COMMENT | I don’t know about you, but I have been very curious as to why Najib Abdul Razak keeps issuing statements and engaging in a war of words with the government led by Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

I would have guessed that his humiliating loss as the first Umno president to lead BN to a defeat would’ve sent him into a silent spell. I would have also guessed that a certain amount of former prime ministerial decorum of giving space to the new administration would apply.

My initial inference was that Najib was taking a slightly longer time to realise that the hatred against him was one of the reasons for BN-Umno’s defeat.

But I think this inference is too easy, and probably misguided. This is because Najib is no political novice. He has played the game of politics for 42 years - he knows his chess moves.

So I searched deeper, and I want to offer you my understanding of what Najib is really up to.

By issuing statement after statement, Najib is keeping his head above water (defence), while at the same time, distracting the present government (attack).

As for defence, it is quite self-explanatory. Najib is in survival mode.

The more statements he issues, the more likely he is to stay in the limelight...