Najib takes a jab at Shafie’s ‘I’d rather die’ remark

PETALING JAYA: Former prime minister Najib Razak has slammed Shafie Apdal for defending his decision to dissolve the Sabah state assembly and calling for state polls earlier this year.

Earlier today in Parliament, former Sabah chief minister Shafie had said he would “rather die” than handover power to parties without the people’s mandate.

Najib criticised the Warisan president’s lack of regret over his decision, despite the state polls’ contributing to the third wave of Covid-19 infections nationwide.

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“He insists he is willing to die. He said he would rather die in the political battlefield even though his party eventually lost (the polls) and many died as a result of Covid,” he said in a Facebook post.

However, Najib added he would “refrain” from criticising Shafie further as supposedly there is a possibility they may work together politically, in an apparent reference to Annuar Musa’s grand coalition proposal.

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Although he did not give details, it is understood that he was alluding to Barisan Nasional secretary-general Annuar Musa’s suggestion for a “grand coalition” to unite the ummah (Arabic term for community), saying other parties including multiracial ones are free to join.

Besides the main parties such as Warisan, Pejuang and Muda, Annuar said other independent ones like Barisan Jemaah Islamiah Se-Malaysia, Indian Progressive Front, Makkal, Parti Cinta Malaysia could also be part of the coalition.

He said this will be discussed at a Muafakat Nasional steering committee meeting on Wednesday.