Najib Brings His Bossku Tagline In First Campus Visit Since Losing Power

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Najib Razak speaks to students after performing Friday prayers at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.BANGI: Najib Razak today took his newfound battlecry “Malu Apa Bossku” to the campus, interacting with students at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia here while accusing the government of trying to stop a dialogue event which has since been postponed
“Why are you so afraid of Bossku?” Najib asked referring to his tagline, seen by analysts as the former prime minister’s image makeover months after his fall from power last year
“I am only here to make friends and to give my views to undergraduates.”Earlier, he performed Friday prayers at the university’s mosque, before joining students for a dialogue at a nearby restaurant
Najib also questioned UKM for hosting DAP’s Lim Kit Siang last year
“What is his advantage over me? What has Kit Siang contributed to UKM? My father (Tun Abdul Razak) and I have given so much to the university,” he said
“How is it possible that Kit Siang is treated better than me? How is it that political activist Hishammudin Rais got better treatment than I got?”A student poses for a selfie with Najib during the former PM’s visit to meet UKM students.The Pekan MP said he was not forcing anyone to accept his views, and that he would just present facts for his audience to draw their own conclusions
“I was told that the programme was being postponed, but when you postpone, and there is no new date, to me that is a cancellation at the 11th hour
“I have no issues, as I have other ways of conveying my views, such as through my posts on Facebook and Twitter,” he added
Yesterday, UKM vice-chancellor Mohd Hamdi Abd Shukor said the university management had not been informed about the programme with Najib organised by PMUKM, the university’s undergraduates association
“I think it was postponed to a more suitable date, not cancelled,” Hamdi said, adding that UKM did not require any events organised by students to go through him or the Student Affairs Department
Najib today also hit out at Putrajaya’s decision to freeze MyBrain, a scheme he started to help students further their studies through Masters and PhD
“A student told me he could not afford to pay RM4,000 annual fee for his PhD programme
“I will bring this matter up, so that the programme is continued,” he said
Najib said the MyBrain programme should not be discontinued as it could result in a lack of intellectual capital
“I want students to be able to further their studies to the Masters and doctorate levels. There are students who have told me that they want to further their studies, but they have to pay RM4,000 a year and could not afford it.”He said the government should also fulfill its pledge to help borrowers of the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN)
“The 20% discount to be retained. Don’t force them to pay new rates. Let them pay as low as RM50,” he said
In 2017, Najib announced an allocation of RM90 million for the MyBrain15 Programme to help 10,600 people further their studies through Masters and PhD
Education Minister Maszlee Malik had previously said that the programme was suspended and that the RM90 million had never been given to his ministry. -FMT

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