Obama, Najib enjoy a round of golf in Hawaii
US President Barack Obama is enjoying his Christmas break in Hawaii – with a few rounds of golf and relaxing in the company of family and friends. But joining him on the golf course this time was a surprise visitor – Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
The Washington Post said today Najib was part of the “First Foursome”, including aides Joe Paulsen and Mike Brush, playing with Obama at the Marine Corps base course in Kanehoe Bay.
Obama became the first American president to visit Malaysia in nearly 50 years on a whirlwind Asian tour in April. But in recent weeks, the Najib administration had come under fire over its sedition blitz against opposition lawmakers and academics. The American media had also criticised Obama for not speaking out against Putrajaya over the political crackdown.
Najib is on a private trip to Hawaii and his frequent absence from the country has drawn flak from many quarters, including former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
In August, Dr Mahathir said he would withdraw support for Najib’s government because his criticism had fallen on deaf ears.
"He wants a prime minister who works instead of going on holidays,” said Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib, who was a former Selangor menteri besar.
Last week, DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang said Najib should stop being an "absentee PM" and focus on the various economic challenges in Malaysia, including falling oil and commodity prices.
The Gelang Patah MP said the prime minister should declare a national economic crisis, form a bipartisan Council for National Economic Salvation and summon an emergency Parliament session to discuss economic issues.
"He should declare a national economic crisis to rally all Malaysians to focus on the multiple economic challenges facing the country, now that Malaysia is regarded as Southeast Asia’s weakest spot with the plunge in the forex and equity markets, as well as the current slide in prices of global crude oil and other commodities," Lim said.
Parts of the country are also hit by floods, including Najib’s state, Pahang. His predecessor, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, had also been criticised for being "missing" when floods hit south of the country in 2006.
Meanwhile in Hawaii, reporters were allowed onto the course briefly at the 18th hole, said The Post. Obama missed a putt to the left off the hole, then tried to tap in but "picked the ball up before it missed again", according to a pool report.
Najib also missed a second putt, but Obama consoled him with a pat on the shoulder. – December 25, 2014.
