Mahathir and family benefited a lot: PM
Published on: Thursday, May 19, 2016
LONDON: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak said Umno and BN had afforded Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad enormous benefits and enabled him to be Prime Minister for 22 years.However, his action of opposing Umno now caused many to think he was stabbing the party which also gave enormous benefits to his family members, he said."He and his family had derived a lot of benefits from his position as PM which was due to the strength of Umno and BN.
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"So, when he told the people to reject the party which has done a lot, there were negative reactions against his stand because without BN and Umno, he would not have become Prime Minister or even a minister."Najib was asked to comment on Dr Mahathir's statement which called on opposition parties to be united against BN in the Kuala Kangsar and Sungai Besar by-elections on June 18.Najib was speaking at a press conference on Tuesday night, at the end of his working visit to the United Kingdom. He left for Sochi, Russia, to attend the two-day Russia-Asean Summit.
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He said many were of the view that Dr Mahathir should not reject and stab the party that had contributed so much to the development of the nation. Asked on whether he was disappointed with the matter, Najib said he had expected it (Mahathir's action).On Sunday, Dr Mahathir called for a combined effort to defeat Barisan in the Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar by-elections on June 15.
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He warned Opposition parties against splitting the anti-Barisan vote, citing the recent elections in Sarawak where DAP, PKR, PAS and Amanah were engaged in multi-cornered contests against the ruling coalition.When asked on the upcoming Cabinet reshuffle, Najib said he was still thinking about it and he touched on the need to fill the posts in the Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry, including the post of Secretary-General.This followed the resignation of Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas as Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister and the death of his deputy, Noriah, and the secretary-general Datuk Dr Sundaran Annamalai.Najib said BN was in the process of selecting the most suitable candidates for the Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar by-elections.He added the candidates to be fielded should be well accepted not only by the party, but also voters."We need to look into all aspects to ensure we have the right candidates who will be well received by both the party and voters."Najib, who is also Umno president, said he had also given his recommendations to the party on the preparations to be made for the two by-elections."I have advised the party through Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in his capacity as party deputy president... they are actively preparing courses and other activities," he said.The Sungai Besar (in Selangor) and Kuala Kangsar (in Perak) parliamentary seats fell vacant following the deaths of incumbents Datuk Noriah Kasnon who was also Plantation Industries and Commodities deputy minister and Datuk Wan Mohammad Khair-il Anuar Wan Ahmad in a helicopter crash in Sebuyau, Sarawak on May 5.Last Friday, the Election Commission announced that the Kuala Kangsar and Sungai Besar by-elections would be held simultaneously on June 18, and nomination was on June 5.On the candidates for the by-elections, Najib said the selection process was still ongoing and they had to be selected carefully to ensure their success."They must not only be acceptable to the party but also to the constituents," he said.Najib was responding to a question on the possible candidates for the by-elections following the deaths of Sungai Besar MP and Plantation Industries and Commodities Deputy Minister Datuk Noriah Kasnon, and Kuala Kangsar MP Datuk Wan Mohammad Khair-il Anuar Wan Ahmad in a helicopter crash on May 5.Noriah and Wan Mohammad were among six people killed when the helicopter they were in crashed near Sebuyau in Sarawak.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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