Najib didn’t want to betray Pak Lah, Muhyiddin reminded

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Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak allegedly had not wanted to betray then premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi when Dr Mahathir Mohamad wanted the latter ousted at the time.

Umno minister Salleh Said Keruak said this in his bid to jog the memory of former deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

Salleh in a blog post last night was responding to Muhyiddin’s claim yesterday that he was not a “ gunting dalam lipatan ”, a betrayer.

Muhyiddin said whatever he has done is for the good of the party and because he loved the party, and does not have intentions to destroy the party.

Nevertheless, Salleh questioned how giving ammunition to the opposition to hit Umno could be considered good for the party.

Citing the months leading to Abdullah’s resignation in 2009, Salleh pointed out that Muhyiddin had done nothing to defend the former premier.

“Maybe Muhyiddin forgot that when Mahathir was no longer the prime minister and began criticising Abdullah, it was Najib who publicly declared that his loyalty was with the (then) prime minister.

“Muhyiddin, however, said and did nothing to defend Abdullah.

“Muhyiddin related how it was he who had convinced Najib to take over as prime minister, and that this was what Mahathir had wanted,” Salleh said, quoting Muhyiddin saying that Najib had taken a long time to decide.

'Najib felt loyal'

However, Salleh explained this as Najib simply not wanting to betray Abdullah by going against him.

“Najib felt the deputy should be loyal to the number one. So it is not that Najib took a long time to make up his mind, but more that Najib did not want to oust the prime minister.

“If Muhyiddin wants to relate history, then let it be the correct version of history.

“Muhyiddin said Mahathir discussed the possibility of him taking over as prime minister.

“What Muhyiddin did not reveal was that Najib had refused to betray Abdullah and instead publicly declared his support for the prime minister," said Salleh.

Abdullah succeeded Mahathir when the latter resigned in 2003.

He was however forced to step down soon after BN lost its two-thirds majority in the landmark 12th general election.

Mahathir had begun attacking Abdullah as early as 2006 over many of the latter’s policies.



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