CALLING it a return-to-work programme for pensioners, Prime Minister Najib Razak struck back at his political foes and described the opposition leadership line-up, which includes Dr Mahathir Mohamad, a farce.

“The latest leadership structure that was announced by the opposition is farcical sounding, a bit like a return-to-work programme for old age political pensioners.

“As for the prime minister candidate, the opposition is so desperate they are now trying to make the people believe it will be a nonagenarian, who isn’t even a member of parliament and whose party has only one seat,” Najib said in his speech at the Invest Malaysia Conference in Kuala Lumpur today.

Najib’s remarks referred to former prime minister and Bersatu chairman Dr Mahathir, who also chairs the Pakatan Harapan opposition pact.

The Umno president stuck to the party script that DAP was the real power behind the opposition pact, saying the leadership was deceptive with three leaders but without clarity on who had power among them.

DAP has 38 federal seats in the opposition pact, the most among the four parties.

Najib said it is the government which offers certainty in business both locally and internationally, unlike the opposition.  

“They are in chaos. Two leading members of one party can’t agree if the old opposition alliance still exists in Selangor.

“’Yes, is does, says one. ‘Oh no, it doesn’t,’ says the other. It’s like a Punch and Judy show.

“The truth is that in a democracy the numbers don’t lie. The DAP leader is now hiding behind the man who jailed him, trying to deceive the Malays into thinking that former leader is their interim candidate for prime minister.”

Najib said the opposition’s word can’t be relied on, adding that recently a leader from one party said that if Malaysia had such good relations with Saudi Arabia, why had the haj quota not increased. 

“It has twice this year, from 22,230 to 27,900 and then up to 30,200.”

Najib added that the opposition will not talk about the real benefits from the government’s engagement with Saudi Arabia, China, India or anywhere else. 

“They (opposition) just tell barefaced lies about it, feeding lies about the economy and stoking fears of economic disasters in Malaysia. 

“There has been a concerted campaign to send such misinformation overseas to damage Malaysia for their own selfish political objectives.” – July 25, 2017.