Support for Najib Wavers as Dr M Presses Attacks

TODAY

21 April 2015

KUALA LUMPUR — Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s relentless attack on Prime Minister Najib Razakappears to have taken hold in some quarters in the ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), with doubt being cast now on the level of support within the party for the Malaysian leader.

Party insiders said that although the majority of UMNO members appeared to support Mr Najib as party president, many were divided whether to support him or former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir.

“I see that UMNO’s support towards Najib is not only from top leaders but also the grassroots. But there are some in UMNO who differ in their opinion,” lawmaker Bung Mokhtar Radin said. “Fact is, Dr Mahathir is still influential among UMNO people,” Mr Bung told The Malaysian Insider.

… Dr Oh Ei Sun, senior fellow of the Malaysia Programme at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, agreed that groups in UMNO are weighing their options on who to support. “Dr Mahathir still enjoys a sort of glorified goodwill in the party for the mere fact that he has been a party leader for a very long time,” he said.

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