Najib: I have good understanding with Pak Lah

Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, in the face of mounting pressure on his boss Abdullah to resign, today issued a statement saying that he would assist the premier in facing the coming challenges.
He said that Barisan Nasional accepted the people’s decision with an open heart although it was disappointed with the overall outcome of the election, including losing power in four states and failing to regain Kelantan despite high hopes of doing so.
He also called on all Umno supporters to close ranks and work hard in regaining the confidence of the people.
However conspicuously missing from his statement was any open backing for Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to continue to lead the country and Umno.
Political observers note that Najib had only pledged to “assist the YAB president in facing this big challenge”.
Calls for Abdullah to resign
In recent days, many Umno quarters have begun to blame Abdullah for the coalition’s worst election defeat in the history of the nation.
Calls are being made for him to step down and let Najib assume the leadership. A leading proponent of this campaign has been former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
However Abdullah, who was sworn in this morning as the prime minister, is fighting back in resisting such calls.
"Why should I step down?" he told a cheering crowd outside his home late yesterday. "Our party has won. I do not fear anyone except Allah. I will stay on, I will not give up.
"We have to continue our struggle, our agenda is far from over. We want our country to be progressive and successful and for you, the people, to be happy," he added.
In Saturday’s election, BN won only 140 of the 222 parliamentary seats. The opposition, led by PKR, won the remaining 82 with the Anwar Ibrahim-led party gaining 31, DAP winning 28 and PAS bagging 23.
The BN coalition’s popular vote in Peninsular Malaysia also suffered a massive blow when it won only 48.7 percent of the popular votes. In 2004, BN rode the wave with a 64 percent popular votes nationwide.
Najib's statement in full: "The 12th general election was conducted in a smooth and transparent manner in accordance with the democratic practice of the country.
"The people of Malaysia have expressed their stand and made their choice, and we are grateful that the Barisan Nasional has been given the mandate to administer the country.
"Although the BN is disappointed over its failure to retain power in five states as well as its failure to obtain a two-thirds majority (in Parliament), we accept the people's decision with an open heart.
"We will continue to strive to regain the confidence of the people.
"We ask Umno members to close ranks in facing this challenge.
"As the deputy president, I will assist the YAB president in facing this big challenge."
Umno backs Abdullah
Later in the day, after attending Umno’s supreme council meeting, Najib said that the party had given its "full support" to remain as leader.
"The Umno supreme council has given its full support to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to remain as the prime minister and Umno president," Najib said after a meeting of the policy-making body.
"And this stance is very important to maintain investor confidence in our country and to allow the party to face all the challenges."
Najib also hoped that there would be “no doubts in Umno leadership and no speculation or effort to change Pak Lah’s leadership”.
“I have a good understanding with him as party president and prime minister and it is the wish of all in the supreme council that his good relations continues,” he added.

Malaysian Front regrouping after poll setback
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia's ruling coalition tried to regroup on Monday after a shocking electoral setback that decimated its ranks and sent markets swooning over the political uncertainties ahead.
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was sworn into office amid mounting calls for his resignation after the National Front (Barisan Nasional) lost the two-thirds majority in parliament it had held for nearly four decades.
Malaysian stocks dived their limit 10 percent in mid-afternoon Monday and the ringgit skidded as investors sold off infrastructure stocks and shares linked to the federal government or its favoured tycoons.
Abdullah called a special meeting of the coalition for 0700 GMT. At the very least he will need to fill some holes in his Cabinet -- four cabinet ministers lost seats in the weekend election, including Works Minister S. Samy Vellu, the head of the main Indian party in the coalition.
"The political stability of the country becomes a question mark," said Pankaj Kumar, chief investment officer at Kurnia Insurance, who helps manage about $500 million in assets.
Sources close to the Prime Minister said Abdullah had cancelled plans to attend next week's Organisation of the Islamic Conference summit in Senegal -- he was to hand over chairmanship of the 57-member grouping -- to deal with the crisis at home.
Chieftains in Abdullah's party, the United Malays National Organisation, trooped to his residence on Sunday to pledge support. Another key partner in the multi-racial coalition, the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA), did so on Monday and the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) was expected to follow suit.
But the poll carnage was spectacular and analysts said Abdullah will need to fight hard to keep together an alliance that has ruled Malaysia uninterrupted since independence from Britain in 1957.
REVIEWING MEGA-PROJECTS
Race riots erupted the last time the ruling coalition lost its two-thirds majority in 1969, but the streets have been calm since Saturday's vote, perhaps because members of all three ethnicities voted against the status quo.
Barisan Nasional won just half the popular vote and 62 percent -- down from 90 percent -- of the seats in the 222-member national parliament. The MCA saw their strength in parliament halved from 31 to 15, while MIC lost two-thirds of their seats.
Abdullah's humbling performance was capped by the loss of his own home state, the industrial heartland of Penang.
A loose alliance of three opposition parties took control of five of Malaysia's 13 states, their most by far. They have threatened to review the multi-billion-dollar development "corridors" in states now under their control that have been the centrepiece of Abdullah's economic programme.
Malaysian states control land and water and can effectively scuttle federal development projects.
The first indication of that came on Monday when the new opposition state government in Penang said it was reviewing plans for an $8-billion real estate project, whose major backer is a firm partly owned by businessman Patrick Lim, a friend of the prime minister's son.
Former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who anointed Abdullah his successor and who still commands some influence in the party, advised him on Sunday to take responsibility and quit.
Mahathir's son Mukhriz Mahathir, a senior executive member of the UMNO youth wing who commands factional support within the party, was also expected on Monday to call on Abdullah to quit.
The opposition Islamist party, PAS, scored shock victories in the northern heartland states of Kedah and Perak and easily retained power in its stronghold in northeastern Kelantan state.
PAS sought to play down fears it would try to ban gambling and alcohol in states under its control. Party president Abdul Hadi Awang said non-Muslims were free to do whatever their religion permitted.
A protest vote from ethnic Chinese and Indians, upset over what they saw as racial inequality in terms of business, job and education opportunities, had been expected.
But Malays, who are all Muslims and traditionally support Barisan, completed a perfect storm for the government, giving the opposition Islamists a record vote to protest rising prices.
Without a two-thirds parliamentary majority, Barisan can no longer change the constitution or make some key appointments.

Mukhriz's press conference causes a stir
A drama of sorts unfolded at a press conference by newly-elected Jerlun MP Mukhriz Mahathir today.
The media was alerted to cover the press conference where Mukhriz, youngest son of ex-premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad, was scheduled to speak at 3pm at a hotel in Seberang Jaya, Penang.
The journalists were told that Mukhriz, also an Umno Youth exco member, will call on Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to quit. Youth wing leaders from Perak, Penang and Kedah were expected to back Mukhriz’s call.
But come 3pm, Mukhriz was no where to be found at the hotel. There were others there, numbering some 200 - majority of whom were plainclothes police - waiting at the hotel for his arrival. There were also police trucks and the light strike force members on standby.
There were also moments of slight tension as journalists were informed that ugly scenes may occur when Mukhriz arrives.
After a 90-minute wait, the journalists were told by Mukhriz’s aide to go to another hotel located nearby quietly to avoid the remaining crowd from following them.
Malaysiakini later learnt that the change of venue was apparently because some Abdullah’s supporters were waiting for Mukhriz to counter his attack against the premier, who was sworn in for the second term this morning.
Security were tight at the press conference, where only the media representatives and Mukhriz’s supporters were allowed in. A large number of plainclothes police were barred from entering the venue.
Mukhriz was seen drafting his speech and discussing with his aides when the journalists arrived. There were also about 100 supporters present.
Remedial actions needed
At the 20-minute press conference which ensued later, Mukhriz however did not call on Abdullah to resign as expected and but in a toned-down statement reiterated that Abdullah should “do the right thing”.
“The voice of the people is very clear, we appeal to the leadership to take cognisance of the people’s wishes and to take the correct initiatives to remedy the situation,” he said when asked on whether he believed Abdullah should quit in the wake of BN’s worst ever polls performance.
He declined to elaborate on what he referred to as ‘correct initiatives’ despite repeatedly being grilled by the horde of journalists, including those from the foreign wires who had flown in from Kuala Lumpur this morning. He merely said people want to see “some changes”.
“I can’t be sure of what the changes will be, but we are confident that Umno and BN will use its own party machinery and process to take remedial action to return to people’s confidence,” he noted.
He expressed hopes that the Umno members will air their views on what measures were needed to be taken in the party’s election, which is expected to be held later this year.
According to Mukhriz, there are “a number of people” who shared his father’s view that Abdullah should quit over the polls outcome, which saw the BN denied its two-thirds majority for the first time and losing five state governments to the opposition.
The Umno rising star described this as an “unmitigated, unprecedented situation” and should serve as a wake-up call to Umno and BN.
Among the factors that led to the humiliating elections results, he said, were that the government was not addressing real issues that was close to the people’s heart.
No rally in Penang
The press conference was interrupted briefly when a supporter vented his frustration at Mukhriz for not making a stronger statement.
“Is that what you really want to say?” said the angry supporter.
Asked on the change of the press conference venue, Mukhriz merely said he felt there was “some tensions” going on and that he did not want the event to turn chaotic.
On the widely-circulated SMS alert that he was to call for Abdullah’s resignation, he said he did not know who was behind the circulation of the text message.
An aide to Mukhriz later also denied that there was a rally, said to be held in Penang tonight and organised by Mukhriz to demand for Abdullah’s resignation.
Mahathir has earlier urged Abdullah to resign and conceded he had made a mistake in picking him as his successor.

news and photo courtesy of :http://bigdogdotcom.wordpress.com


Ahli Parlimen Jerlun Dato’ Mukhriz Mahathir, yang juga Exco Pemuda UMNO Malaysia yang telah dipilih dengan undi tertinggi pada pemilihan Pergerakan Pemuda UMNO Malaysia Ogos 2004, hari ini mengesa agar semua pihak bertenang dan Kepimpinan parti mendengar mesej rakyat dan melakukan yang terbaik. Mesej yang dimaksudkan ialah kekalahan buruk BN di lima negeri dan prestasi menurun secara amnya diseluruh Negara.
Beliau menegaskan bahawa rakyat telah membuat keputusan dan semua pihak perlu menerima keputusan itu dengan ketebukaan, rasa insaf dan rendah diri. Kenyataan ini dibuat disebuah hotel di Seberang Perai, Pulau Pinang sebentar tadi.
Mukhriz juga merayu agar Kepimpinan menimbang ’suara hati’ rakyat yang begitu jelas dan melakukan yang ‘terbaik dan berpatutan’ untuk mengembalikan keyakinan rakyat, termasuk melakukan perubahan yang sesuai. Belaiu meminta semua pihak perlu bertenang dan bertindak rasional dalam kekeliruan sekarang, dimana enmpat buah Kerajaan Negeri bertubah kuasa dan BN untuk pertama kalinya, hilang 2/3 majoriti. Hari ini, indeks KLCI jatuh keparas 950 mata.
Dalam soal jawab dengan media, beliau menegaskan bahawa rakyat Malaysia sekarang sudah matang dan tidak melakukan tindakan luar kawal sebagai reaksi kepada keadaan sekarang. Apabila ditanya apa bentuk perubahan yang perlu dilakukan, Mukhriz berkata bahawa UMNO dan BN mempunyai mekanisma untuk melakukan perubahan yang bersesuaian dan ini pernah dibuktikan.

tunku : in other word Mukhriz is telling pak lah to resign.The message is loud and clear.PAK LAH RESIGN NOW.