AgenciesPublished: March 22, 2009, 10:02
Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia's incoming prime minister has warned that the ruling may lose power if it does not reform, tackle graft and serve the people. In a rare interview published on Sunday, Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak also indicated that an action program for ethnic Malays should be reviewed. "We have been in power for the past 50 years and now we are at the crossroads...although we have been dominant for more than 50 years, it is no guarantee that we will continue to do so," he said in the interview with the New Sunday Times, Berita Minggu and Mingguan Malaysia newspapers.
The joint interview with the three government-linked newspapers is an attempt to shore up the plunging popularity of the United Malays National Organization (Umno), the main pillar of the ruling National Front coalition.
Umno will hold a key five-day meeting starting on Tuesday to elect a fresh batch of leaders. Najib is contesting the post of party president unopposed. By tradition, the party president becomes the prime minister. He will replace Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who is stepping down after five years in power to accept responsibility for UMNO's dismal showing in the March 2008 general elections.
Umno will hold a key five-day meeting starting on Tuesday to elect a fresh batch of leaders. Najib is contesting the post of party president unopposed. By tradition, the party president becomes the prime minister. He will replace Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who is stepping down after five years in power to accept responsibility for UMNO's dismal showing in the March 2008 general elections.
"We need to undertake reforms, be it in the party or government, as the people have given us the signals at the last general election to change. If we are not brave enough to change, we will be changed by the people," Najib said in the interview.