KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 9): Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak appealed for unity in his ruling party as thousands of members met in the capital amid tensions over a funding scandal that have festered for months.
The political temperature is much higher than past annual United Malays National Organisation meetings, Najib -- who is party president -- said on Facebook before delivering a closed- door speech to the gathering. The congress should be a platform for UMNO to bolster its commitment to staying relevant, he said.
"We want to be the image that we project of the party to be of a party that is in charge, that we are a responsible party that can safeguard our interests," he said.
The real picture is murkier as Najib fights to stay in power after revelations in July that 2.6 billion ringgit ($615 million) appeared in his private accounts before the 2013 general election. He’s faced accusations of wrongdoing by the opposition and some UMNO members and calls to quit. The turmoil has periodically dented the ringgit.
The gathering of officials from UMNO, a party that has its power base rooted in the ethnic Malay majority, is being closely watched for whether divisional chiefs continue to support Najib. The powerful nearly-200 strong grouping has generally backed him, though that endorsement may be eroded if Najib is seen as a political liability heading into the next general election, which must be held by 2018.
Popular Vote
UMNO, in office since independence in 1957, won the 2013 ballot with its smallest margin yet, losing the popular vote for the first time.
Among those seeking to oust Najib are UMNO deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin and former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. Najib dumped Muhyiddin as deputy premier in July. The UMNO deputy typically officiates the opening of the women’s and youth wings at the meeting, but Muhyiddin is not listed to do that on Wednesday.
Najib arrived at the UMNO congress Tuesday night to the beating of traditional drums and accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi, a party vice president.
During his address he talked about the country’s economic challenges, troubled state investment company 1Malaysia Development Bhd. and the donations he received, Zahid told reporters. Delegates clapped at the end, he said. The remarks were well-accepted by the crowd, said Defense Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, another UMNO vice president.
Term Limits
There was no sign of Muhyiddin, who on Monday called for term limits for the presidency of UMNO, saying "absolute power corrupts." There are no such restrictions now. Najib should step aside as prime minister until investigations of the funding scandal are complete, Muhyiddin added. Mahathir, who was the country’s longest-serving leader, said Monday he wants to topple Najib but not the government.
Najib has said the funds in accounts that have since been closed were donations from the Middle East and not public money, and were used for the party and community.
"The amount donated to my personal account was the wish of the donor," Najib wrote on Facebook. "But don’t misunderstand. Just because the account was in my name, it doesn’t mean the money was for my personal use."
Religion, Economy
The donor gave the funds without expecting anything in return and didn’t see it as a bribe, he said.
The nearly 740 motions up for discussion at the gathering in Kuala Lumpur range from education to religion and the economy, which is slowing amid weaker business and consumer sentiment. Investors have periodically dumped Malaysia’s stocks, bonds and currency this year.
The government has sped up efforts to pare down debt at 1MDB, whose existence has been dogged by controversy and led to criticism of Najib, who chairs its advisory board.
“If UMNO cannot provide leadership and set the example of a clean and honest leadership, especially over Najib’s twin mega scandals, then UMNO should be replaced” at the next election, opposition Democratic Action Party leader Lim Kit Siang said Monday.