PONTIAN, Nov 9 — Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak today said that the withdrawal of police motorcycle outriders by Bukit Aman for his personal and political party purposes will not affect his daily life.

“It is a bit of an inconvenience for me, but I’m okay without the outriders.

“In fact I am here campaigning (for Barisan Nasional’s Tanjung Piai by-election candidate Datuk Seri Wee Jeck Seng),” Najib told reporters during his walkabout at the Econsave supermarket here today.

Earlier, crowds were seen surrounding the 66-year-old BN adviser for photo opportunity.

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Najib was accompanied by Jeck Seng, MCA president Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong and Umno supreme council member Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan, who is also the Pontian MP.

Yesterday Bukit Aman Traffic Enforcement and Investigation Department director Datuk Azisman Alias reportedly said there will be no police motorcycle outriders made available to escort Najib, with the order coming into immediate effect.

The letter was reportedly sent to Najib’s special officer Mohd Shahrir Mohd Aripin, which was later shared onto Facebook and made public by Najib’s former officer Isham Jalil.

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Azisman later confirmed the contents and authenticity of the letter, explaining that Najib is still able to request for outriders, limited to journeys pertaining to official business.

The decision to withdraw the police outriders was reminiscent of the previous BN administration’s withdrawal of outriders for Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad about two years ago.

Back in April 2016, police outriders for Dr Mahathir were withdrawn, shortly after he quit Umno due to his fallout with Najib and the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal.

The following year, in November 2017, police had withdrawn the personal bodyguard service provided by the elite Special Action Unit (UTK) for Dr Mahathir.