GE14 will decide country's fate, says Najib

KUALA LUMPUR: The 14th General Election (14GE) will be crucial in deciding the fate of the country, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak.
In sounding the war horn for GE14, Najib, who is also the Umno president, called the nation to cast their votes wisely as the fate of the nation and the bumiputras will be at stake.
Najib warned that the Malays and bumiputras will be displaced and degraded to the lowest level if the opposition receives the mandate in the upcoming general election.
Speaking at the opening of the 71st Umno Annual General Assembly, Najib stated that it would be pertinent to ensure Barisan Nasional (BN) comes out of the election victorious, to ensure the survival of the Malays, and the country in general.
"Therefore, know that the upcoming general election will place us at a monumental deciding junction as the choice lies in our own hands which will decide the fate of this nation," he said.
"Truly, this is not a question to be played on as the arrangement of our struggle at present is very serious and there will be no more bargaining," he said in his policy speech, which received rapturous shouts and applause from party delegates at the Putra World Trade Centre.
Also present at the opening ceremony was Umno de facto deputy president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, vice-president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, wing leaders and the top leadership, as well as leaders from BN component parties.
The current BN electoral mandate from the previous 13th General Election will end in June 2018.
In his speech at the last party assembly before the march towards GE14, Najib rallied party members to fight until the end in winning the election, which he described as "Bapa segala pilihanraya" (Father of all elections).
Najib warned that the enemy has longed detested the privileges given to the Malays and bumiputra, a special position that could be at risk if the opponent were allowed to rule the nation.
"Firstly, are we willing to allow Islam to be belittled and ridiculed? Secondly, are we willing to see the position of the Malay rulers no longer upheld, but betrayed instead?" Najib asked.
"The size of our civil servants will also be downsized, while our proud Universiti Teknologi Mara (UITM) will not achieve its objectives, if the opposition wins," he said.
Najib, in taking a swipe at the opposition, stated that the Umno splinter party Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, instead of fighting for the bumiputras, was only being toyed with by the Chinese-dominant DAP.
Branding DAP as "anti-Malay" and "anti-Islam", Najib stressed that the party's main goal was to drag the nation into the path of secularism.
In criticising former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Najib said the veteran statesman had crossed the line when he left Umno and joined hands with Pakatan Harapan.
"It was on this stage previously that he reminded us that the Malays easily forget (Melayu mudah lupa), but to us, this man has crossed the line.
"He did so when he worked together and became an accomplice with his own political and principle enemy for tens of years previously, just so he can fulfill his personal agenda and family interest," Najib said.
"Clearly, the term 'Melayu mudah lupa' was in reference to him, because those who hold on to the party's struggle like us will never be Malays who easily forget like him," he added.