by Yong Min Wei
KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Razak will not make it to the prime minister’s post, said former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Writing on his blog Che Det, Dr Mahathir said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi would not allow his deputy to take over the premiership despite promising Najib the position in 2010. According to the former premier, prior to the date for the transition of power, allegations would be hurled against Najib to show that he was not qualified to take over as prime minister.
“Someone who is deemed to be more loyal to Datuk Seri Abdullah would take over Najib’s place as deputy prime minister,’’ he said.
Dr Mahathir said that neither would the candidate who replaces Najib be the prime minister come 2010 as the candidate would then be considered inexperienced for the top post.
In such a situation, he added, Abdullah would continue the premiership until the 13th general election.
“If the people’s current trend of thinking continues, then Barisan Nasional (BN) will lose the next general election and Datuk Seri Abdullah will no longer be the prime minister. Therefore, there will be nothing for Datuk Seri Najib to take over from,” said Dr Mahathir.
Abdullah announced yesterday that he will hand over the reins of the government to Najib in mid-2010. He would also hand over the post of Umno president and BN chairman to Najib, Abdullah said. Dr Mahathir, who had three deputies who failed to make it as prime minister before he made way for Abdullah in 2003, has been urging Najib to challenge the Umno president at December’s party polls.
Umno branches and divisions meet between August and October and will nominate candidates for the top national posts.
Aside from Najib, veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah is the other leader who could possibly challenge Abdullah if he gets enough nominations to contest.
It is not clear if Dr Mahathir will throw his weight behind Razaleigh should Najib decline. Razaleigh himself had challenged Dr Mahathir for the top post in a bitter fight in 1987 but lost by 43 votes.
From Dr Mahathir Blog:
11-07-2008: Najib won’t be PM, says Dr M
The Edge Daily, Malaysia
