Najib out doesn’t mean BN out, Dr Mahathir tells MPs

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has asked Umno and Barisan Nasional component party members of Parliament to support a motion of no confidence against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s leadership. Writing in his blog today, the country’s longest serving prime minister again reminded BN lawmakers that a successful no-confidence vote which resulted in Najib’s ouster would not topple the federal government. "BN will not fall after Najib is removed. BN is still the party with the majority," he said in his popular Chedet blog today. Dr Mahathir added that as long as Najib remained in power, the country would continue to suffer. He said the economy would continue to decline, the ringgit and shares would continue to fall, cost of living would increase because of the controversial goods and services tax (GST), national debt would keep going up and the government would not be able to service it, unemployment would spike and the money of billions of taxpayers would be abused. "This is the fate that awaits Malaysia because of Najib," he warned. Dr Mahathir said all avenues to change the prime minister according to the law and the nation's constitution had been closed by Najib, referring to the prime minister’s moves to dismantle the special task force investigating 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and the promotion of four Barisan Nasional Public Account Committee members to the administration as deputy ministers. “Only through the voice of the people helped by a vote of no confidence in the Parliament can we take down Najib and save the country from the corrupt. “So I was forced to take part in the street demonstration organised by Bersih with the theme of removing Najib due to corruption, and I urge all Umno and BN MPs to support the vote of no confidence against Najib,” he wrote. Dr Mahathir’s post came after his two highly publicised visits to the Bersih 4 rally over the weekend. The 90-year-old statesman on Sunday had hinted that several Umno lawmakers were planning to table a motion of no confidence against Najib. He said however that he did not know who would table the vote against the embattled prime minister, who has been asked to resign from his position amid allegations of corruption. "I heard that they (Umno MPs) will hold a vote of no confidence. I don't know who will do it," the former prime minister told reporters at Central Market during his second visit to the Bersih 4 rally. "Najib will not resign. If they want a vote of no confidence to work, the Umno MPs, who are loyal to the party, have to support it. Then only can Najib's government fall," he had said. – September 1, 2015.