KUALA LUMPUR, June 16 — PKR’s Datuk Zaid Ibrahim has dismissed Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s soaring rating in a recent survey, saying the prime minister’s growing popularity would instead spur Pakatan Rakyat (PR) on in its bid to take over Putrajaya in the next general election, which must be called by 2012.
In his latest blog posting, the former Umno minister noted the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) administration’s policies were a hit with over 70 per cent of Malaysians, prompting former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to urge Najib to call for early polls.
Zaid, who is in the powerful PKR political bureau, said PR is not worried if the next general election is held ahead of schedule.
He insisted it was BN that should be more concerned with the results due to Najib’s extravagance even as the latter’s administration proposed subsidy cuts while raising prices for essential foodstuff such as rice, oil and sugar.
“He is the leader responsible for wasting billions of ringgit buying submarines and fighter jets the past 10 years he was the defence minister,” Zaid claimed.
The vocal Umno critic raised more allegations against Najib, noting a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to buy armoured vehicles tagged at RM8 billion from Malay tycoon Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Albukhary, plus the purchase of multi-purpose support ships valued at RM3 billion to “help” current Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who is also Bagan Datoh MP.
Zaid added a cryptic note cautioning Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to “be careful” of Najib’s latter action.
The PR secretariat co-ordinator also picked on Najib’s role in Felda, the government authority to develop federal land, noting that the board now has only RM200 million in cash compared to before Najib took charge.
“According to Dr Tan Kee Kwong, an ex-minister, before Najib took charge of Felda, it had 75 palm oil factories; property or asset worth RM7 billion; and more than RM3 billion in cash,” Zaid claimed, referring to statements by the former Gerakan Federal Territory chief who left the BN component party for PKR two years ago.
“Can the popular PM and (Dr) Mahathir explain to the public what has become of Felda?” Zaid asked, in a bid to pop the popularity bubble surrounding Najib’s leadership.
“We don’t want a leader who seems popular; we want a good leader, who is unafraid of making decisions in the interest of the rakyat.
“We want a leader who rejects corruption, who does not buy votes, who respects the law. One who really takes care of the interests of the Malays and all citizens,” he concluded.
