Former minister and ex-MIC president S Samy Vellu said there is no need for Prime Minister Najib Razak to go on leave while the scandals surrounding him are being investigated.

“I think if every time something happens we ask the prime minister to take leave, the country won’t survive.

“Telling a prime minister to go on leave is not an advice.

“Telling the prime minister you put up your case and you fight it, and you’ll win it, now that’s (what one should say),” he said when met by Malaysiakini at the prime minister’s open house today.

He was asked his opinion of the allegations surrounding Najib, and if the PM should take leave as many opposition leaders have urged.

His critics argue investigation into the scandal surrounding 1MDB, Najib’s pet project under his Finance Ministry, would not be transparent if the prime minister was still acting as the government’s chief executive.

Samy said he is confident Najib would ride out the storm and remain in power for some time yet.

“My opinion is Najib will go on for a few more years,” he said.

Samy related how he himself had survived various attacks during his 29 years in office.

“But finally I proved (myself),” he said.

 

He said in politics, every leader suffers such troubles but he has to “fight back” and “prove himself”.

'Dr M must show proof'

 

When asked if he believes Najib is innocent of the allegations against him, Samy said, “Yes”.

 

“I think some people are very jealous (of Najib),” he said, hence they wanted to put out something to break the PM’s reputation.

 

When asked about Najib’s harshest critic former PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad, whom Samy had served for an extended period as a cabinet minister, he remained coy.

 

“Mahathir is a very independent guy. Whatever that he says, my only request is that he has to find evidence for it,” said the former works minister.

 

However, he refused to say if he believed the allegations, except to say whoever makes such allegations “must have sufficient (evidence)”.

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