Game over for Najib, as Umno, Utusan turn on him over 1MDB

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 5 – Datuk Seri Najib Razak still believes he is not responsible for Barisan Nasional’s historic loss in the 14th general election (GE14) last May.

After two Umno leaders stepped up and blamed the 1MDB scandal, in which Najib was the main stakeholder from the BN, and even the Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia taking aim at the former prime minister, his latest post on Facebook deflects the blame to all BN component parties and its representatives.

The statement did not state any specific names but it is believed he was responding to the new BN secretary-general Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz and former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin, who had blamed the 1MDB scandal for ending the BN’s historic 61-year rule in the May 9 polls.

“I do not wished to get involved in a blame game but I believe each and everyone of us is responsible for the loss.

“I am only interested in correcting and explaining the uncontrolled cheating by PH all this while and those created after they became government, producing facts, clearing my name, criticising and giving my opinions when I see an issue that is related to the rakyat and the country’s future,” he wrote on Facebook.

I took responsibility for GE14 loss, says Najib

Najib blasted back those who had accused him of living in denial over the coalition’s loss in GE14, suggesting that his stepping down from his post as BN chairman and Umno president and not standing for any post in the Umno elections as proof that he accepted resposibility for the defeat.

Najib had previously said that the 1MDB scandal had been a factor in BN losing GE14, but continues to deny any involvement in the alleged wrongdoing.

“If I believed there was no wrongdoing in 1MDB, I would not have instructed PAC which consist of opposition MPs and backbenchers to investigate or sign a solution with IPIC to retrieve money that was said to have gone missing,” he said.

Game-changer with Utusan attacking former Umno chief

Having Umno leaders turn on Najib may not have been such a surprise in the current political climate, but Utusan Malaysia’s attack on the former leader of the party which still owns them was major turnaround for the media organisation.

It is believed that it could not have been done without the knowledge and approval of the top Umno leadership.

The headlines of “Apa Lagi Cina Mahu” post-GE13 and all the other attacks against the previous opposition, had been a part of the vitriolic racist identity that the paper represented to most Malaysians for many years.

Reading the commentary by “Awang Selamat”, the identity of its collective editorial voice, in yesterday’s edition Mingguan Malaysia, confirmed the great fall of Umno and Najib from their seat of power six months ago.

Utusan: Najib’s lies exposed in Al Jazeera interview

Referring to the 1MDB scandal and the most recent charges by the United States Department of Justice (DoJ) against three individuals – two Malaysians and one American – the paper took the stand that it was impossible for Najib not to know what had transpired.

According to Utusan, his “lies” were there for all to see in his now infamous interview with the Al-Jazeera network, which was aired last week.

“It is simply illogical that Najib had never taken the initiative to show his gratitude to the Saudi government or to King Abdullah directly at the time when the big sum was given as a donation,” Awang Selamat said, adding that he had to have known the source of the money was from a company called Tanore Finance Corporation?

In its strongest verdict against Najib, Utusan said “not all thieves are liars, but people who lie are usually thieves”.

“Najib owes an apology to all Umno members for lying to them, resulting in the loss of the people’s confidence in the party and the previous Barisan Nasional leadership.

“His lying led to Barisan Nasional losing in GE14,” Utusan said.

– NMT