Malaysian PM declares innocence at party assembly

Addressing the annual meeting of his long-ruling United Malays National Organisation (Umno), Najib appealed for unity after a fractious week in which the party’s deputy leader has called for him to stand aside.

The report also claimed corruption and mismanagement of the state-run fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad, which was funded by Najib in 2009 and gathered a debt of almost $10 billion over the years.

The government said the money was political donation from a supporter in the Middle East. Najib, however, resisted demands to explain the goal and source of money.

“It is good that the president showed magnanimous attitude, so after this I want to see steps that will be taken to solve the problems”, he told reporters after attending the closing ceremony of the UMNO General Assembly 2015 at Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), here, today.

Najib also sounded a note of defiance in Thursday’s speech, telling delegates that “even though we are being pushed to fall, there shall be no retreat, no surrender”.

UMNO has ruled Malaysia since winning its independence from Britain in 1958, but has steadily lost support over the years, losing the popular vote to its opposition for the first time in 2013 parliamentary elections.

He said the rural, mostly ethnic Malay voters who are UMNO’s bedrock care more about the party’s support for their interests than about the accusations Najib faces.

On Monday, party vice president Muhyiddin Yassin, whom Najib sacked as deputy prime minister in July for demanding answers in the scandal, urged the premier to leave office until investigations are completed.

He said sacking Umno leaders would only worsen the situation. “We will continue to remain steadfast with him”, said Jehan Ongkomon, an UMNO delegate from a rural constituency, echoing many delegates interviewed by AFP.

UMNO’s support was contradicted by a flood of social media comment this week.

“Wait for a statement from the party’s highest leadership”, the statement by Hadi’s political secretary, Dr Ahmad Samsury Mokhtar, said.

He said several other announcements would be made soon which would give more confidence to the people that the government is really making a concerted effort in ensuring the success of the rationalisation plan.