Forum organisers blame Najib’s aide over no-show

Attendees waiting for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak at the ‘Nothing to Hide’ forum yesterday. Najib did not show up and the forum was cancelled. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, June 6, 2015.

The organiser of the "Nothing to Hide" forum yesterday, law-based group SukaGuam, has blamed the fiasco that led to Datuk Seri Najib Razak's no-show, on one of the prime minister's aide whom they accuse of sabotaging the event.

Without naming the individual, SukaGuam said it believed the organisers would not be blamed for the episode that left Najib red-faced, if the aide and his people had not "excessively interfered with the programme".

"Before the event was even organised, we met several of the PM's aides including this person who was tasked with coordinating the programme with us," said SukaGuam chairman Datuk Khairul Anwar Rahmat in a statement today.

"So, it is unfair that SukaGuam as the organiser and others who have helped us are made scapegoats and have become objects of ridicule."

Najib was scheduled to attend the highly anticipated forum organised by SukaGuam yesterday but backed out on the advice of Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar who ordered the forum be cancelled on the grounds of "public order and national harmony".

The event was postponed and former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad instead took to the stage before police stopped him from addressing more than 1,000 people at the venue.

Forum organisers blame aide over Najib’s no-show

The organiser of the "Nothing to Hide" forum yesterday, law-based group SukaGuam, has blamed the fiasco that led to Datuk Seri Najib Razak's no-show, on one of the prime minister's aide whom they accuse of sabotaging the event.

Without naming the individual, SukaGuam said it believed the organisers would not be blamed for the episode that left Najib red-faced, if the aide and his people had not "excessively interfered with the programme".

"Before the event was even organised, we met several of the PM's aides including this person who was tasked with coordinating the programme with us," said SukaGuam chairman Datuk Khairul Anwar Rahmat in a statement today.

"So, it is unfair that SukaGuam as the organiser and others who have helped us are made scapegoats and have become objects of ridicule."

Najib was scheduled to attend the highly anticipated forum organised by SukaGuam yesterday but backed out on the advice of Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar who ordered the forum be cancelled on the grounds of "public order and national harmony".

The event was postponed and former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad instead took to the stage before police stopped him from addressing more than 1,000 people at the venue.

Observers said Najib's no-show at the forum, where his supporter-turned-critic Dr Mahathir was present, will undermine his credibility and damage his reputation

The said that despite security concerns, the prime minister, who, only a day earlier had declared that he has "warrior spirit", should have proved his mettle by engaging his critics and answering questions on current issues, especially on matters surrounding debt-laden 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

Khairul said yesterday that Dr Mahathir was not "personally invited" to the forum, despite being quoted as saying in the media previously that an invitation had been extended to the elder statesman.

Najib has been accused of using the police to avoid attending the forum after hearing of Dr Mahathir's presence.

However, Khairul said the organisers had wanted Najib to meet Dr Mahathir at the same venue following the IGP's orders to cancel the event, to begin a friendship but this was prevented by the aide.

"We are confident and believe that even if the dialogue had been postponed on police advice, the meeting between Najib and Mahathir had to go on in a closed room because this will open a new chapter in the context of Malaysian politics and calm the hearts of their supporters.

"Unfortunately, this aide used his efforts to stop the prime minister from attending by sending inaccurate reports, and telling him that he would be jeered if he made an appearance.

"Dr Mahathir was ready to meet with Najib and it should not have been stopped. The security issues do not arise if they had met behind closed doors," Khairul said.

He also said that many of the prime minister's officers were "positive" of the development as Najib had displayed high confidence in rebutting every question about 1MDB.

"However, the officer (and those aligned with him) had acted excessively on a few matters. I summarise this as a class of ego which eventually led to SukaGuam and others being made scapegoats and victims of the situation."

He said he has explained the situation to Najib and hoped that the aide will be punished for his deeds.

"That means, there is some truth in what is being said by certain Umno leaders, activists and the people, that the people ruining Najib's image are not those from the outside but from within his circle," he said, adding that SukaGuam will not hesitate to reveal more with evidence and witnesses if the aide continued with his attacks.

- TMI