Najib has beaten Mahathir to be “U-turn champion” following his U-turn reneging on his announcement at the UMNO general assembly last November to take-over Hadi’s bill

The Prime Minister and UMNO President, Datuk Seri Najib Razak has beaten former Prime Minister, Tun Mahathir Mohamad as the “U-Turn Champion” with his U-Turn reneging on his announcement at the UMNO General Assembly last November to take-over PAS President Datuk Seri Hadi Awang’s private member’s bill to amend Act 355.

In Pekan in January this year, the Prime Minister ridiculed Mahathir as a “U-turn champion” but in less than three months, Najib has excelled Mahathir in ‘U-turn” performance.

Mahathir never denied that he had done U-turns.

This is what Mahathir said: “Yes, I did a U-turn. Only a stupid driver would drive straight on when seeing the road ahead has been blown up and is no longer passable. To support Najib who has been accused of stealing billions of Ringgit, and a dumb corrupt UMNO would make me a traitor to my country. Hence the U-turn.”

Are the reasons given by Mahathir for his U-turn not only good, rational and supportable? I think the overwhelming majority of people who are rationally-minded and have common sense will support Mahathir’s U-turn.

But will Najib’s receive overwhelming support for his U-turn?

I myself welcome Najib’s U-turn on RUU 355, reneging on his declaration at the UMNO General Assembly last November that UMNO/Barisan Nasional government will take over Hadi’s private member’s bill – a declaration none of the previous five Prime Ministers from Tunku Abdul Rahman, to Tun Razak (Najib’s father), Tun Hussein, Tun Mahathir and Tun Abdullah, would have made.

While I welcome Najib’s U-turn on RUU 355, it was a U-turn he should not have done if he had not made the shocking announcement at the UMNO General Assembly last November to take over Hadi’ private member’s bill.

Is there any guarantee that Najib would not make another U-turn in the near future to support and takeover Hadi’s RUU private member’s bill?

U-turn by itself is a value-free act – neither good or bad, right or wrong. Just as Mahathir’s U-turn is commendable, not driving straight on when the road ahead is no longer passable or not becoming a traitor by supporting someone who had been accused of stealing billions of ringgit, Najib’s U-turn is good and commendable provided he can make a firm commitment that he would not make another U-turn on the same issue in the future.

Can Najib give a public pledge that he would not make another U-turn on the same issue in the future?