Future of M'sia cannot be left in the hands of the opposition, says Najib

KUALA LUMPUR: The future of the country cannot be left in the hands of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Lim Kit Siang, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak said.

In an attack against Pakatan Harapan, Najib, who is also the Umno president, said the top two opposition leaders had the intention to become the prime minister if Barisan Nasional falls in the 14th General Election.

"I heard that a man named Lim Kit Siang had the intention to become the prime minister. If you don't believe me, just ask a former assemblyman from Jawi," he said, referring to former DAP assemblyman Tan Beng Huat who had recently joined the People's Action Party (PAP).

"And I heard of a 93-year-old man who has the interest to become the prime minister. Even Zimbabwe no longer have (it's leader Robert Mugabe)," he said.

"We can see there the uncertainty. We can't place the future of our country between these two," he said in his speech at the closing of the 71st Umno General Assembly (PAU2017) held at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) here today.

Mahathir, who once led the country for 22 years, is now working with the opposition, including his longtime political nemesis Lim, to topple the current government.

In a subtle reference against Mahathir, Najib said a leader of the past cannot be accepted to lead the country into the future.

"The youth must think about this. If you want a party for the future, you cannot accept a man of the past.

"It is illogical, a man of the past will bring ideas of the past to the present and future," he said.

Najib said this year's party assembly was a manifestation of Umno's strength in bringing the victory in the next general election.

"This assembly will show the world out there and the opposition parties that we are a powerful party. Do not mess with Umno," he said.