Every leader has his or her own way of leadership to suit the changing time in administering the country which should not be compared to the strength or weakness of one another.

UMNO information chief Tan Sri Annuar Musa said, in this regard the style of leadership of the prime minister cum UMNO president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was more suitable in managing the country's political and economic landscape currently.

"The leader comes and suits his era. Like Tun Mahathir (former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad) was suitable during his era, 23-year period (as Prime Minister). After he (Dr Mahathir) was no longer prime minister, he had to accept the fact that Pak Lah (Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) suited the era of Pak Lah.

"When Pak Lah stepped down, UMNO members also agreed to give (the position) to Datuk Seri Najib. Datuk Seri Najib is more suited now, and more suitable than Tun (Dr) Mahathir, who ever wants to bring (back) Tun Mahathir now has gone backward.

"...do we want to revive the ISA (Internal Security Act) like in the past, want to bring back the MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission) which was not independent unlike presently..," he told reporters after becoming a panelist in the programme Struggle 4 All, here last night.

Members of the panel involved in the dialogue included UMNO Supreme Council member cum Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dasuki.

Annuar said this when asked to comment on a report in a news portal which quoted a statement by Dr Mahathir that UMNO during the independence era was not led by rogues.

Dr Mahathir who was quoted via a recording shared in the Facebook website of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia in the portal said UMNO currently could not be compared at all to the party during the time it struggled for independence previously.

Annuar said the people knew better that the prime minister had discharged his responsibility well and, in fact, the world had also given recognition to this country in terms of economic growth and diplomatic relations during the era of Najib currently.

"The whole world had given recognition. This cannot be erased just like that by Dr Mahathir... the economic transformation is better in the era of (the leadership of) Datuk Seri Najib, freedom in terms of democracy and selection is better in the era of Datuk Seri Najib, the system of election in UMNO is better in the era of Datuk Seri Najib.

"To me, there is no need to compare, Dr Mahathir was suitable during his era, better for him to rest and to repent (beristighfar). Have confidence in the others too, we have to accept reality," he added.

-- BERNAMA