Published April 23, 2009

Mahathir names Najib's 'unsavoury' ministers

By S JAYASANKARAN
IN KUALA LUMPUR

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FORMER prime minister Mahathir Mohamad yesterday came right out and named who he thought were the 'unsavoury' characters that had been included in Prime Minister Najib Razak's government. He also denied that he had disproportionate influence over the current administration.

Dr Mahathir named Nazri Aziz as one of the ministers he thought should not have been appointed to Mr Najib's Cabinet.

He also felt Johari Baharum, his former political secretary, should not have been made a deputy minister.

Mr Nazri is a minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of law and parliament while Mr Johari is a deputy agriculture minister.

Dr Mahathir's remarks yesterday came after he had expressed disappointment last week that Mr Najib had appointed 'unsavoury characters' into his government. But the former premier used the occasion to debunk speculation that he had undue influence over the government.

'It is quite obvious that he (Najib) does not depend upon me,' Dr Mahathir told reporters yesterday. 'For example, he appointed ministers and deputy ministers who I think don't deserve to be ministers, who are involved in corruption.'

There has been increasing speculation that Mr Najib, leery of getting on the combative Dr Mahathir's bad side, is unduly deferential of Dr Mahathir to the extent that some foreign newspapers have begun talking of a 'return to Mahathirism'. Dr Mahathir has irritably dismissed the suggestion in his blog.

But his blunt ways remain undiminished. Asked by reporters to clarify why he named the men, Dr Mahathir replied: 'Nazri was nasty to me, so of course I don't like him. And Johari Baharum has this accusation against him for accepting RM5 million (S$2 million) to release people. Of course he was cleared but some people still feel he should not be made deputy minister.'

In 2007, Mr Johari, then deputy home minister, was accused of allegedly accepting money to release a detainee. But he was later cleared by the Anti-Corruption Agency.

But Mr Johari also incurred Dr Mahathir's wrath when he refused to support the former premier's bid to become a delegate from Kubang Pasu in Kedah to the annual assembly of the United Malays National Organisation. Mr Johari was the head of the division which Dr Mahathir headed for well over 22 years.

For his part, Mr Nazri had been one of the most vocal defenders of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi when the latter was attacked by Dr Mahathir.

In a separate development, Dr Mahathir maintained his position that the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition should contest in a soon-to-be-called by-election despite Mr Najib taking a contrary position.

Mr Najib said it was pointless because it would be a waste of time and energy and that the country should focus on the economy. In any case, the BN is not expected to win the seat.

Dr Mahathir admitted that he was not consulted over the issue but maintained that he had the right to state his opinion when asked by the media as well as on his personal blog.

But he maintained that it did not mean he was opposed to Mr Najib and conceded that, ultimately, it was up to the premier to decide.