Umno denies Dr M sent '7 demands letter' to Najib

 

 Umno has denied a report claiming that Dr Mahathir Mohamad penned a letter to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak before publicly whipping him.

In a text message to Malaysiakini, Umno secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said: "There is no such thing."

The Asia Sentinel stated that Najib had instructed Tengku Adnan to meet Mahathir and urge the former prime minister to withdraw his letter, which purportedly contained seven demands.

However, Mahathir had refused, the report says.

Asia Sentinel claimed that the letter, sent two to three months ago, was quoted to the website by a businessman with links to Umno.

On Monday, Mahathir wrote a caustic posting on his blog, expressing disappointment with Najib's leadership.

Asked about Mahathir's attack at a function last night, a smiling Najib sidestepped the question.

'Dr M sour not invited to dine with Obama'

As for the demands, Asia Sentinel reported that among them was a call for Najib reform the debt-ridden 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

In his letter, Mahathir also purportedly complained that not enough contracts from national oil and gas company Petronas were going to the bumiputera.

Apart from this, he was said to have accused Najib of being too friendly with foreign governments, including the United States, on the TransPacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA).

"He was also said to be miffed that Abdullah Ahmad Badawi attended a dinner with (US President Barack) Obama during the latter’s visit but he wasn't invited," the report states.

Mahathir, according to the report, also demanded that Malaysia Airlines, which is 70 percent owned by the Khazanah Nasional sovereign fund, be turned over to a business tycoon close to the former premier.

Since his public admonishment of Najib, speculation has been rife that Mahathir is now planning to topple him, just like how he played an instrumental role in removing Abdullah.

However, Mahathir later said he wanted Najib to improve, not resign.