exclusive Ex-Umno politician Abdullah Ahmad said he was taking a big risk by his open support for Najib Abdul Razak as the new deputy prime minister because the then party vice-president was the best available candidate for the job.

"I supported him because he is the best of the present lot... But I took a big risk...," said Abdullah, who was unceremoniously axed as the Umno-controlled New Straits Times editor-in-chief last November.

"My friends, my family, everybody except a few, told me I was stupid to take so much risk. But that was the decision I made," he said.

In an exclusive interview with malaysiakini early this week, Abdullah broke his silence on the reason for his sacking by Umno leader Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, fondly known as Pak Lah.

Abdullah was sacked on the eve of last year's Hari Raya Puasa when he was in Hong Kong to give a talk on the leadership change in Malaysia, shortly after Pak Lah was appointed the country's fifth prime minister.

A few days before he was given the marching order, Abdullah had delivered a speech in Perak arguing that Pahang could fall into opposition hand if Najib was not appointed as the new deputy prime minister.

However, the official reason given for his dismissal was an article on terrorism he wrote in NST , which had offended the Saudi government.

Meeting with Muhyiddin

Abdullah said his decision to cheerlead Najib for the deputy premiership did not go down well with certain quarters in Umno, including party vice-president Muhyiddin Yassin, who was also a contender for the coveted post.

The maverick politician also disclosed that he had a two-hour meeting at the post Seri Carcosa hotel with Muhyiddin, who urged him and the NST to stay neutral on the matter.

"I told Muhyiddin he must as well forget about that (being deputy prime minister). I saw him for almost two hours with his brother who knows me ... I said, don't waste your time, it was going to be Najib," he added.

However, Abdullah said at the same time, he was not too impressed by Najib.

"That's the price I have to pay. I make enemy one side, not impressed by the other side. And getting sacked for that...," he added.

Abdullah said he did not hope for anything in return by endorsing Najib. "I supported him partly because I think he will be like his father," he added.

Abdullah had served as the political advisor for Najib's father - Malaysia's second prime minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein - and he was appointed deputy minister in the Prime Minister's Department in 1974.

But his political career came crashing down two years later when he was detained under the Internal Security Act following a leadership struggle within Umno.

Najib speaks good English

Abdullah was released in 1981 by Dr Mahathir Mohamad two weeks after he succeeded Hussein Onn as prime minister.

In 1996, Mahathir tapped Abdullah for the job as the country's special envoy to the United Nations in New York.

But four years later, he was brought back to take the helm in NST , a giant newspaper group which was facing a fall in circulation.

"I have served four prime ministers, but the last one was the shortest - only 21 days," he lamented. However, he was quick to add that he felt not bitterness against Pak Lah for sacking him.

Asked why he picked Najib over Muhiyddin for the deputy premiership, he said: "Najib is able to better represent Malaysia at the international stage."

"He speaks good English. Muhyiddin speaks good English also. But Najib speaks with better accent," quipped Abdullah.

Q&A: 'Mahathir told me to be careful,' says Dollah