Najib: I will not quit as PM because of pressure

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Monday 11 May 2015 - 11:59 Makkah mean time-22-7-1436 BERNAMA Photo Kuala Lumpur (IINA) - Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said Sunday that he will not bow to pressure to step down as prime minister, saying he will remain in the job with support from the United Malays National Organization (UMNO), Malaysia's largest political party, and trust from the people. "I will only bow to the people and party members. As long as the people and members of Umno support me and have trust in my leadership, I will continue to serve," he was quoted by BERNAMA news agency as saying in front of more than 40,000-strong crowd in Kota Belud, Malaysia's easternmost Sabah state. It was the first time the Prime Minister had openly come out with a strong-worded statement since coming under heavy criticism and calls to quit from former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Najib said the mandate to become the Prime Minister and UMNO President was given to him by the people through a democratic process right from Padang Besar in Perlis to Pulau Sebatik in Tawau, Sabah. The Prime Minister's call for a show of support from the people of Sabah was answered in grand fashion by the crowd with three cheers calling out 'Najib, Najib, Najib' and followed by a thunderous applause, according to the state-run agency. He said every leader, including himself, would have to face severe tests during their tenure as leaders and former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad too was no exception since he too had gone through even more tests during his tenure as Prime Minister for 22 years. AB/IINA