Mahathir renews plea for Barisan Nasional and UMNO to oust Najib

KUALA LUMPUR — Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad yesterday renewed his call to lawmakers from ruling party United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) and ruling coalition Barisan Nasional (BN) to support a motion of no confidence against Prime Minister Najib Razak’s leadership.

Writing in his blog yesterday, the country’s longest-serving prime minister assured BN Members of parliament (MPs) that Mr Najib’s ouster would not topple the federal government.

“BN will not fall after Najib is removed. BN is still the party with the majority,” he said.

Dr Mahathir added that as long as Mr Najib remained in power, the economy would continue to decline, the ringgit and share prices would continue to fall, and the cost of living would increase because of the controversial goods and services tax (GST). National debt would keep going up and the government would not be able to service it, unemployment would spike and the money of billions of taxpayers would be abused, he said.

“This is the fate that awaits Malaysia because of Najib,” he warned.

Dr Mahathir said the prime minister had blocked all legal avenues to remove him, referring to Mr Najib’s moves to dismantle a special task force investigating the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal.

Mr Najib has been under intense political pressure after The Wall Street Journal alleged in July that RM2.6 billion (S$874 million) was transferred from companies linked to state investment firm 1MDB to the Premier’s personal bank accounts before the 2013 general election.

Investigations later found the monies were political donations from the Middle East. If the RM2.6 billion were used in the 2013 campaign, it would mean the ruling coalition spent more than 26 times the allowed amount, as outlined by Malaysian laws.

Dr Mahathir also taunted UMNO leaders, asking where they would get another huge donation to win the next general election if they truly believed that Mr Najib’s contention that his coalition had received RM2.6 billion from a Middle Eastern donor before the 2013 polls.

“If it was for the party to buy nasi lemak or drinks or rent cars like before, this money is hundreds of times more than what is needed,” he said. “But if it was to bribe leaders and each Dewan Rakyat (parliament) member with millions per person, and also to bribe officers to lie, then there is a huge possibility that the RM2.6 billion was needed.”

If that was how Mr Najib had won the last GE, he would need more money to remain as prime minister for the next time around, Dr Mahathir said.

“Najib himself has said ‘cash is king’. This is the king that Najib is worshipping,” the retired statesman said. AGENCIES