malaysia

Move to oust Najib exercise in futility, says Adenan

March 10, 2016

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has allowed himself to be used as a tool in spearheading a movement to oust Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, says the Sarawak chief minister. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, March 10, 2016.Tan Sri Adenan Satem has poured cold water on the Citizens’ Declaration aimed at removing Datuk Seri Najib Razak as prime minister.

The Star Online quoted the Sarawak chief minister as saying that the declaration “will turn out to be a futile exercise”.

He said the declaration was produced by a “cabal of misfits” who used to be great enemies with each other.

“It will be an exercise in futility and I am surprised that Tun (Dr) Mahathir (Mohamad) has allowed himself to be used as a tool.

“Wan Azizah says they will use all that to free Anwar. I think it’s very ironic,” he reportedly said, referring to opposition leader Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and the former opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The declaration was signed by Dr Mahathir, other Umno leaders critical of Najib over his handling of scandals affecting the administration, leaders from opposition parties and civil groups.

Following the unveiling of the declaration, PKR president Dr Wan Azizah described it as an “indirect admission” that her husband, Anwar, had been victimised by the system and freeing him was part of Pakatan Harapan’s agenda.

Adenan also reportedly said the people must be careful of the “shenanigans the opposition was up to”.

PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang said the Citizens’ Declaration was pointless as it would never bring about any change without the support of Barisan Nasional leaders.

“I have made it clear earlier that there are things that we (PAS and other opposition parties) agree on and there are things that we do not agree on.

“We agree on changes but to us, that has to be done in a democratic manner. The thing that we don’t agree on is that this is being done in haste,” he said.

Hadi said there were two ways to make changes in the country, one of them was through elections and another, through a vote of no-confidence.

“If we want to get the vote of no-confidence, it has to be through the majority in Parliament and that has to come from Umno but if the leaders refused and only us, it is a pointless effort.”

Previously, several other BN leaders had said the people should be wary of the declaration that saw Dr Mahathir band together with opposition leaders, such as DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang, who was imprisoned under the Internal Security Act during Dr Mahathir’s tenure as prime minister.

MIC president Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said the collaboration would not last as it was “a marriage of reluctance for common convenience, not founded on love and stability”. – March 10, 2016.