(June 3): Datuk Seri Najib Razak's quit challenge to his ministers over troubled 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) last Friday could be an indication that there are rebels in his Cabinet and that he may no longer enjoy full party support, said veteran newsman Datuk A. Kadir Jasin.

Writing in his blog, the former group editor-in-chief of the New Straits Times said the rebellion might not be full-scale but an open disagreement or qualified support.

This was recently seen in comments by Najib's deputy Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, as well as ministers Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal and Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein on the debt-laden state investment arm.

"If there are rebels in the Cabinet, then he does not have full support of his party. The Cabinet rebels are most likely to be from Umno.

"If he believes strongly enough that there are rebels in his Cabinet so as to challenge them to leave, then the indications are he no longer enjoys full support of his party," he said in his latest posting.

The 1MDB issue has become the greatest challenge to Najib as prime minister. He is also chairman of the company's advisory board as well as finance minister.

On Friday, Najib reportedly told his ministers during a Cabinet meeting to resign if they did not agree to the rehabilitation of the strategic investment vehicle, although Culture and Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz later denied it was an ultimatum.

Muhyiddin had previously said efforts to resolve 1MDB's debts must not involve a bail-out of the government-owned strategic investment firm using public funds.

A few weeks later, a leaked video saw Muhyiddin telling an Umno gathering that the 1MDB board had to be sacked for the RM42 billion debt scandal, or it would bring down the government.

Shafie said that ministers had asked questions about the strategic investment firm during Cabinet meetings as many were unclear on the company's dealings.

On Monday, Hishammuddin placed three conditions in his support for Najib over 1MDB, saying there must be rationalisation, accountability and transparency in solving the company's billion-ringgit debts.

Kadir said despite Najib's challenge, none of his ministers were expected to step down, adding that some would not do so as they owed the prime minister "too much", while others had "dark secrets" to  hide.

"For those who do not have skeletons to hide, they will stay on in defiance of his challenge and, indirectly, dare him to sack them," he said.

The veteran journalist questioned the need for Najib to meet regularly with groups of six to 10 division chiefs if he had the full support of his ruling party Umno.

"Some sources say on daily. Is he fearful that past pledges have waned and need to be reinforced with financial allocations and promises?" he said.

Kadir also weighed in on Umno veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah's proposal that direct elections be held for the prime minister's post, noting that the Federal Constitution does not provide for it.

"Ours is a constitutional monarchy where the PM is nominated by the party. Malaysia is not a republic," he said.

The problem, said Kadir, was not with the constitution or the way an individual was nominated for the prime minister's post.

He said the problem was Najib, whom he called a "lame duck", and his refusal to quit in the belief that he still had the support of the majority. – The Malaysian Insider