Another U-turn: 8 years after slamming Najib over Boeing deal, only silence from PH leaders

The government's move to order 30 Boeing aircraft for the use of national carrier Malaysia Airlines has been seen as yet another U-turn by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, drawing comparisons with the protests raised by his Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition in 2017 when then leader Najib Razak did the same.

Najib, in a meeting with US President Donald Trump, had announced the purchase of 25 Boeing planes, sparking criticism by PH leaders.

He also announced billions in US investments by the Employees Provident Fund and Khazanah Nasional.

Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli had then accused Najib of mortgaging the country's interests by boosting the US economy even as Malaysians struggled financially back home.

"I almost vomited seeing Najib degrade the dignity of Malaysians by fawning over president Trump when he said, 'Number one, we want to help you in terms of strengthening the US economy. I come with three specific proposals'," wrote Rafizi, who also mocked Najib for "appearing to bring tribute".

Other PH leaders had also questioned the decision, saying it benefitted US company at a time when America was aiding the Israeli army against the Palestinians.

Among them was former DAP vice-chairman Tengku Zulpuri Shah Raja Puji, who urged Najib to take a stronger stance on the Palestinian issue and cancel the deal with Boeing.

"The prime minister (Najib) not only needs to state his position, he also needs to be firm by withdrawing his earlier commitment to the US president to strengthen the country's economy," he said.

He added that the Malaysian investments meant that the people's money was involved in "every act of destruction and death that occurred in Jerusalem".

When contacted, Zulpuri stood by his remarks, saying his comments were in line with the situation in 2017 and that the times and environment had since changed.

He said the US was currently suffering greater losses due to the conflict in Gaza, and that the latest purchase of Boeing planes was irrelevant.

"It's 2025 now. This deal doesn't help the US much in terms of the economy and its foreign policy towards Israel," he told MalaysiaNow.

Anwar announced the purchase of 30 Boeing planes on March 21. The order comprised 18 Boeing 737-8 aircraft and 12 Boeing 737-10 planes for the use of Malaysia Aviation Group, the company which owns Malaysia Airlines.

Zulpuri said Malaysia, as a neutral country, needed to strengthen its economic position with a strategic ally like the US.

He then repeated a frequent justification made by PH leaders when accused of making U-turns.

"The important thing is, we are now in government and we have joined hands with Barisan Nasional (BN) and other parties.

"All policy decisions are made collectively by the Cabinet. If there are objections from any component of the unity government, of course the prime minister will not act," he said.

MalaysiaNow has attempted to contact several other PH leaders who criticised the 2017 meeting between Najib and Trump, but received no response.

These leaders include Rais Hussin, a former Bersatu member who defected to PKR and now heads government agency Malaysian Research Accelerator for Technology and Innovation, former DAP publicity secretary Tony Pua, PKR's Bayan Baru PK Sim Tze Tzin, and Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad.

The four had held a press conference not long after Najib's meeting in Washington, wearing clothing referencing Trump and holding signs with Trump's campaign slogan, "Make America Great Again".  

One of Dzulkefly's officers said the minister was bound by the Cabinet code of ethics not to comment on issues related to other ministries.

"Definitely, the minister is bound by the ministerial code not to comment on issues that are under another ministry's purview," he said.

Isham Jalil, a former Umno Supreme Council member, said Anwar's latest move showed that PH was out of ideas and only copying from BN.

"They are copying what they once criticised. Before this, they slammed our policies but now that they are in government, they have no new ideas.

"When they were in the opposition, they could say anything they wanted. But now that they're part of the government, they can't use rhetoric anymore," he said.

Eric See-To, a Najib loyalist who continues to defend the former prime minister's policies, also mocked the government's Boeing deal.

"They were the ones who accused Najib of all sorts of things when he announced that Malaysia Airlines had bought 16 Boeing aircraft – they said there was no need, and that it was a betrayal of the Palestinian cause.

"At least Najib got to meet with Trump. But (with Anwar), even his phone call goes unanswered," said See-To who comments under the Facebook account of Lim Sian See.

Critics previously asked why Anwar had not spoken to Trump after his return to the top office this year. In contrast, Trump had communicated with the leaders of neighbouring countries such as Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand.

Criticism was also levelled at Nazri Aziz, Malaysia's former ambassador to the US, for failing to arrange the call.

Gerakan president Dominic Lau asked if Anwar's government had bought the planes to win over Trump.

"I hope that this deal with Boeing is truly for Malaysia Airlines' future, not in exchange for a conversation with Trump," he said.

Lau said that the deal had come at a time of economic uncertainty, and a decline in Malaysia Airlines' performance.

"A big order like this should be based on real needs, not a hidden agenda to be kept secret from the people," he said.

Meanwhile, about two dozen organisation including the local chapter of anti-Israel movement Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS Malaysia) have hit out at the government's Boeing deal.

They said the United Nations Human Rights Council had named Boeing as one of the companies involved in supplying Israel with weapons.

"Malaysia cannot claim to stand with Palestine while enriching a corporation that arms its oppressors.

"By choosing to do business with Boeing, Malaysia is indirectly subsidising a company that profits from apartheid, mass murder and war crimes, which is morally indefensible and a betrayal of Malaysia's professed solidarity with Palestine," they said in a statement.