Tengku Razaleigh, popularly known as Ku Li, said although others might hold different views of the prime minister, he felt that Najib was a firm leader.

“I think he is very articulate, he is very effective in providing leadership as far as his party or his government is concerned,” he said.

The former finance minister was speaking in an interview with Bernama for The Nation talk show.

Tengku Razaleigh, who has served as an MP since the days of Malaysia’s second prime minister Abdul Razak Hussein, said he was happy with the country’s development although it had taken a while to reach the current level.

“It has been commendable in the sense that we have made achievements, and the transformation from an undeveloped state to a semi-developed state has been most welcome, most rewarding, and I think the people generally have benefited a lot from the development,” he said.

At 81, Tengku Razaleigh will be the longest-serving elected representative in the country at both the parliamentary and state levels if he wins the Gua Musang seat in the May 9 polls.

He first won the parliamentary seat in 1974, when it was known as Ulu Kelantan.

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