Mahathir: I've met Najib
Malaysiakini.com
May 15, 2008 
Soon Li Tsin 

Dr Mahathir Mohamad said he met Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak four days ago after Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said he would not stop such a meeting between the two.
MCPX

The former prime minister today told reporters that he had a meeting with Najib but declined to give details.
mahathir hulu langat 120408 press conference
"PM did not stop (Najib from seeing me) after I made the matter public. He said he didn't stop Najib. After the PM said that, (Najib) was allowed to meet me.

"I've met him (Najib). I've met him," he repeated several times.

The meeting, which lasted about two hours, is learnt to have taken place last Sunday evening at Najib's official residence Sri Satria in Putrajaya.

Last Wednesday, Mahathir claimed he tried to set up a meeting with Najib immediately after the general election to discuss current affairs - a move that purportedly did not go well with Abdullah.

However, the prime minister denied blocking Najib from seeing Mahathir with two brief words repeatedly: “Tak ada halang, tak ada (didn't block, didn't block)”

After launching a pictorial biography of the late Sher Mohamed Allah Baksh, Mahathir was cornered by reporters to comment on several issues.

He was asked to comment on Kota Belud MP Abdul Rahman Dahlan’s statement that he was approached to cross over to opposition party PKR.

The Umno Youth executive secretary alleged that he was offered a huge sum which can ensure “two or three future generations” of his family would enjoy an easy life.

'They want positions, all of them'

Mahathir curtly replied: “Everybody is obsessed with money. When they have money they can jump into any boat.

“All of them dare not speak up because of money. They want positions, all of them,” he said.

karpal singhAnother reporter also asked the former premier for his views on DAP chairperson Karpal Singh’s refusal to retract his statement in questioning Sultan of Perak Sultan Azlan Shah’s jurisdiction over the transfer of state Religious Department director Jamry Sury by Menteri Besar Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin.

“This is what happens when the government is weak. The people don’t respect them anymore,” he said briefly before being ushered out of the hall by his aides.

umno 2007 opening day 081107 najib and pak lahThe prime minister of 22 years has been critical of the current leadership after several monumental projects under his administration were stopped by Abdullah.

Mahathir has also openly voiced his preference towards Najib to take over Umno and government after the 12th general election.

But Abdullah has vowed to continue as prime minister despite calls from numerous quarters for him to step down.

In recent weeks, Mahathir appeared to have been disappointed with Najib for standing by Abdullah. 

Mahathir subsequently called Najib a "coward" and at the same time he stepped up his attack on Abdullah, his hand-picked successor.

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