Retired leader should respect his successor – Najib

PEKAN: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said a retired leader should support his successor because his past strength was based on the support from Umno party members.

Najib, who took over the country’s administration from Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawai, said every prime minister has the obligation to bring the country to a better position than the previous leaders.

“I still remember when I took over from Pak Lah, he said I want you to do better than what I have done and take this country to the next level. This is the heart of a sincere person despite handing over the post to me.

“To me, he (Abdullah) is a respected statesman because he does not care about himself but the interests of the country,” he said when closing the Pekan Umno Division Delegates Conference at the Dewan Konvensyen Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah here yesterday.

Najib said Abdullah’s concept and message would be handed over to his successor when the time comes because he was aware that building a nation needed the support of everyone and could not be done within a short time.

He said a leader, who was once a prime minister for 22 years, also often lauded the importance of supporting the leader who helms the government to all Umno members.

However, Najib said the leader himself did not held to the principle after he retired.

“I still remember (the message). Perhaps he has forgotten or deliberately forgot that he reminded Umno members that if we have retired, we must support the person who succeeds us because when we are a leader, other people support us.

“That’s why we managed to be the leader. This is an advice that unfortunately he, himself, does not practise. I’m strong because behind me there is strong support from party members... This is not about Najib Razak alone, but because we are as Umno,” he said. -