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Najib sacks deputy over 1MDB

KUALA LUMPUR — Embattled Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak sacked his deputy and four other ministers in a Cabinet reshuffle, and replaced the Attorney-General yesterday, in a bid to shore up his political position, which has been tainted by the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) controversy.

Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najib Razak (R) announces the appointment of new Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (L) following a cabinet reshuffle in Putrajaya, Malaysia, July 28, 2015. Photo: Reuters

Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najib Razak (R) announces the appointment of new Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (L) following a cabinet reshuffle in Putrajaya, Malaysia, July 28, 2015. Photo: Reuters

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KUALA LUMPUR — Embattled Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak sacked his deputy and four other ministers in a Cabinet reshuffle, and replaced the Attorney-General yesterday, in a bid to shore up his political position, which has been tainted by the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) controversy.

Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin was dropped days after he publicly called on Mr Najib to explain the scandal engulfing 1MDB, which has debts of more than RM42 billion (S$15 billion). The troubled state investment vehicle is also under investigations headed by the A-G and other government agencies over allegations that some US$700 million had been funnelled from 1MDB into the Prime Minister’s personal accounts.

The allegations are the biggest challenge to Mr Najib since he took office in 2009, and could even threaten the grip the ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) party has kept on Malaysian politics since independence in 1957.

Mr Najib announced the removal of Mr Muhyiddin early yesterday in a live telecast, calling it a “difficult decision” but one he had to make to ensure the Cabinet operated as a collective unit.

“To deliver for Malaysia, I must have a solid and unified team moving in the same direction,” Mr Najib said.

“I welcome vigorous debate, and can accept dissent and criticism. However, this process should take place in Cabinet as part of the decision-making process. Members of the Cabinet should not air their differences in an open forum that can affect public opinion against the government and Malaysia.”

Mr Najib also announced that Mr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will take over as the new deputy prime minister while retaining his current portfolio as home minister, explaining that the reshuffle was done after taking into account political considerations and his administration’s needs to ensure it remained focused on Malaysia’s development.

Mr Muhyiddin’s removal marks only the second time in the history of Malaysian politics that a deputy prime minister was sacked, following Anwar Ibrahim’s fall from grace in 1998.

The promotion of Mr Zahid marks a steady rise up the ranks for the former political secretary to Mr Najib.

Speaking at a press conference, Mr Zahid said his appointment was not a “reward” but a “responsibility”. “I urge my Cabinet colleagues, (UMNO) supreme council members, division and wing leaders, and the BN leadership to give strong support to Najib,” he added.

This is the first time Mr Najib has enacted a Cabinet reshuffle since coming into power in 2009.

Some UMNO ministers quickly rallied support behind Mr Najib’s move, including Minister of Defence Hishammuddin Hussein, who said it was the Prime Minister’s prerogative and that former premiers had done similar reshuffles. Tourism and Culture minister Nazri Aziz said Mr Muhyiddin’s removal was not a surprise as he had clearly gone against the Cabinet in speaking out against 1MDB.

“We don’t need a show of disunity in the Cabinet at this time,” he said. “Clearly some of the ministers dropped, especially those from UMNO, have not toed the line on the 1MDB issue, or whose time was up.”

As part of the reshuffle, Mr Nur Jazlan Mohamed, chairman of parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which is investigating 1MDB’s finances, was appointed Deputy Home Minister. He said he and several other BN lawmakers who were appointed deputy ministers had to vacate their positions in the PAC, confirming that the ongoing 1MDB probe would be affected.

Earlier yesterday, Chief Secretary to the Government Ali Hamsa announced the removal of Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail, who had been leading the multi-agency taskforce probing allegations of misappropriation of 1MDB funds involving Mr Najib, due to “health reasons”.

As critics claimed that the personnel changes throw doubt on the 1MDB investigations, members of the public also cried foul against the reshuffle.

Among scores of comments on social media sites, Facebook user Nara Raj posted: “Looks like no matter what, dirty politics is gonna win and all Malaysians will do is showing our frustrations on social media.” Another Malaysian, Andrew Choong, wrote of Mr Zahid replacing Mr Muhyiddin: “What has become of M’sia today? To me, (it) is a sad and dark day in M’sia politics. Should have handled the issue more professionally ... Clearly a big division in the party.”

Experts noted that Mr Najib’s cabinet reshuffle was a pointed move to shore up his political position within UMNO. Dr Oh Ei Sun, an analyst at Singapore’s S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, said Mr Najib was trying to consolidate his power base in UMNO by dropping those who had doubts on 1MDB.

“Only with a more orderly UMNO house can he confront the 1MDB allegations more confidently,” said Dr Oh, who was Mr Najib’s political secretary from 2009 to 2011, adding that Mr Najib’s move would ease pressure on him from within UMNO in the short run.

But Dr Ooi Kee Beng, deputy director of Singapore’s Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, said even with this “defensive move” from Mr Najib to cut off the people who are not “yes-men” in his administration, the pressure on him would continue in other forms.

“This choice of tactic will leave the Cabinet even more isolated from society, the Malay community and important segments of UMNO itself,” Dr Ooi told TODAY. “There is no technical way for (Najib’s) critics to dethrone him right now unless a vote of no confidence can be passed in Parliament, or that some criminal case is put against him,” he said. “It looks like a fight to the finish for him.” WITH AGENCIES

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