The Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman and Umno president said current leaders should be entrusted to carry on with the journey and legacy because a struggle based on idealism cannot be fulfilled in a short time.
“Like how a wheel turns, all sides cannot be on top always. One day, we are down, and we support those who are up. Then comes our turn.
“Only then can our struggle be fulfilled and the leadership gain the appreciation of the people who will evaluate our deeds and legacy.
“This is the concept of leadership, not by way of condemning and trying to destroy a party that has done us much service. This is not the way of the people who love Umno,” he said.
Najib was opening the Langkawi Umno division delegates’ meeting, which was attended by more than 1,000 party members. Also present was division chief Nawawi Ahmad.
Najib said he himself carried on with the legacy and struggle of the previous five prime ministers by adding value to the struggle, not by destroying what had been built and nurtured thus far.
“I still remember a particular leader saying before that when we do not hold any particular position, we have to support the new leader because when we were leaders others backed us and that was why we were successful,” he said.
However, he said, what was happening now was the reverse because that same leader was now trying to destroy the 71-year-old Umno.
“Former adversaries are now friends, former friends are now enemies. What’s this? This is not morality in politics. This is the politics of anger, disappointment and forgetting the fundamentals of Umno’s struggle,” he said.
“For example, Onn Jaafar (who founded Umno) left the party and established Parti Negara, but that party was in no way comparable to Umno,” he said.
Illustrating himself as a “shady tree”, Najib said he realised that he could not be strong without Umno and the support of its members.
Nevertheless, he said, he was hopeful that the three million Umno members who were the party’s strength would fully back him.
Referring to Langkawi, Najib said he would give serious attention to bringing greater development to the resort island.
“People of Langkawi, do not worry or panic. The Umno-led government will continue to ensure that Langkawi undergoes intensive development to become more progressive in the future,” he said and pledged to retain the duty-free status of the island.
Najib said the government had provided big allocation of funds to the Langkawi parliamentary constituency, for example, to expand the international airport, upgrade the jetty in Kuah and provide electricity in Pulau Tuba.
“As long as there is Umno and the BN, this place will have an excellent future. Do not worry. I will bring much more progress to Langkawi,” he said.