UMNO stalwart and former minister Rafidah Aziz has explicitly endorsed Pakatan Harapan as a new government.

The outspoken former Wanita Umno head, who frequently criticises Najib Razak’s administration on her Facebook page, said, for the first time, Malaysians should change their government and entrust a new one to the opposition coalition.

“Malaysians should this time change the management contract of our beloved country, Malaysia. We shall give this trust to Pakatan Harapan,” she said.

Her lengthy post repeated some of her past writings about the breakdown of the rule of law in Malaysia’s institutions and the erosion of integrity.

Singling out alleged scandals involving 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), Rafidah said nothing had been done in Malaysia even as other countries launched investigations into the state investor presided over by Najib.

“In Malaysia, it’s still ‘no case’, ‘no connection’… there are no clear or satisfactory answers, documents are made secret… there is interference in the changing of investigation officers and members of the (PAC) Public Accounts Committee.

“The Parliament speaker is also always preventing MPs from raising questions about 1MDB,” she said.

Rafidah, who was in politics and federal government under Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s administration, said Malaysians should not “continue their contract with Najib & Co”.

“(The contract) should be replaced with a new contractor led by a manager who has an excellent track record.

“People need not be sentimental about stopping the old contract,” she added. – May 1, 2018.