The Malaysian Insider
Mar 03, 2012
BALING, March 3 – Datuk Seri Najib Razak apologised for Barisan Nasional’s (BN) past mistakes today that cost its two-thirds parliamentary majority and four states in 2008, recognising the groundswell against the ruling coalition remains ahead of a general election that must be held by next year.
The prime minister said the BN would rectify the mistakes and make up by serving the people as best as it can.
The voters’ rejection of the BN, like in Kedah, was in a way due to the mistakes made by the coalition, Najib (picture) said during a day-long visit to the state.
“I believe that we should not be arrogant. In a parliamentary democracy, we have to subject ourselves to the power of the people. We must have made mistakes for the people to have rejected us.
“We apologise for our past mistakes. The victors apologise, as do the losers,” he said at a meet-the-people session at the Kuala Ketil public field near here, according to a Bernama Online report.
The BN chairman said the ruling coalition will learn from the mistakes and rise again.
The Malaysian Insider understands that the latest Umno surveys show that there could be a repeat of the Election 2008 results but with Pakatan Rakyat (PR) getting at least 87 federal seats, five more than in 2008.
Among the issues blighting BN’s efforts to garner more support include a civil service pay revamp that has gone awry, the National Feedlot Centre (NFC) scandal involving a minister’s family and the Lynas Corp rare earth refinery operations which has seen growing opposition to its plan to keep radioactive wastes in the country.
BN won 140 seats in the 222-seat Dewan Rakyat with the remainder going to PR but a series of defections have seen the opposition now having 76 seats. It also lost Perak to BN in 2009 after three PR lawmakers quit to be independents supporting the federal government.
PR now holds Kelantan, Kedah, Penang and Selangor but a brewing leadership crisis in Kedah could tilt the rice-bowl state back to BN in the next election.
Najib has yet to indicate when he will dissolve parliament for federal elections but he indicated his confidence today to win back Kedah.
“From the ruins of the BN in Kedah, we will rise and build a strong and sturdy ‘palace’. That’s our resolve. We resolve that we have learnt from our mistakes. We give the people an undertaking, that we will serve them to our best.
“Let the past remain just that. We promise a transformation for the people of Malaysia, and Kedah. The journey has begun,” he said.
Najib said that only the BN can provide the people with a good future.
“Our plans are clear. We have a well-organised agenda, we have a roadmap, we have facts and figures. Sufficient statistics to drive change, to take the nation towards realisation of a progressive high-income country. This is unlike the Buku Jingga,” he said, referring to PR’s roadmap for implementation if they captured Putrajaya.
He said the government wanted to send the signal and provide a clear picture that it is close to bringing about a transformation that will give great benefits to the people.
#1 by Kampong Orang on Saturday, 3 March 2012 - 8:26 pm
Hypocrite! Najib allows his dogs (wild UMNOputras and Perkasamembers) to go out wild to bite people.
As a head of UMNO, he could take actions on those who went out to beat and shout at people. As a head of UMNO, he could easily take actions but he ignores. Beware of his mouth of sweet talk and show false moderation!
Apologize? Hypocrite! What we want is Bersih, Cekap dan Amanah.
What we want is judgement on MACC who murders Beng Hock and on Taib.
He is from the same nest of snakes!
#2 by Bigjoe on Saturday, 3 March 2012 - 8:36 pm
Calling what UMNO-Perkasa/BN did ‘mistakes’ is like calling terrorist-planned trainwrecks just an ‘unfortunate incident’..
#3 by All For The Road on Saturday, 3 March 2012 - 8:36 pm
The apology reflects of the desperate attempt of the BN to retain power with an emotional appeal, amidst a growing shift of steady support from the rakyat for the opposition Pakatan Rakyat to take over Putrajaya which is an imminent possibility.
Time will tell which way the votes will go to!
#4 by tak tahan on Saturday, 3 March 2012 - 8:42 pm
/What we want is judgement on MACC who murders Beng Hock and on Taib./
Hallo,when Taib was bunuhed? Or which Taib?
#5 by Jeffrey on Saturday, 3 March 2012 - 8:59 pm
///No government is perfect. We can have our best intentions, make our best efforts, but from time to time, mistakes will happen. We will make mistakes. We made a mistake when we let Mas Selamat run away. We made a mistake when Orchard Road got flooded. And there are other mistakes which we have made from time to time, and I’m sure occasionally will happen again – I hope not too often. But when it happens, then we should acknowledge it, we should apologize, take responsibility, put things right, if we have to discipline somebody we will do that, and we must learn from the lessons, and never make the same mistake again./// – Transcript of the part of PM Lee Hsien Loong’s election campaign speech May 2011.
Did Ah Jib Gor get the inspiration from it???
#6 by Bigjoe on Saturday, 3 March 2012 - 9:00 pm
Honestly, Kedah PAS could ruin everything for PR nationally..
#7 by tak tahan on Saturday, 3 March 2012 - 9:02 pm
Too little,too late to apologize,Ajib kor kor!Are you saying after five decades of ill treatment to some if not all Rakyat,it’s ok now to apologize and start everything new with your so blardy fake 1Malaysia transformation podahgramme?Or do you mean to give you and gang another worderfull xxx years to steal our nation coffer and take us to be forever fool.Yet you said the journey has just begun for the transformation progress wheareas it should had begun long long time ago during my grandfather’s years.Transformation kepala otak engkau!
#8 by Kampong Orang on Saturday, 3 March 2012 - 9:02 pm
Apologize for what? We want actions in Bersih, Cekap dan AManah. We want actions on those wild dogs ()kurang ajar UMNOputrtas and Perkasa) you let out to bite people! We want arrest of Taib, directors of NFC, murders of Beng Kock, true murderer behind the 2 Polis in jail about the Mongolian mother, etc. We want RM100 billion to be brought back to Malaysia. We want no frogs after elections, etc. etc. etc. TOO LATE!
#9 by Kampong Orang on Saturday, 3 March 2012 - 9:09 pm
Bigjoe, dont worry about Kedah. Just drive around into rural areas of Kedah, you shall see PAS is strong. I once saw in rural area of Kedah a banner for a 7 day CERAMAH and each day has different speaker from PAS. I also saw Harakah was sold at petrol station in rural area in Kedah. PAS would contest about 60 parliament seats.
In order to change federal constituition, you need to vote in parliament. So, look at Sabah and Sarawak, so, to implement Hudud law, it would not be easy.
After all, why not implement Hudud laws and let the law to cut off the hands of those corrupted UMNO, MCA, MIC, Gerakan, Parti Bersatu Bumi Sarawak, etc.?
This Hudud law would only on muslim not on non muslim.
I am a non muslim but I still prefer PAS than BeEnd. Alcohol is confirmed as class 1 carconogenic. You could check at American Cancer Society Web site. So ban of pub or entertainments are good for home-typed family.
#10 by Kampong Orang on Saturday, 3 March 2012 - 9:13 pm
DAP is quiet (silence is golden) but MCA is shouting out loud to support non muslim to murder themselves (by drinking alcohol at [ubs or entertainment centres). Alcohol is confirmed as class 1 carcinogenic: http://www.cancer.org/
PAS would only contest about 60 seats of parliament. That is far too less than 1 third. How to change constitution to implement Hudud law?
#11 by Jong on Saturday, 3 March 2012 - 9:40 pm
Let the dogs out, then apologise?
Has this rogue apologised for his infamous statement …”over our dead bodies”?
#12 by All For The Road on Saturday, 3 March 2012 - 9:46 pm
The BN should list out, one by one, its mistakes in the last GE as well as the present ones to the rakyat. Hope that all is not lip-service!
#13 by tak tahan on Saturday, 3 March 2012 - 10:11 pm
Soh chai kor Jib,we will start by partly accept your apology when you could first bring back the illicit mony over RM 1 trillion parked or f**k up at oversee follow by the proper investigation on all scandals,grafts and criminals and charge those culprits in the ‘wishful’ independent court.Finally affirmative and strong will transformation to get us progress regardless of race and religion factors involved.Then only we will fully accept your apology.Got deal or not,this time,Ajib kor?
#14 by boh-liao on Saturday, 3 March 2012 - 11:18 pm
Apologise? Washing hands clean fr sins committed?
“Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?”
#15 by sheriff singh on Sunday, 4 March 2012 - 12:00 am
The elections are very near. I am told that Parliament will be dissolved by mid March for a poll on 7th or 8th April.
My crystal ball also predict PR will win with a six seat majority.
PR will also win 7 States, some very marginally.
And then the ding-dongs will start.
#16 by rockdaboat on Sunday, 4 March 2012 - 12:03 am
Ha ha ha, Ajib must be joking!
No apology needed at all for we want to kick out BN in the next election.
#17 by Tango on Sunday, 4 March 2012 - 12:12 am
You are beginning to talk like a person whose back is now against a wall. Good. You can see the stats worsening as your people continue to put their hands into the cookie jar in your last days.
We will make sure this time we won’t let you shred documents in Putrajaya like how Toyol did in Selangor. I can sense all of you already booked your air tickets to flee, ahead of coming Matta Fair. I smell fear…. Good….
#18 by Tango on Sunday, 4 March 2012 - 12:19 am
Jibby, I’ve got a funny feeling that you will find it hard to form an opposition for GE14 cos many of your comrades have skeletons in closet. Many may decide to flee and spend their ill gotten gains overseas like Razak B. Scorpene. I’ve got a funny feeling I’ll bump into many of you in Aust & London next year…
#19 by Jeffrey on Sunday, 4 March 2012 - 7:40 am
you take a cruise down Swan River in Perth with local Realtor familiar with properties along it. He will be able to tell you which of the properties along the river belong to which of our prominent politicians here. The Crème de la Crème of Malaysian political circles are very well represented there.
#20 by Godfather on Sunday, 4 March 2012 - 9:11 am
Ah Jib Kor said: I am soli, I am soli, my predecessors and my associates stole over RM 100 billion from the rakyat prior to 2008. My adminstration had nothing to do with it – the PKFZ, Scorpene, Perwaja, MAS, BMFL, Bank Negara Forex scandals all happened before my time.
So Ah Jib Kor wants another 5 years so that he and his associates can steal the next RM 100 billion.
“Please, please give us that opportunity” seems to be the real message he is telling us.
#21 by yhsiew on Sunday, 4 March 2012 - 9:23 am
///The prime minister said the BN would rectify the mistakes and make up by serving the people as best as it can.///
Mr. PM, I bet you won’t be able to do it. Where are your reforms since you took office?
#22 by sotong on Sunday, 4 March 2012 - 9:26 am
If anyone is serious about our country’s future….a change of government is necessary to clean up decades corrupt and incompetent administration.
#23 by k1980 on Sunday, 4 March 2012 - 10:03 am
Sor Kor Ah Jib said: Gua soli, Gua soli. But after Gua win 13GE, lu lang akan soli, veli soli.
#24 by k1980 on Sunday, 4 March 2012 - 10:38 am
No apology for what your Brown Shirts did, oh Jibby boy?
http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/2012/03/03/perkasa-mob-ticked-off-for-un-malay-like-behaviour/
#25 by dagen wanna "ABU" on Sunday, 4 March 2012 - 10:15 pm
Jib’s promise means nothing and jib’s apology would mean less than nothing. That is to say if jib’s promises are mere
rubbish then jib’sapologies are wot? Dirt! Yeah, dirt.
#26 by Bunch of Suckers on Sunday, 4 March 2012 - 11:19 pm
Watch and read this sucker’s mouth! What he can do and say is suck!!!