Zam: We were asked to groom Najib to be a future leader

Former information minister Zainuddin Maidin has claimed that when he was working with Utusan Melayu, he was asked to help groom Najib Abdul Razak to be a future leader.

In a blog posting today, Zainuddin said this was during the time when the late Melan Abdullah was the chief editor of the now defunct publication.

"I remember, we were asked by the political secretary of (then) prime minister Tun Abdul Razak (Najib's father), Abdullah Ahmad, and his press secretary Abdullah Najib, to groom Najib.

"This somewhat helped Najib to become the youngest menteri besar of Pahang.

"It (the ascension) was made easier by the fact that at the time feudalism was prevalent, so it was not difficult for Najib to step on others to reach the top," he added.

Therefore, Zainuddin, who is better known as Zam, said there was no point in exploiting the issue of Dr Mahathir Mohamad wanting his son Mukhriz to be prime minister.

"All of them are the same, except for Malaysia's first prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman," he added.

Zainuddin said Mahathir would not have become prime minister if not for the goodwill of Abdul Razak and Najib would not be at the helm if not for Mahathir's "compassion" and his "weakness in being influenced by a person's outward appearance".

The former minister also commented on the brickbats he received over a Twitter posting which stated that many untoward incidents and tragedies have taken place during Najib's administration.

"His (Najib's) supporters jumped, and thought I was accusing Najib of doing these things.

"This perception is based on a prejudiced view that I am a 'Mahathir man' and member of (Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia) Bersatu, and (the issue was) twisted to the point that I am not sympathetic over the accident involving eight teenagers in Johor.

"Based on this anger, they called for the revocation of my 'Tan Sri' title and that I be expelled from Umno,” he added, explaining that his Twitter posting stated facts that numerous things have happened in the eight years that Najib has been in power, compared with the 22 years of Mahathir.

Zainuddin said he was shocked over the attention given to his statement, now that he is a retiree with no political position, businesses or wealth to be exploited for influence.

"Why must TV3 focus its attention on me during its 'Buletin Utama'?

"Why nine years after retirement, the faction which considers me an ineffective information minister, still feels my effectiveness when I am a common person, and just a citizen journalist?" he added.- Mkini