” he said at a press conference to rebut issues raised at the
66th Umno general assembly.
Umno has changed – for the worst
Anwar said that the Umno assembly did not touch on core issues
affecting society including “economic hardship, soaring prices, endemic
poverty”, but instead focused on “power, and how to retain it at all
cost”.
He said he was not the least worried by Umno’s display of “sheer
arrogance” and its need to “protect its condos, cows, petroleum
companies, San Miguel”.
“If he [Najib] was really confident, he would not treat us as if we
are a big threat. The tempo and tone of the attacks show that they [Umno
leaders] are in fear, as if there is a giant dragon that is waiting to
pounce on them,” he said.
Anwar also chided Najib for failing to give the nation a clear vision during his speeches.
“I agree with Najib and Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin that
Umno is a changed party. It is more corrupt, more racist and more
insecure. The presidential speeches should give a clear indication of
the way forward, a clear vision to chart the nation in terms of dealing
with government policies. But this was not done. Yes Umno has changed –
it is more desperate to cling to power, resorting to fear-mongering, it
is retrogressive,” he said.
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