No Japanese truce between Najib and Dr Mahathir

The last blog post by former PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad is,

NAJIB DAN PEMBOHONGAN 

which was on May 24.

This is the opening paragraph of that post,

"Amatlah menyedihkan apabila saya dapati saya tidak dapat elak dari kenyataan bahawa Perdana Menteri membohong . Dalam kes wang 1MDB yang dikatakan telah dibawa balik dari Cayman Islands dan disimpan dalam bank BSI Singapura, jawapan tertulis oleh Perdana Menteri kepada soalan Parlimen tidak menepati kebenaran sama sekali."

That's three days ago.

I learnt from Rocky's post

PM, Dr M in Tokyo

that Dr Mahathir had since been to Japan for a follow-up on an eye surgery. 

At the same time, PM DS Najib Razak was also in Japan for an official visit.

From what transpired today, it is quite obvious that the two didn't meet up over there to settle their differences.

In a statement today, Najib went on the offensive again.

Here is the statement in full with those I found interesting in blue,

1. I accept criticism with an open mind and will continue to address legitimate concerns and feedback. 

2. We must also always respect our elders who have done a lot for Malaysia.  

3. However, I know many believe that it is time they let the next generation run the country, and this includes overcoming problems and challenges on our own. 

4. Malaysia is a democracy. I was elected by UMNO, and by the people of this country, to lead them. Therefore, I have their mandate and I am answerable to the party and the people, not to any one individual. At the next general election and party election, the party and the rakyat can exercise their democratic rights through the ballot box. 

5. Furthermore, many of Tun’s criticisms are unfair or misleading: 

6. He is opposed to the implementation of GST, although all credible economists believe that broadening our tax base is the right thing to do. The revenue will be used for the welfare of the rakyat. Indeed, the idea was first mooted during his administration. 

7. Tun has echoed malicious opposition rumours concerning my wife and family. For example, in a recent speech in Ipoh, he cited a fictitious statement that the opposition has been peddling through the use of a doctored Utusan article.  

8. Also, he regurgitated a false smear started by the opposition at the time of the last general election that my wife owned a RM24 million ring. It is a lie, and the company that owned the ring clarified in detail at the time that such a ring was never bought by Rosmah. It is regrettable that someone of Tun’s stature should pass on such slander to the people.

9. He also echoed the opposition in raising the purchase of the replacement government jet, claiming that the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong does not use the jet, calling me a liar. But again this is false – His Majesty was in fact the first VIP passenger to use the newly arrived aircraft for a trip to Langkawi, and will continue to do so. 

10. Tun has used the financial challenges facing 1MDB as an excuse to attack me. It is true that 1MDB is facing challenges, but not at the level being alleged. 

11. Indeed, some of the allegations that have been made have no grounding in reality, for instance Tun’s claim that I am responsible for a loss of RM42 billon on 1MDB’s balance sheet. This appears to be a deliberate twisting of the facts as 1MDB has not made a loss of this amount. This is the amount of its total debt; debt that is far exceeded by the company’s assets of RM51 billion, as audited and confirmed by Deloitte. Most large companies around the world have high levels of debt, there is nothing unusual about this. 

12. He also claimed that I do not answer issues surrounding 1MDB, but I have gone beyond that – and instructed the Auditor General to conduct an audit of 1MDB, the results of which will be presented to the bipartisan Public Accounts Committee. This should ensure that the process is transparent, and all questions that have been asked of the company are independently answered by legitimate bodies rather than politically motivated sources. 

13.Tun often claims that he is doing something because of what people tell him when they come to see him. However, he should check whether such hearsay and claims have any evidence and truth before airing them. He knows well that many allegations were made about what happened under his administration.  

14. And always Tun’s answer was: “Where is the proof?” He should be applying the same test to what he hears. 

15. Although much has been achieved in the first six years of my administration, all of the progress that our country and BN has made are being ignored in favour of baseless allegations and lies started by the opposition.  

16. Much of what Tun has said lacks objectivity and is downright wrong. The question should be asked – what is Tun’s motivation in choosing this moment to regurgitate smears manufactured by the very opposition groups that he previously denounced as liars? 

17. During his 22 years in power, Tun had always insisted on party members supporting the leadership, especially during challenging times. We did our part then, and I supported him through thick and thin. I did so because I believed then, as I do now, that party unity is a prerequisite for what we want to achieve for the country. The vast majority of UMNO members still recognize that real loyalty means working together to build the party for the good of the rakyat. 

18. It is wrong for Tun and any party members to undermine today’s party leadership just because their personal wishes are not met. The interests of the people and the party are far more important than any one individual. 

19. I was democratically elected by both the party and the people, and, as I have the mandate, will complete my term as party President and Prime Minister. My priority is to ensure that we achieve Vision 2020 and the economic, governmental and political transformation that will benefit all Malaysians.

It is quite a well written article.

I guess the Prime Minister must had composed it in between his busy schedule in Japan.

Well, I guess Barisan Nasional and Umno supporters will just have to bear with the tussle until the next general election.

I'm not putting my money on it, but hopefully the BN coalition and that parti keramat orang Melayu will survive beyond the polls.