KUCHING, June 4 — Buoyed by the solid support shown to him by Barisan Nasional (BN) supporters here today, embattled Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said he and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor can now sleep with ease.

The 61-year-old Umno president has in recent weeks come under fire from all sides, including from his own party, over the growing debts weighing down his brainchild 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

“I am glad I am not alone. Tonight, I can sleep peacefully. My wife can also sleep peacefully. We sleep on the same bed and share the same dream,” he said to the applause of  some 15,000  BN supporters at a leaders-meet-the people session at the state indoor stadium here.

He voiced his relief at the outpouring of support demonstrated in Malaysia’s largest state, widely seen as the BN’s voter “fixed deposit”.

“When I look around in this Indoor Stadium, I know for sure that no one will backstab me,” he said.

“I could see the high spirit of the supporters  telling me that the state will remain a fixed deposit state Barisan Nasional,” he added.

Najib also took a swipe at his former mentor, retired prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who has been among the most vocal public figures criticising the 1MDB venture.

He added that he is the prime minister of  his generation and should be allowed to hold office without being forced to step down.

“I have been his loyal supporter for 22 years and he should appreciate that and be grateful,” Najib said, alluding to the 90-year-old.

“It is because of my support that he remained the prime minister for 22 years,” he said, adding, “It is illogical for me to step down just because of the wish of one person. I  was elected by the people, not those from Peninsular Malaysia, but also those from Sarawak and Sabah, as the prime minister.”

He said if the former prime minister wants him to step down, then he has to ask the people  of the two states for consent.

Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem who was also present at the same event voiced the state BN’s full commitment towards Najib’s leadership.

“We are behind you all the way. We are behind you when you are tall. We are with you when you are down. We are not a fair weather friends,” he told Najib.

Speaking mostly in Iban, Adenan said Najib is a true friend of Sarawak because the Pahang-born prime minister would inject fresh funds into the Borneo state each time he visited.

Najib, who is also the finance minister, announced there would be an upgrade of the under-construction Pan Borneo Highway into a superhighway, which stretches from Lundu to Lawas, over  a distance of over 1,000km.

“I have agreed to increase the allocation of RM15 billion to build the superhighway,” he said, adding that there would be no toll charges imposed upon completion.

He also said he agreed with Adenan to return some of the powers now in the hands of the federal departments to Sarawak.

“Why do we need to have two departments doing parallel jobs when one can do. If the state department can do the job, why do we need a federal department to do the same?” he said.

He added that the federal and state governments are discussing the matter.

“Adenan and I don't have problem because we discuss over things,” Najib said.