YOURSAY 'If Najib is not happy with Dr M's comments, he should respond.'
Every leader has an era, Zahid tells Mahathir
ZhuGeLiang: Yes, I agree with Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. Every leader has his era and former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad should not interfere.
With a GDP growth of 6.4 percent in the second quarter, second best in Asia after China, Mahathir should praise our premier instead.
Former law minister Zaid Ibrahim is also correct in saying that Mahathir is free to speak his mind as this is what a democracy should be.
As for Cheras Umno division leader Syed Ali Alhabshee, I honestly don't know who he is kidding - father-and-son relationship (between Mahathir and Najib)?
RZC: All leaders are open to criticism. Even Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, Zahid and Umno secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor. They are not immune. Loyalty is earned, not a given.
This is the problem of BN. They want blind loyalty.
Ace: I totally agree with the vitriolic ex-premier. But when you handpicked your successors and one after another, they turn out to be wimps, who is to be blamed? You, of course. So direct your vitriol at yourself.
2Kali5: To criticise is by no means a show of disrespect. Though there's no love lost for Mahathir, surely he is entitled to his opinion as much as Zahid is entitled to his.
Ferdtan: I love it. Let the show begin. Out with the popcorn, we shall await the ending of this political game. After a week or two of such dramatic plays/negotiations, it will turn out to be an anti-climax.
There will be hugs and kisses around, all will be forgiven; Najib gets to keep his position, and Mahathir gets some assurance on the future of his son, Mukhriz, and Proton may get its R&D (research and development) fund of RM3 billion from the government.
After all, Mahathir is the advisor of Proton which was privatised and now controlled by DRB-Hicom.
It seems that the company had requested from the government a RM3 billion grant to fund its development of new models but Najib's government is not too keen (no money?) and is dragging its feet on the decision. Is this one of the real reasons Mahathir is hitting out at Najib?
It is ridiculous that our taxpayers' money can be given to private company DRB-Hicom. Indeed it is a welcome respite from the recent Pakatan Rakyat fiasco which has not ended yet, to divert the rakyat’s attention to Umno-BN.
For the next few days, more Umno and ministers, which presently include Tengku Adnan and Zahid, will come out to defend Najib. Muhyiddin will only come out last to 'aid' his boss when he sees the battle is lost.
KnockKnock: Zahid, when you mark a cross on a ballot paper, you are only giving support to a party and not to the leader. A leader is chosen within the ruling party itself and never by the rakyat.
A leader is human like you and me, at times make errors. He does not fall from the sky or is god chosen. He deserves to be respected if he does good. But asking us to be loyal to him?
If you ask us to be loyal to the country, that's acceptable. But to be loyal to a leader of a political party, that's stupid.
RR: If Najib is not happy with Mahathir's comments, Najib should respond and say what needs to be said in the interest of the country and rakyat. Let the people be the judge, not sycophants.
Doc: In my quest to figure out the legal justification for charging one for 'sedition'; if I were to bash Najib in public similar like what Mahathir is doing, would I be hauled up?
I would be glad if any Umno lawyer can comment on this.
ACR: This father-son analogy is really silly and meant to water down Mahathir's criticism. But Mahathir's criticism is from the standpoint of his right-wing frame of mind and his suggestions would not work in this day and age.
Zahid has a point when he talked about the current 'borderless era' in which Mahathir would not last a week if he were still premier.
Mamadias: Former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton has criticised US President Barack Obama, so what's wrong in Mahathir criticising Najib on his performance?
Najib shouldn't worry too much about public opinion; we all know it's not easy to manage a multi-racial and multi-religious country. But he should make some hard decisions.
Sometimes they may not seem right in the short-term but in the long run, they may well prove to be the correct ones.
Imanust Nais Yalam: Zahid also denied that there were certain forces in Umno attempting to topple Najib. This means the opposite is true. More drama is foreseen.
Abasir: Zahid, when will you get your members (above and below ground) to start lodging police reports against Mahathir? He has publicly said that your leader is worse than former premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Can he be more insulting than that? Won't that cause a revolt in the party? Isn't that seditious? Worthy of a suit for defamation? No? Oh, I see. He is Mahathir.
Atlantis: I fully agree with Mahathir that Najib is weak and so are his ministers.
Liew Lean Kut: I think Mahathir is panicking because Najib's hold on Umno is getting firmer every day and it is not good for his son.
Anonymous #70881335: Reluctantly I have to agree with Mahathir. Najib does not provide leadership that we can be confident in.
His deafening silence in so many issues tells us that he is weak and lost. Malaysia needs a strong and firm leader. Period.
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