Dr M again tells Najib to brace for worst

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has again warned prime minister Najib Razak of the prospect of being forced out of office if Barisan Nasional fares badly at the coming 13th general election.

Asked today about an earlier remark that Najib could face difficulty after the election, Mahathir repeated his warning.

"I say theoretically, if he [Najib] does not do well, of course his position will not be stable," he was quoted as saying by Malaysiakini.

Mahathir had said that Najib must perform better than his predecessor Abdullah Badawi or risk being rejected by UMNO.

In 2008, BN under Abdullah lost its traditional two-third majority together with four states, leading to calls in UMNO for his resignation.

Abdullah resigned in April 2009, appointing his deputy Najib, a move which Mahathir had then believed could pave the way for UMNO's strong performance at the next election.

"Of course, if he does not perform, there will be some necessity to switch horses. There could be a lot of disappointment and maybe a move to challenge him. That is normal," Mahathir said.

Asked who he had in mind to replace Najib, the former UMNO strongman who publicly called for Abdullah's resignation, refused to name his candidate.

"I don't have any candidate (in mind). I don't expect that to happen... I said theoretically only," he replied. -HD