NAJIB NEEDS TO WORK HARD TO ENSURE BN WIN 13TH GE

PUTRAJAYA, April 9 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Najib Razak has to
work very hard to ensure National Front (Barisan Nasional - BN) win the next
general election.

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad who said this, opined that the
mentality of many people today had been influenced by the flaws in the
government leadership before this, invoking a sentiment which was difficult to
change.

He said change would take a long process, hence Najib must be firm in
restoring United Malays National Organization (Umno) and BN's image.

"It's very difficult to change people's thinking, that is why the government
led by Najib has to be firm in its stand in rebuilding BN's image, particularly
Umno's image," he told reporters following BN's loss in the Bukit Gantang (a
district in northern Perak state) and Bukit Selambau (a small town in northern
Kedah) by-elections Wednesday.

Earlier, Dr Mahathir had launched the book titled "Mencari Kebahagiaan"
(Looking for Happiness) written by Hashim Abdul Wahab, at the Perdana
Leadership Foundation building, here, Wednesday.

He said besides the lack of development, rampant corruption had only
heightened people's dissatisfaction with the government.

"People are unhappy to see that after almost six years, there is not much
development and we don't know who got the government contracts. Many of the
small- and medium-scale industries cannot survive," he added.

On the claim that BN's loss in the two by-elections was due to non-Malay
votes for the opposition, Dr Mahathir said this could not be the factor as
Malays formed the majority of voters in both areas.

"If the Malays didn't vote for PKR in Bukit Selambau, PKR would not have
won. The Indians are the minority there; they could not have won (without Malay
votes). If you add the Indian votes to the Chinese votes, they (PKR) still could
not win. The fact is many of the Malay voters gave their votes to PKR. It shows
there are (many) Malays who are dissatisfied with the government," he said.

Dr Mahathir also refuted the claim that there was an agreement between him
and Najib to include his son Mukhriz in the new cabinet line-up to be
announced Thursday.

He said this was mere speculation and baseless as he had never interfered in
Mukhriz's political route.

"I have never lobbied for my son. I have never campaigned for him, and have
never spoken for him. I leave him alone and when he lost (the Umno Youth
elections), that's his business.

"If Najib wants to appoint him, that's Najib's business, not mine," he said.

UMNO is a right-wing party and Malaysia's largest political party; a
founding member of the National Front (Barisan Nasional) coalition, which has
been Malaysia's ruling political party since independence.


-- BERNAMA