Kit Siang: Is the table set for Najib's comeback as PM?
DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang has questioned whether BN's victory in the Malacca polls will mark the eventual return of Pekan MP Najib Abdul Razak as Malaysia's 10th prime minister.
Citing Najib's Facebook video this morning, Lim (above) said the Pekan MP had acted as the "commander-in-chief" of the Umno campaign in Malacca.
"The question automatically arises whether the Malacca election will be a stepping stone for Najib to become the...
DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang has questioned whether BN's victory in the Malacca polls will mark the eventual return of Pekan MP Najib Abdul Razak as Malaysia's 10th prime minister.
Citing Najib's Facebook video this morning, Lim (above) said the Pekan MP had acted as the "commander-in-chief" of the Umno campaign in Malacca.
"The question automatically arises whether the Malacca election will be a stepping stone for Najib to become the 10th prime minister of Malaysia.
"Najib thanked the Malacca voters for supporting him and Umno and he described the satisfaction of BN’s state election big win yesterday with a good night’s sleep," said Lim.
He said the question of Najib's future comeback should be pondered not only by Malaccans but by all Malaysians.
"The Malacca general election has been described as a landslide victory for Umno.
"This description is problematic as BN won a 'landslide' victory only in terms of seats won but not in terms of votes secured by each coalition," he said.
Based on the final tally, Lim pointed out that BN had won 21 seats with a 38.39 percent vote share, while Harapan secured 35.65 per cent from five seats.
"The difference between BN and Harapan is only 8,773 votes and there are 12 seats which BN won with less than 1,000-vote majority, seven against Pakatan Harapan and five against Perikatan Nasional.
"If these 12 seats had been won by Harapan and PN, the distribution of seats among the three coalitions would be Harapan 12, BN 9 and PN 7 – setting off Malacca on new political water," he said.
Snap polls
In a separate statement, Lim said the Malacca polls result could tempt Umno's leadership to hold snap polls ahead of a June 22 mark as agreed under the memorandum of understanding between Harapan and the government.
He said this was as BN aspired to return as a single coalition federal government, based on the Malacca poll results.
Warning that it could prove to be a fatal mistake, Lim said the 12 seats won by BN with under 1,000 votes majority was prove that their victory was not a foregone conclusion, but rather dependent on factors including voters turnout.
Meanwhile, Lim also credited former Bandar Hilir assemblyperson Tey Kok Kiew for his willingness to give up the safe seat and move to Bemban, where he lost to PN's Yadzil Yaakub in a five-cornered contest also against BN and two independents.
"He could have remained a state assemblyperson if he stayed behind in the relatively safe seat of Bandar Hilir instead of allocating it to his political secretary and DAP deputy leader, Leng Chau Yeng, who won with a 7,778-vote majority yesterday," said Lim.
"What Tey had done was in the best DAP tradition.
"In my 56 years of political life, I have tried eight times, whether in parliamentary or state assembly elections, to leave a safe seat to contest in a comparatively unsafe seat and I have succeeded and failed four times each," he said.
Earlier today, Tey announced his decision to resign as Malacca DAP chief, saying he was taking full responsibility for the party's defeat.
