Umno AGM: Najib’s closing speech
(The Star) – Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak (pic) offered an “olive branch” to his party detractors with the hope of ending any discord but warned that there will be “no retreat, no surrender” for him.
“I choose to be magnanimous, to open my doors and my heart, and to offer a hand in friendship to all so that we can strengthen the party.”
“But I want to issue a stern warning, that if any quarters continue to oppose and seek a fight, they’d better be careful. This isn’t personal anymore.
“They will not just be opposing me as Najib Razak, the party president, but they are also clearly opposing reconciliation and Umno AGM’s decision,” the Umno president said in his winding up speech at the party’s general assembly on Saturday.
Najib received a standing ovation at the end of his speech when he concluded: “No retreat no surrender!”
Najib started his speech by saying that he wondered how this year’s assembly would turn out especially as several episodes prior to the assembly had occurred.
Quoting the Quran, he said “Allah is the best of planners. As Malays, we are taught to be respectful and to be loyal to our leaders.”
“Advising leaders and voicing views also has a proper way. If you want to advise leaders in Umno, there is the right method to do so,” he said.
Najib, who is prime minister, urged members not to believe in assumptions that are not backed up with evidence. “This is to avoid vilification,” he said.
Making reference to the fall of the Malacca empire, he said, that internal squabbling caused the empire to fall to a foreign power.
“If there is no loyalty, even a party as strong as Umno can collapse. If you do not learn from history, history will condemn you,” he said.
Najib said he “listens to the people’s suffering and the points raised by delegates.”
On ERL price hike, Najib said the agreement was signed with the company in 1997. “It was a long-term concession,” he said, equating this to YTL dominance during the time of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s premiership.
Najib said he had opposed the agreement at the time.
“I want to tell you, I accepted the legacy that was placed on my shoulders. But I have every intention to rectify the problem,” he said.
“Where ERL is concerned, discounts will be given to various groups,” he said, adding that he had ordered KTMB to offer 50% discount to students aged between 7 and 18 years.KTMB will make a statement on the matter soon.
Najib also said there would be a “special increment” for civil servants next year, aside from the minimum wage of RM1,200 announced in Budget 2016.
“But that means productivity must also increase,” he said.
Najib said he had instructed the Domestic Trade and Consumerism Ministry to increase enforcement, so that prices were not hiked freely.
Najib said next year would be the start of discussions on the country’s future beyond 2020 and he planned to initiate discourse on the matter, so that Umno would spearhead Malaysia’s direction after 2020.
“I want Malaysia to break into the top 10 in the World Economic Forum report on global competitiveness from its current 18th spot,” he added.
Najib said he also told US president Barack Obama during the TPP negotiations that the “bumiputra agenda was a red line for Malaysia.”
“If that is not fulfilled, we would have exit from the TPP talks,” Najib said he told Obama.
Najib said previous free trade agreements that Malaysia signed with other countries were also risky but they ended up bringing plenty of positives.
On preparations for the next general election, Najib said those on the ground need to start registering new voters, improve the communication flow.
He said the bloggers also need to do their job and not just ‘cari makan’.
Najib said Malaysia had not been targeted by Islamic State because the authorities had so far been efficient in weeding out threats.
On issues raised by delegates on religion and education, he said he would leave them to the ministers in charge to play their role.
