Bangkok: Malaysia's embattled Prime Minister Najib Razak has vowed to stand firm against calls for him to resign amid a new controversy surrounding his handling of a state investment fund that is billions of dollars in debt.
"I will not bow to pressure," Mr Najib said in a speech where he denounced former strongman prime minister Mahathir Mohamad who has led the resignation calls.
Mr Najib was quoted by the state newsagency Bernama as saying he was one of those in the ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) who supported Dr Mahathir's 22 years in power.
"When he was in trouble we supported him to stay on. If we did not support our leader in a time of trial, he [Mahathir] would not have lasted 22 years as prime minister," Mr Najib said.
"If [he] cannot support, then don't make so much noise," he said.
Taking another swipe at the former leader who plotted to install him in power in 2009, Mr Najib said "no individual has the right to ask the removal of a democratically elected leader."
Dr Mahathir, still an influential figure in UMNO despite his 90 years, has repeatedly called in blog posts for Mr Najib's resignation over the investment fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad which the Prime Minister set-up and oversees.
In the latest controversy Tabung Haji, a federal body that manages funds saved by Muslims, bought land from the fund in Kuala Lumpur's new financial district for almost $60 million.
After news of the purchase went viral on social media Mr Najib denied the purchase was to help bail out the fund's debt and said it was an investment.
But Mr Najib said he advised Tabung Haji to sell the land.
"We do not want this controversy because it will take away a lot of energy in terms of concentrating on some of the big programmes that we have in mind," he said.
1Malaysia Development Berhad has racked up about $15 billion in debt and a close associate of Mr Najib has been accused of siphoning off its funds.
Mr Najib, who is chairman of the fund's advisory board, denies any wrongdoing.
Dr Mahathir's attacks have bitterly divided UMNO which has ruled Malaysia since the British departed the country in 1957.
He has also touched a raw nerve in UMNO politics by raising questions about the gruesome murder in 2006 of Mongolian socialite Altantuya Shaariibuu who was at the centre of allegations of high-level corruption involving Malaysia's purchase of two French and Spanish built submarines at a time that Mr Najib was defence minister.
Mr Najib and the government deny any wrongdoing in the deal that is the subject of an investigation by French magistrates.
Two of Mr Najib's bodyguards have been sentenced to hang over the murder but no motive has ever been publicly revealed.
