Najib dares opposition to unveil shadow Cabinet

BERNAMA 20.02.2011

MELAKA, Feb 20 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak challenged the Opposition to unveil their shadow cabinet.

He said a shadow cabinet would show that the parties in the Opposition coalition were able to work together and that this was a norm in foreign countries.

"In Malaysia we only have government Cabinet. The Opposition is incapable of forming one and does not know how to distribute portfolios to the right figures among its ranks," he said at a Chinese New year gathering held at Dataran Politeknik, Merlimau here Saturday.

Najib also told the 10,000-odd crowd present that he was deeply touched by the warm welcome given to him.

He said the Opposition was made up of untested parties and that at present they were only good putting on a show that they were united.

"...but how are they going to form a government when they can't even form a shadow cabinet," he said, adding that the people could also very well see that Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) was in its death throes as a result of splits within.

"Padang Serai MP (PKR), N. Gobalakhrisnan for example had gloated that there could be no better leader than his boss (Anwar Ibrahim) but now he has exited the party and claims the Opposition leader (Anwar) has cheated him," said Najib.

He said the people should also ask themselves why leader after leader was leaving PKR, from its youth chief, women's wing chief, 11 assemblymen and MPs with the latest being someone just appointed to a top post but leaving in a matter of days as in the case of Sabah PKR.

Najib said PKR was now more known as Parti Keluar Ramai-ramai (party having a mass exodus).

He also reminded voters not to be fooled by outside appearances like in the case of PAS which purportedly fields election candidates it claimed practised the true teachings of Islam.

He said PAS was only good at making empty promises and sloganeering and till now had yet to make an impact when it came to the betterment of people.

Najib also expressed his gratitude that the 1 Malaysia concept had been accepted by the people and that in the process of attaining progress, appreciation should be extended to those who merited it.

Whilst moving the nation forward, the concept also did not forget those who needed help and he did not want to see any Malaysian left out of development, Najib added.