Zaid: Malaysia suffered more shame under Najib than Mahathir

Former law minister counters claims by Nazri Aziz who said Mahathir ravaged the country’s legal system.

PETALING JAYA: Six years under Prime Minister Najib Razak has done more damage to the country than 22 years under former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad, said Zaid Ibrahim in a tweet yesterday.

He said this when countering the claims of Tourism and Culture Minister Nazri Aziz that Mahathir had destroyed the legal system during his tenure as prime minister and used draconian laws against those critical of him.

“Nazri must stop bashing /ridiculing Dr Mahathir. Najib’s 6 years has shamed the country more than whatever mistakes made by Dr M,” Zaid tweeted.

He also dared Nazri to a televised debate with him about Najib and Mahathir and was kind enough to suggest the minister bring along reinforcements in the form of Rahman Dahlan, Barisan Nasional’s new Strategic Communications Director.

“Lets talk on TV3 about the two leaders. Nazri can rope in Rahman Dahlan for support,” Zaid cheekily said.

According to a report on The Star Online yesterday, Nazri openly criticised Mahathir for saying that democracy was dead under the leadership of Najib.

Arguing that Mahathir’s “track record” was worse than Najib’s, he pointed out that the former had used the Internal Security Act to silence his critics and added, “He feels that when he (Mahathir) was prime minister everything was very good but it was during his time that laws were overturned and the chief justice sacked.”