Najib's predicament

Kuala Lumpur, Sept 13 Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is in a dilemma.

If he does not break with the two-year transition plan and move to oust Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, he risks having his dirty linen hung out in public by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Sources told the Malaysian Insider that the ultimatum was given to Najib by the former prime minister at a recent meeting.' In Perlis yesterday, Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir said his father had told Najib to "go against Abdullah or expect to be finished off".

Najib has reason to be concerned. He served under Dr Mahathir for more than two decades and the latter was privy to all his secrets.

The DPM has supported Abdullah's plan to hand over power to him in mid 2010, saying that it was in the party tradition to have an orderly transition. He has also resisted many attempts by Dr Mahathir, since the Election 2008 debacle, to force Abdullah out of office before the party elections in December.

But yesterday, Najib seemed to be wavering. Asked about Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin's call for the PM to leave office before December, he said party delegates should decide on the transition plan.

Umno divisions will have their meetings and elections in October when they will also nominate candidates for senior positions in the party, including the president and deputy president's posts. Najib's statement yesterday is being interpreted by some as a sign that he will be prepared to accept nominations for the top position in Umno.