KUALA LUMPUR: The Opposition would have to find a formula which would see Barisan Nasional (BN) — without Najib Abdul Razak — still forming the government under a new Prime Minister if it wants BN MPs’ to support it in a no confidence motion in Parliament, ventures former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in his latest blog posting.
Under previous BN Governments, said Mahathir, the Opposition had always won seats in Parliament and had beaten the BN in many states. “Najib’s lack of respect for the law and Constitution and his willingness to buy politicians and civil servants may mean the end of parliamentary democracy in Malaysia.”
“It can mean no Opposition just as in Umno the opposition to him has been snuffed out.”
The Opposition should really want Najib to continue leading the BN as this would ensure them victory in the coming election, advised the former Prime Minister “But the prospect of having a Prime Minister who uses money to win support and who overturns the law upside down cannot be appealing to the Opposition for much longer.”
“So, rumours of their no-confidence motion may be true.”
From reports and comments in the alternative media, the Opposition and most Malaysians are truly worried and angry over Najib’s abuses of power. “He would not be beyond rigging elections to ensure winning the next elections.”
The Opposition just does not have the numbers, pointed out Mahathir. “If the demands for Najib to step down by the Umno rank and file are assessed, there would be quite a number of the party’s MPs who would also like to see Najib removed. “They do not believe the nonsensical explanations about the disappearance of 1MDB money or the RM2.6 billion in Najib’s private account.”
“These MPs could vote with the Opposition in a no-confidence motion.”
It’s of course not something the BN MPs like to do, he conceded. “They would not like to become instrumental in bringing down a BN Government. If the Opposition was really keen to be rid of Najib, they can only do so if only Najib goes but the BN Government stays, led by another leader.”
Mahathir warned that there was a blatant attempt by Najib and his supporters to make the illegitimate legitimate and vice-versa. “Thus, Najib’s stoppage of the investigations on 1MDB and his own possession of RM2.6 billion are made to appear legal and right while the investigators who were acting completely in accordance with the laws of the country are accused of acting outside their Terms of Reference and therefore not legitimate.”
“To support their comments they invented Terms of Reference of the Task Force.”
Also, said Mahathir, Najib and his supporters are trying to make out that a vote of no-confidence against him by Parliament was not proper and constitutes an abuse of the democratic system and an illegal attempt to overthrow the elected government. “But everyone knows that a vote of no-confidence was absolutely legal.”
Najib seems to have forgotten that the BN overthrew the elected government of Perak by claiming it had majority support in the State Assembly, he reminded. “It should have done so through a vote of no-confidence. But BN was not sure that it would have majority support if the State Assembly sat.”
“So it made out its case before the ruler despite there being no provision in the Constitution or laws of the country for a ruler to dismiss an elected government.”
A vote of no-confidence was necessary now because Najib has made BN members of Parliament beholden to him by giving them lucrative posts in the government, reiterated Mahathir. “Even those who had come to me complaining about Najib’s administration before, upon being given posts in his government, have now changed their stand.”
“One of them who claimed to have documentary evidence of Najib’s misconduct, now gladly supports him upon being made Minister.”
Other BN members of Parliament have also been turned around after a short closed door talk and appeals to greed, he lamented. “Shahrir Samad now claims it is proper to receive money from the President.”
“It’s really improper.”
All donations in the past were made to the party’s fund operated by the trustees, said Mahathir. “Support for the President was only in so far as he implements party policies. It is not personal to him.”
Najib has openly said that since they received money from him they should support him, said Mahathir. “This is bribery. Is the President bribing Umno leaders in order to gain their support? Apparently, this is what he is doing.”
“He has corrupted Umno and those who accepted money from him support corruption in the party. Really, Najib has made Umno, the party that won independence for Malaya, into a rotten and corrupt party. People are disgusted with Umno now.
Now the possible BN supporters of a no-confidence vote are being named publicly to “gempaq” (intimidate) them, said Mahathir. “They are being accused of working with the Opposition.”
“This is a warning to other BN members not to support the no-confidence vote. It may be necessary once again to give BN MPs a holiday in Taiwan.”
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