Q&A|Interview with Former Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak

What did the popularity tell you?

NR: Well, I think the rakyat finally realised that the country before GE 14 was run well, and our policies were bringing to show results. We had a plan, a national transformation plan and we’re delivering, real change was taken place, but of course we needed more time to achieve all the targets but unfortunately because of the propaganda and lies thrown to us at that time by Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Pakatan Harapan, whatever the rakyat enjoyed during that time had been lost, and a lot of people now feel and admit that life was better during the Barisan Nasional period, especially the 9 years when I was the Prime Minister, it was more peaceful, more stable, more prosperous, and especially for the Chinese people, they were making money during my time and that’s why they long for that kind of period to occur again.

Are you harbouring hopes of making a comeback?

NR: As I have said a few times, my priority at the moment is to fully clear my name in court in a transparent way without such things that happened during the Pakatan Harapan government like transferring judges from a civil court with zero criminal experience to replace an existing judge after the hearing of my SRC case started or the LHDN ( Inland Revenue Board) falsifying documents and misusing the law to hit me with a 1.7 billion tax penalty.

How about the party election? Are you going to contest?

NR: My answer is the same, I ‘m also not sure what the time UMNO elections will be, it could be in a year’s time or two years. We shall see that as much can change during that period.

In your opinion, what kind of impact that the young voters would create in the next general elections?

NR: I believe significant impact, because of the additional approximately 1.6 mil additional voters from the 18-21 category. What they want, I think from my sense to the aspect of the young people, they want a moderate, stable, and race tolerant and prosperous environment and also abundance of job opportunities, and more opportunities for them to succeed in life. And I think they have been excited about the national transformation plan, and I believe such a plan if continue in the near future, will certainly fulfill the needs of the young people.

During the 9 years when I was Prime Minister, they were growing up during that period, they could see the visible change taking place, for example the LRT 1 and LRT 2 extension lines, the completion of MRT 1, the exchange 106 tower and the TRX, the Pan Borneo highway, the PNB 118 tower, the wide social safety nets, including BRIM, and also assistance for the young people, stable and inclusive gov, the rapid development of the country, the share market doubling from 800 points to almost 1900, the highest in the history, and certainly the highest bull run in the history, Taman Tugu park project, because young people are concerned about the environment and not forgetting the extensive housing projects for the B40 and mM0 group, all those things that I mentioned occur within the 9 years.

Do you think that the Barisan Nasional would be back as the government again in the coming general election?

NR: I think many people would want a return to a strong, stable and transformative government, that puts people first and focuses on achievements and deliverable, not on political rhetoric. They want the government that can perform, can deliver and can bring real change and of course a peaceful and stable environment.

What is the chance for BN to in Malacca election?

NR: When I was there, you know I have been in Malacca a few times, locals told me that the Malacca economy has slowed down very visibly post GE14. After hearing of those remarks, I went back and to check the official data from the department of statistic, and true enough, this local sentiment was reflected in the official data. In 1916, for example, the Malacca economy grew at 5.5% versus 5.1% for Malaysia, 2017 Malacca grew 8.3% versus 5.9% for Malaysia, but from 2018 to 2020, Malacca growth dropped to 3.8%, 2.9% and -5.9% compared to 4.8%, 4.3% and -5.6% for Malaysia. due to bad policies of the post GE 14, unstable government and slumping investment both locally and national level.

Malacca, as you know, tourism and during the pandemic, probably suffered the worst among all states due to the repeated border state closures and the hub big MCO as well as darurat (state of emergency)under the “bapa lockdown malaysia”, whose main aim was just to hang on to power, together with a thumb of stable of government, Malacca’s economy needs fresh excitement to stimulate the economy again and put it on the next level of growth.

One idea which I have articulated is for BN and the state gov of Malacca to reinstate the high speed rail kl project, not from KLIA to JB because that does not make economic sense, if we can go back to the original scope of the HSR project, which is from Singapore to Bandar Malaysia, this was certainly help to stimulate the tourism industry, bring more people from Singapore, including international visitors from Singapore to visit Malacca and eventually to Kuala Lumpur and also reduce the traffic jam, the congestion in Malacca which is becoming quite a serious problem. but overall, you want a government that has a proven track record of progress in development and only BN can deliver economic stability and progress, whereas PN wants to build KLIA to JB, while PH was a coalition that postponed the project until it was canceled. it’s just an example of what BN can bring to the future of Malacca.

By not collaborating with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia in the Malacca state election, is this a strategy to force Bersatu to return to Umno?

NR: UMNO is a party which abides by the wishes of its member, as you know, they have made their demand very clearly, their demand is to not work with Bersatu, this was made very clear in the Umno general assembly early this year and 6 divisions in Malacca also reiterated the same position which is not to work with Bersatu.

In the past, Umno said: asal bukan ( as long as it is not) DAP. Now the trend seems to have changed. Will Umno accept DAP as its ally in the coming General Elections?

NR: As you know the adage that anything is possible in politics. For example, who’d have thought we could have been in government with Bersatu and PAS despite 22 months earlier Bersatu and PAS were our bitter enemy in GE 14, and who would have thought that in GE 14, PAS and DAP will become enemy when just 5 years earlier in GE13 when there were full of praises for each other. In fact they were also hugging each other in Pakatan Rakyat. And going further back in history, my late father persuaded Gerakan, that was opposition, to join BN, and they became our good partners and late chong yew become one of the best chief ministers in the country. All of these thing can happen, anything can happen in politics.

What do the Malays need the most now? They almost have everything?

NR: In the sense of this question panders to us straight as “Stereotype”. That is why we believe within the Chinese community that’s the Malay has everything but not the Chinese (do not, you know)? It is simply not true.  In Malaysia everyone is given a chance to excel regardless of race within business, education, sport, performing arts, politics, etc. When they succeed, they are celebrated by all races. For example, Lee Chong Wei, Nicole David, Michelle Yeoh, they are equally respected by all races. You should know if you do in the top of 20 richest man in the country, you can see that all races had succeeded and made money in Malaysia. And answering your question, I believe the Malays need to be given opportunity to better their lives through equal access to quality education, clearer prospects for business opportunities.

Some Chinese community leaders say that you are the most open-minded Prime Minister except for the 1MDB issue. What do you think about people’s view on this?

NR: When I was the PM, I tried to do as much as possible to be moderate and inclusive. In fact that has been in the cornerstone of my policies during my time. I’ve always used the word: Moderation and being inclusive, in fact in personal level some of my closest friends are Chinese too. As you know I went to St John’s Institute Malaysia for my primary secondary schooling and I was in the top class in St John’s. There were only two Malays there so I have to get along with basically more Chinese in my class. When I went to UK of course I went to boarding school and I had to get along with English people from other countries as well. So I’m quite comfortable interacting and have been friends with all races. Therefore I always been open minded having relationship people with people of all races.

Would you be able to analyze the future trend of politics in Malaysia? Are the Malay-based political parties integrating? Would the Chinese be marginalized further?

NR: I think UMNO and BN wouldn’t be joining as member of Perikatan Nasional any time. So we have nothing to worry about. But if you worry that the Chinese will marginalised, that is my opinion that the Chinese Community should not throw the support behind one political party as it would also create a counter reaction from the another races. So please share your support with multiracial coalition i.e. BN. Help us better protect interest of all Malaysians regardless of the race.

You have abolished the Section 21 (2) of the Education Act in 1996. You used to be proud of this achievement. Now someone has taken the matter to court seeking declaration that vernacular schools are illegitimate. How do you see this turn of events?

NR: Yes,I was, and I’m still proud of it, because I was the vice president of Umno at that time and I took and I had the political courage to abolish section 21(2) of Education Act, in a context of being an Umno leader, to make that move, it takes a lot of political courage. None of the previous education of minister did it, but I did it, because I believe it was the right thing to do, because education should never be racialized or politicized. unfortunate it was a court matter, I can’t comment on any upcoming decision as it is no longer in my hands.