By Shannon Teoh
The Malaysian Insider
May 28, 2012
KUALA LUMPUR, May 28 — Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has warned Datuk Seri Najib Razak that the latter is still leading a weak government, repeating his call for federal polls to be held off until after the fasting month which ends in August.
The influential former prime minister told Bloomberg in an interview published today that the prime minister should delay plans for a general election that must be held within a year.
“Being weak, he has to respond to the criticisms. But when you are faced with this problem anything you do is not enough,” the long-serving former Barisan Nasional (BN) chief said, adding that Najib inherited a weakened coalition, which won Election 2008 by the narrowest margin since independence.
Najib took over from Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in April 2009, ostensibly to reduce the record loss of 82 federal seats and five state governments with some observers saying that only a return to BN’s customary two-thirds majority can guarantee Najib’s hold on power.
Najib has promised a raft of democratic reforms to give the public more freedom but critics say they are piecemeal at best with some new legislation being more repressive than the laws they replaced.
The PM is still managing the aftermath of Bersih’s third rally for free and fair elections held on April 28 and his administration sued the electoral reform movement last week over damage to government vehicles alleged to have been caused by protestors who clashed with riot police.
Police fired tear gas and water cannons, arresting 512 people after some tried to breach the barricade blocking them from Dataran Merdeka, which the court had barred to the public over the weekend, as violence erupted between rally-goers and the police.
A survey by independent pollster Merdeka Center revealed last Friday that 92 per cent of voters want the electoral roll cleaned up before elections are held, while 48 per cent agreed that the present electoral roll was inaccurate.
Dr Mahathir also told the international business wire in an interview earlier this month that Najib should take more time before holding the next election in order to win more support from groups such as the country’s ethnic Chinese, which largely back the opposition Pakatan Rakyat.
Najib said earlier this month the election will be held “very soon” amid rumours that he would dissolve Parliament before its resumes in June.
But The Malaysian Insider reported today BN was now looking at a September election as internal surveys show it could win up to 146 parliamentary seats with at least 80 sure wins, more than the 140 won in Election 2008 but short of the 148 for a two-thirds majority.
The Najib administration has focussed on various demographics but a proposal to abolish a federal education fund by PR could cause support to sway among the youth, a key component in the electorate and comprising at least 20 per cent of the 12 million-strong electoral list.
Nearly 60 per cent of the new voters are Malays, the dominant community in the country.
Can I make a strong suggestion that the alternate media NOT report anything that that vicious evil old man, who has out lived his usefulness says? That man is evil personified, trying to destroy the country even when he is no longer in power.
With an apology first, I truly wish that he will die, and let us all live on without him, in peace.
That man is pure evil. He thrives on publicity and grand standing, even if it means destroying people. Please blank him out. We cannot blank him out from the main print media, but can we blank him out from the alternate media, can’t we?.
We must change the tenant at Putrajaya. GE 13 is due. But when? Let us remain vigilant and ready. Please double, triple confirm your voter registration. All please register. All please vote when GE 13 comes.
Change we must. Change we can. Change we will.
CrazyO’Mamak is at it again. Didnt he not too long ago urge jib to hold election as soon as possible for he then thought that the time was right. That really wasnt too long ago and how could things turned so bad in so short a time that election must now be held back? But anyway, jib just listen to that CrazyO’mamak ok and follow his advice. It’s good for us!
Actually now I symphatise with Najib. He now has Sodomy III – political sodomy that is where he is the victim and Mahathir is the prepatrator.
If Najib takes Mahathir’s advise, he deserve the political sodomy. He has been wrong about postphoning GE for around two years? Repeating the mistake again and again don’t fix anything. Take the lump and move on. It does not get better..
Drnggc, your idea is wrong. The best thing is to let mahashit keep talking, the more he talk, the better for pakatan – remind all malaysians of all of the heinous crimes by umno, originating from this evil man.
Read my lips. Najib has never been strong and will not be strong in the near future. He is running out of time. So why wait? Any time is a good time now.
Most likely de facto PM Rosmah knows this and will ask the pretender PM to just let time run its course so she can enjoy the few remaining months as FLOM. She is thrilled by the ‘position’.
But if they wait, that case in Paris might just spoil things for this comical and farcical duo.
I believe Najib wants early elections because as time passes, the global economy is going to get worse and information unfolding from the French court could jeopardize his political career. However, Najib is unable to hold early elections as the dust of Bersih 3.0 has yet to settle and corruption committed by BN members are still vivid in people’s minds.
Mahathir can instigate for trouble with no fear.
He tell lies and put out hollow accusations.
He has been doing that for months…..dong his best to help Najib create FEAR…for possible Emergency Rule as Najib’s last option to save all crooks and murders.
All one need to do…just ask anyone..do they trust Najib.
You will get straight “NO” from majority and few will shake their heads.
Mahathir is so cunning…advising Najib to delay the 13th GE…as if the Electoral Roll…is so clean.
And out come Najib wanting the GE as soon as possible…win my a slim margin with thousands upon thousands…ghosts and goblins voting for him..
Leave it to Mahathir.
His dirty politic tactics are the best…..and so are his lies and deceits…all exposed..to balanced it up…where all Malaysians know..he is the Chief Rouge…trying so hard to save his party and his sons.
These UMNO b devils live and spend like Kings and Queens…with no fear.
They are so arrogant with the millions each one stole and kept.
Najib was never the elected Prime Minister…
He and his wife stole the crown…they have been running a government without the people’s mandate….he should just resign and get lost while he still can…..knives are already out in UMNO to gut him and especially his wife…..it is going to be very bloody for UMNO Baru…
” win more support from groups such as the country’s ethnic Chinese, which largely back the opposition Pakatan Rakyat “.
The majority ( may be more than 80% ) of Chinese will support any party who could provide good, fair, accountable and transparent government…..if BN is that, it will get their votes.
#4 PRmaju, you’re right.
Mamak’s magic formula all these decades depended on one thing.
And that is: MALAYSIANS HAVE SHORT MEMORIES!
That was his formula all these decades.
And look, how well it had served him!
He could do what he wanted and the misdeeds were soon forgotten.
And by the time the next GE rolled along, all was forgotten and landslide after landslide were accorded to him.
So much so that he could afford to ask, “If you don’t like me, why vote for me?” whenever criticisms were made.
But thanks to the Herculean efforts of the present government, the electorate have not only not forgotten anything but in fact, their memories of the unending current malevolent acts have been reinforced daily, if not hourly by the incumbent.
Isn’t it far better for them to self-destruct?
And don’t forget the part played by the many writers in the MSM as well as their so-called cybertroopers.
They are all doing the electorate a big favour!
Express your thanks to them.