Will Dr M be a bigger hit in Pasir Gudang?

Hafiz YatimPublished: Aug 24, 2015 9:56 AM | Updated: Aug 24, 2015 11:12 AM

Three weeks after Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak allegedly forced his way to launch the Pasir Gudang Umno delegates’ meeting, his mentor and chief critic Dr Mahathir Mohamad will also be in that area, on Saturday, Aug 29.

Mahathir has been invited by Yayasan Pengurusan Ilmu and Kelab Che Det to speak on the Bicara Negarawan: Malaysia Hari Ni, Ke Mana Kita? (Malaysia Today: Where are we heading?).

Yayasan Pengurusan Ilmu director Abdul Rahman Mohamed Sharif confirmed the programme with Malaysiakini, at which the country's fourth prime minister will speak, at an indoor stadium in Pasir Gudang, beginning 2pm.

“The admission is free and it is jointly organised with Kelab Che Det,” Rahman said.

It was reported on Aug 9 that as neighbour Singapore was celebrating its National Day, Najib, who attended the event, took time off to go an officiate the Pasir Gudang Umno division meet.

While there, it was reported that the Pasir Gudang Umno delegates seemed mostly disinterested in what their party president had to say.

This was in comparison to Johor menteri besar Khaled Nordin's speech, where he is the division chief.

Khaled also spoke earlier, before Najib arrived, telling delegates that Najib came to officiate the Umno Pasir Gudang meeting on his own accord .

"This year's division meeting is very fortunate, because the president will officiate it. The president is the one who asked to officiate it, it was not the division's request," Khaled had said.

Najib's limp response was probably caused by Muhyiddin Yassin's removal as deputy prime minister in the cabinet reshuffle on July 27.

It would be interesting to see how the Pasir Gudang people respond when Mahathir arrives on Saturday, whether the former prime minister will garner a better response than Najib - and how big the crowd will be.

Related Reports

No reprieve as ringgit breaches 4.24