KUALA LUMPUR, May 18 — A former Umno minister rallied today those in the government and the ruling party to back their “team captain” Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, especially at a time when the country is facing crises such as issues surrounding the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).
Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz, who was an Umno supreme council member for 38 years and a minister for 28, stressed the importance of team spirit in ensuring that the “ship is always in its best condition during the voyage”.
“It is as if when the ship starts to sway, everyone starts to jump off ship. In handling any organisation, it a priority to understand the shared responsibility so that every problem can be solved together.
“Every threat is faced and overcome together. Each mine avoided together and every good and bad borne together.
“Pointing your fingers at the captain, only means four other fingers are pointing at yourself. Don’t let it be where during the good times, the whole world laughs together but when it’s time to cry, the team captain cries alone,” she wrote in a column published by Umno mouthpiece Utusan Malaysia.
She said at this time of crisis, it appears as though some in the government and the ruling party are lacking a sense of collective responsibility.
Without naming the individuals, she said some of these individuals have distanced themselves and do not want to be seen associated with the problems, while some have laid blame on Najib without checking their facts.
Rafidah’s column comes a day after Najib addressed 13 issues under the frequently asked questions on his official web site.
Among the issues raised were the controversies surrounding 1MDB as well as Altantuya Shaariibuu’s murder case.
