SHAH ALAM, Aug 6 — It is pointless for PKR and other federal Opposition parties to push for “reformasi” when they are now allied to Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today.
The Umno president noted the irony in the Pakatan Harapan (PH) pact having Dr Mahathir as its leader when the 92-year-old had been the reason for birthing PKR and the “reformasi” movement in 1998.
“PKR and reformasi were born because of Mahathir. So, is reformasi over? Since the target of reformasi has joined them and has become the top dog,” Najib said in his speech during the Shah Alam Umno delegates conference here.
He pointed out that federal Opposition leaders had mocked and branded Dr Mahathir with labels such as “mamak bendahara” and even “Mahafiraun” and “Mahazalim”, the latter two which roughly translate to slave driver or despot, in the past before their alliance.
Najib also poked fun at the three-pronged Pakatan Harapan leadership structure which named Dr Mahathir as its chairman, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as president and her husband Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as “de facto leader”, noting that all three positions were essentially representative of the head position.
“He is top leader but then there is de facto leader and then there is party [sic] president. That’s odd, nowhere in the world has such a structure,” the Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman and prime minister said.
Najib also said he had watched a YouTube clip of a forum featuring activist Hishamuddin Rais and Malaysian millennials.
He remarked that even the younger generation remained unconvinced with an Opposition bloc that has yet to decide on its prime ministerial candidate with general elections due in just a year.
“I agree with the young Malaysians. They questioned Hisham Rais. Even if we want to buy something online, we can see it first. But want to choose PM, but there is no candidate. How is that possible?” he asked.
“The Opposition is not credible. They won’t be till they decide on a PM candidate,” he added.
The PH pact which is hoping to register as a formal coalition to go head-to-head against the BN at the 14th general elections, has demurred from naming its prime minister candidate though both Dr Mahathir and Dr Wan Azizah have been suggested as potential “seat warmers” until Anwar is released from jail and able to take the post.
