JERANTUT: Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is Malaysia’s number one actor for befriending his nemesis Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Najib reminded the people that Dr Mahathir’s act of making public amends with former deputy prime minister Anwar showed him (Dr Mahathir) as someone whom the people cannot trust.
“He previously lambasted Anwar as the worst kind of person (manusia paling dahsyat).
“Then suddenly at court, he (Dr Mahathir) shook hands with Anwar. What is this?
“He is (Malaysia’s) number one actor. Best actor. This kind of person cannot be relied on. One must have ethics.
“I am not making this up. This is fact. I cannot do it but he (Dr Mahathir) can,” said Najib, who is also Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman.
He was speaking at a meet-the-people’s programme here today.
Najib was referring to Dr Mahathir’s shaking hands with Anwar at the Kuala Lumpur High Court on Sept 5, 2016.
The public rapprochement was significant in light of the fallout between Dr Mahathir and Anwar when the latter was kicked out of the government in 1998.
Before an audience of over 2,000 residents here, Najib reminded them that Dr Mahathir was merely being used by DAP to split the Malays in the run-up to the 14th General Election (GE14).
He said this is critical as the people would either have a choice of BN, which had successfully administered the country for several decades, or the DAP-led opposition coalition (Pakatan Harapan).
“Dr Mahathir is being used by DAP to split Malay support. DAP is trying to show it is being friendly with the Malays. This is just a lie.
“Does DAP like Islam or not? Does it help those in the rural areas?” asked Najib rhetorically, with audience responding with loud affirmation.
During the event, cheers erupted when Najib announced that an Urban Transformation Centre (UTC) would be built in the district.
However, no date was given on when the UTC would begin construction.
He also launched the upgrading of Jerantut District Hospital, which involved the construction of a new building block with a 30-bed capacity, emergency and trauma department, outpatient treatment department, and specialist clinic.
The hospital currently has 77 beds since started operating in 1977, although it was officially opened in 1979.
Najib also announced the construction of four new clinics in Kampung Labu, Kampung Kuala Tahan, Kampung Sungai Tekam Utara, and Kampung Padang Piol here.
The upgrades and construction would cost RM25.4 million.
Also present today were Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob and Jerantut Umno division chief Datuk Ahmad Nazlan Idris.