Zam differs with Kadir on Najib’s departure

Former minister Zainuddin Maidin says Rosmah Mansor has strong influence in the Najib administration and commands confidence.

KUALA LUMPUR: Former Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin begs to differ with his fellow retired journalist, Kadir Jasin, who penned in his blog recently that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak will be gone in the wink of an eye. Kadir, noted Zainuddin, had said that former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad’s criticism would be sufficient to terminate Najib’s career in politics.

Kadir, said Zainuddin, expects history to repeat itself where leaders who previously claimed that they had the support of the people had to eventually concede defeat and gracefully step down. “He expects history to repeat itself.”

“Najib’s problem is that whatever he says, despite the pomp and splendour, falls on deaf ears,” said Zainuddin. “Mahathir’s criticisms however find a ready hearing especially in the social media although he hardly gets a mention on TV.”

Zainuddin was stressing that Kadir had it wrong when he drew parallels with previous Prime Ministers who had to make way in the face of criticisms against their administration. “The wives of Tunku Abdul Rahman and Abdullah Badawi were not like Rosmah Mansor, Najib’s wife,” said the former Information Minister. “So, Najib’s predecessors were virtually alone unlike him.”

“Besides, Najib also has support from the Istana to keep his job.”

Stressing on Rosmah’s role, he noted, that she was active in Permata which puts Wanita Umno in the shade, she managed to get Malaysian students in Egypt transferred to Saudi Arabia when the Foreign Ministry failed to get the job done quickly. “Rosmah has influence, compared with Najib, and has the confidence of political leaders and activists in various fields,” said Zainuddin.