(May 13): Datuk Seri Najib Razak can only be removed as prime minister if he was challenged in Pekan in the next general election (GE) or in the Umno party polls, a senior Cabinet minister said today.

Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz was referring to the growing calls for Najib to step down from his position, including from former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

"He was elected by the people through the GE and was elected by party members to become the president of Umno. That is how he became the prime minister," Nazri told The Malaysian Insider.

"The only way for Dr Mahathir can see Najib removed is through the next general election or through Umno election."

Nazri was quoted by a Chinese daily today as challenging Dr Mahathir to stand against Najib in Pekan, his stronghold for the past 10 parliamentary terms, in the next GE instead of attempting to remove him as prime minister now.

However, the former law minister said that he did not necessarily mean Dr Mahathir should take on Najib in the polls but that it was only one of two ways that the latter could be removed.

"I didn't say Dr Mahathir should contest. It doesn't necessarily have to be Dr Mahathir," he added.

Nazri also said that although Najib's predecessor Tun Abdullah Badawi had stepped down while still in office, it was not Umno's way to force the removal of the prime minister before his term was up. – The Malaysian Insider