Defiant Malaysian PM rejects calls that he step down

[webfact]

Defiant Malaysian PM rejects calls that he step down
EILEEN NG, Associated Press

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Embattled Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak poured scorn on a huge two-day rally that brought together tens of thousands of yellow-shirted protesters demanding his resignation over a financial scandal.

Large crowds of protesters camped overnight on the streets of Kuala Lumpur wearing yellow shirts of the Bersih movement — a coalition for clean and fair elections — even after authorities blocked the organizer's website and banned yellow attire and the group's logo.

Former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who has been spearheading calls for Najib's resignation, appeared at the rally with his wife for a second day, telling protesters that people power was needed to remove Najib and return the rule of law.

Najib has been fighting for political survival after leaked documents in July showed he received some $700 million in his private accounts from entities linked to indebted state fund 1MDB. He later said the money was a donation from the Middle East and fired his critical deputy, four other Cabinet members and the attorney general investigating him.

Police estimated the crowd size at 35,000, but Bersih says it swelled to 300,000 on Sunday from 200,000 on Saturday.

Najib has slammed the protests for tarnishing Malaysia's image and dismissed their size.

"What is 20,000? We can gather hundreds of thousands," he was quoted as saying by local media at a rural event in a northern state. "The rest of the Malaysian population is with the government."

In his National Day message late Sunday, Najib said the government rejected street protests, saying they can disrupt public order and not the right way to show unhappiness in a democratic country.

They "reflected a shallow mind and poor national spirit," he said.

Najib vowed not to bow to pressure. "Once the sails have been set, once the anchor has been raised, the captain and his crew would never change course," he said.

The rally was peaceful Saturday and lasted until midnight Sunday to usher in Malaysia's 58th National Day.

"This is a watershed moment. Malaysians are united in their anger at the mismanagement of this country. We are saying loudly that there should be a change in the leadership," said protester Azrul Khalib, who slept on the street with his friends.

He said he was aware that the rally will not bring change overnight, but he wants to be "part of efforts to build a new Malaysia."

Some used colored chalk to scrawl their demands on the street, writing slogans such as, "We want change," and "We want clean and fair (elections)."

Scores of police barricaded roads leading to the Independence Square, a national landmark that authorities declared off-limits to protesters. Two previous Bersih rallies, in 2011 and 2012, were dispersed by police using tear gas and water cannons.

Analysts said the rally attracted a largely urban crowd with a smaller participation of ethnic Malays, which could be the reason why the Najib government allowed it to go on.

"They feel safe because it has not really affected the rural Malay segment, their bedrock support," said political analyst Ibrahim Suffian. However, he said this doesn't mean that rural Malays are happy with the government, as many are upset with the plunging currency and economic slowdown.

A nation of 30 million, Malaysia is predominantly Malay Muslim with significant Chinese and Indian minorities. Its ambitions to rise from a middle income to a developed nation this decade have been stymied by slow-paced reforms and Najib's increasing authoritarianism.

Support for Najib's National Front has eroded in the last two general elections. It won in 2013, but lost the popular vote for the first time to an opposition alliance.

Concerns over the political scandal partly contributed to the Malaysian currency plunging to a 17-year low earlier this month.

In his speech, Najib rejected fears that the economy is crumbling. "It is clearly proven that Malaysia is not a failed state, as alleged, nor is it about to become bankrupt," he said. "On the contrary, the fact is we are stable, with strong fundamentals and will continue to survive and remain competitive."

Apart from Najib's resignation, the demands being sought are institutional reforms that will make the government more transparent and accountable.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-08-31

[bendejo]

He gets accused of this stuff, he denies it.

The accusers don't stop, so he fires a bunch of his top people.

The accusations amplify, there are demonstrations calling for his resignation, and he declares the accusers to be unpatriotic.

It's Nixon all over again. Doesn't he know how this ends?

I'm waiting to hear "the Malaysian people are tired of hearing about 1MDB."

[lostoday]

The same folks have been in charge since 1955 haven't they?

[Jonmarleesco]

'... Najib... fired ... the attorney general investigating him.' Talk about admitting guilt.

[lostoday]

He gets accused of this stuff, he denies it.

The accusers don't stop, so he fires a bunch of his top people.

The accusations amplify, there are demonstrations calling for his resignation, and he declares the accusers to be unpatriotic.

It's Nixon all over again. Doesn't he know how this ends?

I'm waiting to hear "the Malaysian people are tired of hearing about 1MDB."

I beg your pardon! Nixon was a crook and liar but didn't steal 700,000 million.

[ggt]

Malaysians are united in their anger at the mismanagement of this country!

This is a common theme around the world...Brazil, Venezuela, Greece, and many others as economies slow down, unemployment rises, and people become disenchanted with their leadership...

The downside of all this is a country may dissolve into anarchy as in Syria...resulting in war, sever damage and destruction to people, property, and national treasures...

The bad news is this...there is no immediate end in sight to the world's woos as world economies retract and governments print gobs of money to try and cover over their failed economic policies...

[lostoday]

Malaysians are united in their anger at the mismanagement of this country!

This is a common theme around the world...Brazil, Venezuela, Greece, and many others as economies slow down, unemployment rises, and people become disenchanted with their leadership...

The downside of all this is a country may dissolve into anarchy as in Syria...resulting in war, sever damage and destruction to people, property, and national treasures...

The bad news is this...there is no immediate end in sight to the world's woos as world economies retract and governments print gobs of money to try and cover over their failed economic policies...

The answer is take the money back from the people who stole it from the countries.

[worgeordie]

700 million dollars,that's putting Thailand to shame,how did he think he could get away with it putting it in his own account, an honest mistake ! also what happen about the Mongolian mistress that was murdered. some of these people get carried away with big egos and think they can get away with anything.

regards Worgeordie

[lostoday]

700 million dollars,thats putting Thailand to shame,how did he think he could

get away with it putting it in his own account, an honest mistake !

also what happen about the Mongolian mistress that was murdered.

some of these people get carried away with big egos and think they can

get away with anything.

regards Worgeordie

I agree with you. I just don't get it. How can they be that powerful and that stupid at the same time. "I threw the blue dress away - sok I believe you." Betcha I can buy a submarine - can't - can - can't - can.

[cookee68]

Another <deleted> up Muslim country

[wabothai]

Too many inflated egos running governments these days. No worries, they will get their day in court sooner or later.

[bendejo]

[...]

The downside of all this is a country may dissolve into anarchy as in Syria...resulting in war, sever damage and destruction to people, property, and national treasures...

[...]

In Malaysia's case it would become ethnic violence on a grand scale: the people of Malay origins vs the Chinese, Indians etc., what one member of the gov't was caught indelicately referring to as the squatters. These squatters make up app. 35% of the population, and I have to wonder how unified they would be. If it gets to openly armed conflict there goes the great Malaysian success story.

I would think there is some grumbling within UMNO, especially since the heads rolled a few weeks ago. The best thing for Malaysia would be for his own party to tell him it could no longer stand behind him: again, as happened with Nixon. UMNO not only fears the PJP, but also PAS, the Islamic fundamentalist party which doesn't seem to get much notice in the international press. Najib panders heavily to them.

[sunshine51]

The same folks have been in charge since 1955 haven't they?

The same people (Barisan National) have been in charge since Malaysia became

independent from the UK on 31 August 1957. Yesterday was their Independence

Day.

[sunshine51]

'... Najib... fired ... the attorney general investigating him.' Talk about admitting guilt.

He also fired his deputy PM and a few cabinet ministers for telling him to

explain this 700 million USD plus the 10 Billion USD debt that the 1MDB

thing has incurred. Still no answers regarding either have been stated

by Najib or anybody close to him.

In the OP when Najib stated that the government could easily raise "hundreds

of thousands" of people to support them and that this Bersih 4 group had only

around 20 thousand supporters Najib was in his own world and wrong. Today

Malaysians of all races are no longer afraid of the government's harsh tactics.

A friend in KL covering this gathering placed an estimate at a minimum of

200 thousand people while the organisers of the show gave a somewhat

higher figure of around 300 thousand. Bersih 4 supporters turned up from

all over the country. How the organisers arrived at 300K is a bit vague but

the streets of KL were a sea of yellow & KL is quite large in area.

Interesting Mahathir Mohammad showed up to give support because when

he was PM this Bersih 4 thing would not have happened or if it did all the

yellow shirts would be in jail today.

Things are changing in Malaysia these days, the population is fed up with

the incumbent and the Barisan National, plus UMNO is so divided these

days one would expect they may even disolve their own group and

reinstate it after things change. After all it is kinda hard to keep a population

happy when the man or woman in the street has less money is his/her pocket

today than they did 5 years ago & the ones running the country keep getting

richer and keep telling the populace that things are better now than before.

As one Bersih 4 lad said on the BBC..."We're not stupid" during a vox pop at

the gathering. And...supporters of all 3 races showed up...that's interesting

also.

What is quite interesting concerning the Bersih ralley is that there was

no agro and that it was allowed to happen after being declared illegal

by the government & the police. I could have been a blood bath or at

the very least very violent...but it was very peaceful instead.

Things are changing in Malaysia...in their own slow manner...and that's

good IMO.

[dabhand]

Had to smile when Mahathir indicated that he was supporting the protesters and was pushing for Malaysia to return to the 'old order' i.e. when he was in charge.

Worked in Malaysia during the 90's and recalled the way that the goon squad set about dispersing the peaceful demonstrators during the initial legal actions against Anwar Ibrahim. The noise they generated when beating their riot shields with their batons was intimidation in the extreme, backed up by water cannon trucks laced with liberal amounts of pepper spray.

Similarly, the level of corruption, not least directed towards Mahathir and his family, was an open secret. So much so that, when the Sunday Times ran a story on Dr M receiving $50k from a UK company for facilitating a contract award, it was openly dismissed as being way below his normal asking price. A son, currently estimated to have a net worth north of $1b, was well known be heavily subsidised, in his business interests, by the cash cow that was Petronas.

He is turning against Najib only for personal family gain. He has hopes for another son to become PM and extend the family lineage in the power and influence stakes. A leopard............