Malaysia to hold general election 'very soon': Najib

04:45 AM May 06, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia's general election will be held "very soon", said Prime Minister Najib Razak (picture) in an interview with the online media arm of his political party, the United Malays National Organisation (Umno).

"Umno's election machinery in all the states are fully prepared with guidelines and instructions given," said Mr Najib, who is also Umno president. "Everyone knows that the general election will be held very soon."

He stressed, however, that Umno cannot harp on its past achievements for electoral support as voters today want to know the party's future plans for Malaysia.

"Voters of today will not look into our glorious past ... They want to know what are our struggles for today and in the future. We cannot therefore rely on history alone."

Mr Najib said all 3.3 million Umno members needed to play a part to ensure that the party machinery was moving in tandem before the general election is called.

Umno, Mr Najib pointed out, could no longer adopt a "business-as-usual attitude" and must go all out in executing strategies especially in states which Barisan Nasional (BN) had lost to Pakatan Rakyat (PR) in 2008.

"Let's not do things or contribute in a flat or mediocre manner. If we want to topple the opposition-led governments in these states, we must strive more than usual."

While he has set about making a slew of reform pledges - including a repeal of the Internal Security Act - groups such as Bersih have remained unconvinced of Mr Najib's polls reform pledges and took their dissatisfaction to the streets last weekend, nearly a year since its last street rally on July 9.

However, Bersih 3.0 has done little to shake Mr Najib's reformist image, The Economist magazine commented, noting that unlike last year, the political impact from this year's event was likely minimal.

The influential magazine pointed out the different circumstances surrounding both events, saying that the allegations of violence from the electoral reform group's end from last Saturday had lessened its impact this time around.

The article also questioned Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's presence during the April 28 rally, saying that he had "some explaining to do" with regard to accusations that he had "incited" Bersih supporters to push aside police barriers.

The Economist's remarks this time were a stark contrast to what it had said after last year's rally, which resulted in the Home Ministry censoring parts of its July edition last year titled Taken to the cleaners - an overzealous government response to an opposition rally.

Yesterday, Bersih denied it had amassed thousands to the streets of the capital last Saturday to overthrow the government.

The election watchdog, which has in the past repeatedly denied being pro-opposition, insisted that Bersih 3.0's objectives were purely to demand a clean and fair polls process. Agencies