Najib must be stopped, Dr M tells Johor voters

FILE PHOTO: Malaysia's former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad reacts after an interview with Reuters in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, October 16, 2020. REUTERS/Lim Huey Teng/File Photo

PETALING JAYA: Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak (pic) is not ashamed despite his convictions by the court, says Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

"He (Najib) must be stopped. If he comes back to power, this means that the country will be controlled by a kleptocrat from the 'court cluster' and risks being robbed," said Dr Mahathir in his second open letter to Johor voters on Saturday (Feb 19).

Dr Mahathir added that he had no personal vendetta against Najib, but said that Najib's own brother Tan Sri Nazir Razak came to see him at the height of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and asked him to do something as billions of Ringgit had vanished.

Dr Mahathir thanked Najib for praying for his health but he was actually ashamed to always mention Najib's name.

"To tell the truth, I am ashamed to keep mentioning his name. He has humiliated Malaysia, the Malays and Islam.

"Unfortunately, he is not one bit remorseful but instead pretends to be persecuted, including by me," he said.

He said Najib hoped that the people of Malaysia would believe he was innocent and the victim of persecution by him and his political enemies.

He said there were some who had been influenced and defended him.

The Langkawi MP stressed that before the scandal, he had supported Najib and pressured Tun Abdullah Badawi to appoint him as the deputy prime minister during the latter's tenure.

He however said Najib was not like his father who was a nationalist and a dignified fighter for the nation while Najib on the other hand stole the wealth of the country with the assistance of fugitive Jho Low.