KUCHING: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak on Tuesday took a swipe at one of his predecessors for trying to force abrupt change among the people.
In an apparent jab at Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Najib said a leader would not succeed in his bid to force change and discredit the present leadership of Malaysia.
The prime minister made the remark while praising Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for his continuous support of the government.
“I would like to express my appreciation to Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
“He is a very supportive immediate predecessor, unlike another predecessor who wanted to force (a different version) of disruptive change.
“He will not succeed because Sarawak is not for him,” said Najib during the opening ceremony of the 13th World Islamic Economic Forum (13th WIEF) here on Tuesday.
Abdullah, the founder of WIEF, is among the many local and international leaders attending the forum themed “Disruptive Change: Impact and Challenge”.
Although Najib did not name Dr Mahathir, it was understood that he was taking a swipe at the Pakatan Harapan chairman.
Najib, who is also Finance Minister, also took the opposition to task when he explained the reason behind the government’s move to introduce the Goods and Services Tax (GST) two years ago.
“Those in the opposition who say they want to get rid of the GST are deceiving the people and deploying fantasy economics.
“In the 21st century, governments and countries cannot just stand still and carry on doing things the old way.
“Responsible governments must change policies, as circumstances change for the wellbeing of the people,” he added.