DAP: Najib the 'lamest' PM for mollycoddling his deputy

For dodging a question over his deputy's 'Malay first, Malaysian second' statement thus compromising his 1Malaysia policy, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak earned the title of "the lamest premier".

"Najib is proving to be the lamest prime minister in Malaysia's history - he has neither the political will nor courage to even defend his own policy when it is repudiated by his deputy" said DAP national publicity secretary Tony Pua.

In a statement, Pua (right) said Najib had exposed himself at the Malaysian Student Leaders' Summit yesterday as a weak leader with no political conviction and neither political will nor political courage when he refused to defend his 1Malaysia policy.

Najib was asked by a student on the statement by Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin who declared he was "Malay first, and Malaysian second" in Parliament last year.

If he stated his position on the matter, Najib said it would land him at odds either with his policy or his deputy, which is very dangerous for the nation.

1Malaysia is the main thrust coined by Najib in the Government Transformation Plan (GTP) to bring about a “nation where every Malaysian perceives himself or herself as Malaysian first, and by race, religion, geographical region or socio-economic background second”.

Najib's answer, said Pua, clearly demonstrates that he has no personal conviction in his clarion call for 1Malaysia, and he is willing to sacrifice his brainchild for political expediency.

"Instead of demonstrating leadership and conviction by standing firm on his principles and demanding that his ministers support his cause, Najib has chosen to mollycoddle his deputy, as the latter disagrees with him," said the MP for Petaling Jaya Utara.

He further pointed out that Najib has reversed the tradition of deputy prime ministers openly declaring their loyalty and undying support for the prime ministers.

"What we are seeing now today is the complete reverse, where the prime minister is doing his utmost to avoid displeasing his deputy, even at the expense of his most important policy lynchpin."

Pua asked whether this is a sign that Najib's position as the Umno president is so “dangerous” that he has to march to Muhyiddin's beat and ride as passenger on the vehicle of which Muhyiddin is the driver.

"If the prime minister himself does not even dare to stand firm on his convictions, and has no political will and courage to ensure that his entire administration, including his own deputy fall in line with his Malaysian first policy, how does he even expect ordinary Malaysians to believe in him?"

In a press conference in Parliament last year, Muhyiddin said that he was Malay first, and Malaysian second.

The Pagoh MP was responding to a challenge from DAP Parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang, who said that the acid test for 1Malaysia is for BN ministers to say they are Malaysians first and everything else second.

Muhyiddin, however, said that he was "Malay first and Malaysian second" for fear of being accused of being a traitor to his mainly Malay constituency.

He labelled Lim's challenge as a trap to produce just that kind of result.

Muhyiddin's answer became immediate fodder for opposition leaders who questioned the commitment of Najib's own hand-picked cabinet to his 1Malaysia pet project.