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Malaysian PM Najib uses road-sign tweet to mock opposition

This article is more than 12 months old

Prime Minister Najib Razak, in a late-night tweet on Monday, took a fresh swipe at the opposition while drawing people's attention to a new MRT line opening next Monday (July 17) in Klang Valley.

The Prime Minister posted a picture of a road sign for the Kajang MRT station on his Twitter account. It read: "The Real Kajang Move. Coming to you in seven days. #JomNaikMRT."

The second phase of the MRT line, from Sungai Buloh to Kajang, is expected to be fully operational by July 17, reported local media.

Mr Najib said that 500,000 people a day are expected to use the new line connecting Sungai Buloh and Kajang, reported Malay Mail.

The 51km line comprises 31 stations, of which seven are underground.

He said last week that the Malaysian government is committed to improving public transport and increasing connectivity to ensure commuters can travel faster at a cheaper price, reported The Star newspaper.

"Time is gold. That extra time and cost that is saved by using public transport will increase the quality of life," he said in a speech posted on his blog last Friday (July 7).

His latest tweet was a play on the word "Kajang".

For those who are familiar with the political twists and turns in Malaysia, the "Kajang Move" refers to a political manoeuvre used by the opposition in 2014 to try to get Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim elected to the Selangor legislative assembly.

The party's Lee Chin Cheh had resigned as Kajang assemblyman and Anwar was named as the party's candidate for the by-election. The resignation fuelled rumours that it was engineered to allow Anwar to enter the state legislative assembly for the purpose of removing then Selangor Mentri Besar Khalid Ibrahim.

However, the Court of Appeal overturned Anwar's acquittal of sodomising former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan and sentenced him to five years' jail, disqualifying him from running in Kajang. Anwar's wife Wan Azizah Wan Ismail contested instead in the by-election and won.

Tan Sri Khalid was later sacked from the party and attempts to name Dr Wan Azizah as menteri besar failed, leading to the appointment of Datuk Seri Azmin Ali, reported New Straits Times.

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