NAJIB BEGS FOR 3 MONTHS FROM UMNO: But shocked by Tabung Haji bailout, Dr M & other bigwigs to REFUSE

If what is the latest coming down from the UMNO grapevine is to be believed, then Najib Tun Razak, beleaguered Malaysian prime minister, is definitely on his way out. But will he go quietly, submissively and meekly in accordance with the wishes of the UMNO powers-that-be?

For the present, it’s hard to gauge the on goings within UMNO. But Najib, it appears, has pleaded for time, a period of three months, by which he claims with confidence that he can resolve all the mess that he has created.

But the big wigs at UMNO are not going to give in to his request as they feel that he is no maverick politician and going by his track record as prime minister they want him out as soon as possible before Najib does even further damage to the nation.

UMNO strongman, Mahathir Mohammad, in particular, is seething with rage and absolutely livid with Najib. Mahathir brooks no nonsense and he is of the opinion that Najib must go as soon as possible but is, at the same time, hard pressed along with UMNO members on naming a successor.

UMNO’s dilemma

Dr M

Why is Najib buying time? Is it really possible that he can clean up the mess he has created? The other point to note is that Najib is unusually calm and quiet and several political analysts feel that he has an ace or aces up his sleeve.

Is Najib marshalling his forces only to deal the trump card as Mahathir and other discontented politicians up the ante on getting rid of him? It’s hard to gauge Najib’s game plan but there is speculation that it won’t be easy to get Najib to step down from the office of prime minister.

The aging Mahathir is visibly upset and angry that he has got no real answers to his questions put forward to Najib on the 1MDB fiasco, BR1M, GST, the un-built crooked bridge to Singapore and a list of other grievances.

Mahathir is of the opinion that Najib acted foolishly and without any real care and concern in the 1MDB saga where a massive RM 42 billion went missing and, to make matters worse, falsified documents were unearthed and presented to the bankers.

This obviously doesn’t go down well with Mahathir, who went out on a limb during the Asian financial crisis of 1998, to impose capital controls to save the nation from the flight of capital only to see the ringgit now in limbo as the second worst performing currency in ASEAN at present.

The danger ahead

PM Najib

Mahathir realizes the danger ahead with each passing day that Najib is in office and many even within UMNO are alarmed at the clout and immense power that his wife Rosmah is wielding and holding sway over the governance of the country.

Najib and Rosmah have become like twin terrors to Mahathir who comments that their extravagant and lavish lifestyle will lead the country to bankruptcy in no time. Mahathir is growing in frustration that Najib has shifted his stance and steered away from his aims and objectives for Malaysia.

But this is the weakness of democracy that Najib is exploiting to the fullest as he sits in the actual command and control position of prime minister while Mahathir and other UMNO leaders are not in such a commanding role.

This is the reason why Najib is confident that he can survive this crisis of confidence and a motion of “No Confidence” in Parliament. While Najib is not a strong and capable leader as many Malaysians envision, he is not stupid and certainly is not going to withdraw into the shadows quietly.

Najib’s stance

Rosmah Mansor and PM Najib

It is with a certain must that Najib has to stay in power as prime minister as he has to ward off many attacks, accusations and allegations at present that have been made against him, Rosmah, and his family, cronies and sycophants.

There is no possibility, unlike in the case of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, where Najib is going to agree to an exit plan. This is the reason for the current stand-off between Najib and Mahathir and their supporters. It’s a tricky, delicate situation that Mahathir and his supporters don’t want to get out of hand.

The stance of Najib in all this is very clear, he won’t quit despite mounting pressure and a huge drop in popularity among Malaysians as he is fighting for his position as prime minister from behind the scenes in every conceivable way.

This is why it remains to be seen in the days, weeks and months ahead what transpires and Malaysians of all walks of life are watching cautiously and carefully every part of the drama of Najib and Rosmah’s survival as it unfolds. - MAILBAG