Samy: Najib feels for the poor
Former MIC president S Samy Vellu has defended Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak from the recent spate of attacks by saying that Najib can relate to the poor.
Former MIC president S Samy Vellu has defended Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak from the recent spate of attacks by saying that Najib can relate to the poor.
Najib is under severe criticism, especially by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
"Najib is a man who would stand and talk to you because he has got a heart, he feels for the poor people," Samy Vellu told reporters today.
He also said Najib was easy to approach, unlike Mahathir’s claim that it was impossible to seek an audience with the PM.
"If I take my phone now and ring up to the prime minister (and ask), 'Can I meet you at 6?', he will say, 'Come straight away'. That is Najib," he said.
As such, Samy Vellu urged Mahathir to have a private discussion with Najib on the issues he has raised instead of publicly whipping the PM.
"If we have anything (we are unhappy about), we should go and talk to him, face-to-face. Not to attack one another.
"This is not only going to weaken BN but will weaken everybody, including Umno, MCA, MIC and everyone else.
"Mahathir, being a very senior leader whom we respect very much, should have discussions with the people, rather than giving public statements," Samy Vellu said.
He went on to urge Malaysians to acknowledge what Najib has done for them and forget his wrongdoings for the good of the nation.
"Every human being makes mistakes here and there. The best thing is to forget them and look at putting (things) into a proper order and carry on with this country," the veteran leader added.
'Permatang Pauh is 50-50'
Meanwhile, commenting on the upcoming Permatang Pauh by-election, Samy said the votes were divided equally between BN and Pakatan Rakyat candidates.
"I heard it is 50-50," he said.
The constituency was a BN stronghold when Samy Vellu was in cabinet, but swung to the opposition after its MP Anwar Ibrahim was sacked as deputy prime minister in 1998
A by-election was triggered following the PKR de facto leader’s second sodomy conviction since he was ousted from cabinet.
Samy Vellu said BN leaders must be more involved in elections if they want to swing votes to their side.
"Now, if everybody in BN feels like we must win this by-election, we will win. Don’t simply sit inside the house and say we will win.
"Nobody wins without going out and seeing the scenario and to (take) the appropriate action to counter what the opposition is doing. I think there it is a good chance," Samy Vellu said.
Anwar's wife and PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail is going up against BN's Suhaimi Sabudin, independent candidate Salleh Isahak and Parti Rakyat Malaysia's Azman Shah Othman.
Permatang Pauh goes to the polls on May 7.
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