Najib: It's Morally Wrong To Go On 55-Day Holiday To New Zealand When Country's In Crisis
Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who is serving time for corruption, is a witness in a defamation suit filed by former deputy minister Datuk Seri Dr Edmund Santhara Kumar against Batu member of parliament (MP) P Prabakaran.
By Sadho Ram — 07 Mar 2023, 05:19 PM — Updated almost 2 years ago
Earlier today, 7 March, former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak testified that it was "not morally right" for former deputy minister Datuk Seri Dr Edmund Santhara Kumar to go on a 55-day holiday in New Zealand during the Movement Control Order (MCO) period
Najib, who is jailed at the Kajang Prison, was at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court as a witness to give evidence against Santhara, in his defamation suit against Batu member of parliament (MP) P Prabakaran.
Prabakaran had called out Santhara during press conferences on 17 March and 28 May 2021, for the latter's 55-day family holiday in New Zealand from 18 December 2020 to March 2021.
Santhara then filed a civil defamation suit on 23 June 2021, claiming that Prabakaran's statements made during both press conferences were slanderous and libellous, purportedly issued with malicious intent.
On 8 September the same year, Prabakaran then filed his defence, stating that his statement did not carry any malicious intent to tarnish Santhara's reputation, reported New Straits Times.
In court today, Najib testified for Prabakaran, saying that a minister and leader appointed by the people should put the rakyat as their main priority at all times, even if it means sacrificing their personal holidays.
"During difficult times, one (a political leader) has to be with the rakyat," Najib told Sessions Court judge Zulqarnain Hassan, adding that people were barred from even crossing state borders during the MCO.
He said reports stating that Santhara had stayed in New Zealand for 55 days left many dismayed.
Najib recalled that during his tenure from 2009 to 2018, he never took more than two weeks' leave as it did not feel morally right to do so
According to the jailed former prime minister, when he was on leave with his family in Hawaii in 2014, he was forced to cut his holiday short upon finding out about major floods on the east coast then.
"I decided to return home and cut short my holiday, despite my family pleading with me to continue. But I said 'no, I need to be with the rakyat'. I didn't want to take any rest and I came back to be on the ground," he said, adding that he has always held leading by leadership as part of his principles as a politician.
Najib said that as someone elected by the people, one must serve the people, regardless of the fact that Santhara had a right to apply for leave, as he ought to still consider the circumstances at hand
"You can decide to give yourself 55 days leave, but whether morally right to do so, should always be a major factor, and I do not think it is morally right for anybody to go for 55 days (leave)," he said.
According to Najib, it was more wrong as at the time, there was an MCO.
"People were not allowed to travel across state boundaries, and here is somebody going overseas. And if I'm not wrong, at that time, there were many who suffered, waving white flags because they needed food and help. As a deputy minister, you should be with the people showing concern. Even if you don't go on the ground, you should show concern. If the rakyat suffers, you should suffer with the rakyat," he added.
Najib also took a jab at then-prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, whose name was not mentioned today, for approving Santhara's leave
"If I was the prime minister — between 2020 and 2021 — I would not have allowed anybody to go for 55 days leave during a crisis. I do not think it is right," Najib told the court.
When questioned during cross-examination by Santhara's counsel N Krishnan, if he thinks the then-prime minister made a mistake by approving Santhara's leave, Najib replied, "Yes."
"If he was wrong to go, it was also wrong for the prime minister to allow him to go."
