MP SPEAKS | The statement issued by Najib Abdul Razak addressed to the Human Resources Minister M Kulasegaran not to blame him if Pakatan Harapan can’t decide on the Parliament speaker is the surest tell-tale sign that the former prime minister is up to no good at the opening of Parliament.

I thank those who had mistakenly congratulated me as the new speaker of Parliament – as I will be a backbencher, and not speaker.

But there is no problem with the Pakatan Harapan deciding on the Parliament speaker, as the primary challenge of the 14th Parliament is to take the steps to become a world-class Parliament, recognised by others around the world for its parliamentary reform and innovation, and not one infamous for global kleptocracy.

I have no doubt that with the new speaker, Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof, the 14th Parliament can fulfil its promise and potential to be a world-class Parliament for reform and innovation.

Under Ariff, Malaysians will have a Parliament they can feel proud of – one that understands the ‘Malaysian dream’ for all Malaysians, and not one which is like the traditional three monkeys with eyes that see not, ears that hear not and mouth that speaks not.

Najib probably thought that the opening of Parliament is the first and best time after the ignominious Umno-BN GE14 defeat for him to demonstrate that although he had been ousted as the prime minister, he is still the primary political force to be reckoned with by the ruling coalition.

Although he had resigned as Umno president after the disastrous electoral debacle, he has asserted his political control and dominance as evident from the following events:

The outcome of the Umno party elections in June, with Najib’s loyalists sweeping the polls.
The claim by Umno for the approximately RM116.7 million in funds recently seized from Najib-linked premises by the Malaysian police, which the party claims belong to it.

No sign of contrition or regret for the monstrous 1MDB scandal resulting in Malaysia becoming a global kleptocracy.
No sign of contrition or regret for unleashing the most toxic, vicious and divisive politics of race, religion, fear, hate and lies in Malaysian history, like inciting baseless fear that Malays and Islam will perish if Umno loses; that I will be prime minister if Harapan wins; that Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Anwar Ibrahim, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and Mohamad Sabu were all my stooges and puppets; that non-Malays will dominate the Harapan government; that the Malay Regiment, Mara and Felda and other institutions would be abolished.
Reviving such toxic, divisive and irresponsible politics of race, religion, fear, hate and lies after GE14 to distract national attention from his 1MDB scandal and kleptocracy, such as the baseless allegations that the Harapan government in Putrajaya is carrying out ‘DAP’s Christianisation agenda’, when there is no such thing in the first place.
The planned, baseless, provocative and seditious demonstration tomorrow by Najib’s acolytes with hands bound and mouths taped shut to protest alleged loss of the rights by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to defend Islam and protect the Malays.
The appointment of the former attorney-general, Mohamed Apandi Ali, as a Umno supreme council member, and his initial acceptance likening it to “a fish returning to its spawning grounds,” and subsequent U-turn and decline on the ground of possible negative perceptions that would be linked to his time as attorney-general and a judge.

What is actually the most significant in these two months after the historic and watershed May 9 polls is that neither Najib nor the Umno leadership is prepared to show contrition for the two toxic legacies of his – firstly, turning Malaysia into a global kleptocracy as a result or the monstrous 1MDB money-laundering scandal, and secondly, unleashing the most toxic, vicious and divisive politics of race, religion, hate, fear and lies in Malaysian history and now trying to revive such toxic and divisive politics.

Are there any Umno MPs who is prepared to break ranks in the 14th Parliament and apologise for these two toxic Najib legacies?

Will the MCA deputy president Wee Ka Siong do it? Will the new MIC president direct the two MIC MPs to do it?

Malaysians will know soon enough.

LIM KIT SIANG is the MP for Iskandar Puteri.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.