Pak Lah and Najib: Same old, same old


— The Malaysian Insider
Sep 21, 2011

SEPT 21 — It is really amusing how former leaders labour to protect a legacy or image, many times even more strenuously than when they were occupying the hot seat at Putrajaya.

Look at Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad; when he was in power for 22 years, he did not care if Malaysians and his critics called him a dictator or autocrat or “Mahafiraun”.

But since yielding the reins, he has attempted to rewrite history by suggesting that it was the police who ordered the arrests of over 100 people under Ops Lalang and that he was tolerant, open-minded, transparent, etc.

Now comes the turn of Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. He has come “alive” since his replacement Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced on Thursday plans to abolish the Internal Security Act (ISA) and other laws enacted, propped up or abused by the Barisan Nasional (BN) government.

Abdullah warned Najib of internal opposition and last night said that he, too, was single-minded about pushing for reforms but was not forceful enough. As a result, little was achieved. He and his supporters point to the MACC as a proud legacy of the Abdullah era.

But we know better. The MACC is more powerful but just as incompetent as its predecessor, a lumbering machine to do the bidding of its political masters rather than tackle corruption.

If it were serious about going after the corrupt, many of the country’s leaders and ministers would have to justify living beyond their means.

Then came his famous reform of the judiciary. He kick-started that reform by appointing an Umno lawyer as a senior judge and earmarking him for the top position in the judiciary.

Today, the judiciary is still a pale shadow of the proud, credible and independent institution it once was in the 1970s and early 1980s. Just look at the decisions that allowed the power grab in Perak in 2009.

So, it is difficult to accept Abdullah’s view that he was a serious reformer.

He and Najib are alike in many respects. First and foremost, they are Umno men. Their first love and the people they care about are Umno members. Their first instinct is to listen and follow what the party wants. They are only willing to take into account the interests of other Malaysians when political survival is at stake.

Abdullah or his advisors crafted an image of a reformist after he took over from Dr Mahathir, knowing that the electorate was not willing to accept a clone of the long-serving prime minister. So he mouthed all those wonderful “work with me, and not for me” and “I am the prime minister of all Malaysians”phrases that got him a resounding victory and, later, a shameful loss.

A few big fish were arrested by the then ACA, now including the MACC’s arrests of Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik and Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy. But note how all were acquitted and it does seem that Dr Ling may well walk free.

But then came the pushback from Umno and the Malay ground, and Abdullah shrunk from his responsibilities to the country and governed the country like the president of Umno, sweeping critical issues under the carpet and allowing the growth of the right wing elements.

He suddenly became a reformer after the general election in 2008, only when he realised that he had been rebuffed by many Malaysians and that his party members had grown tired of his weak leadership.

But a true reformer does not wait until his options have run out before trying to change the country for the better. The true reformer has vision and drive. Reform is not the last resort or a survival strategy of a true reformer. So Abdullah may have been a decent chap, but a reformer he never was.

So de facto Law Minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz was right when he said that Abdullah did not have a clear vision of reforms. But Nazri is only half right. He says that Najib had a clear vision from Day One of taking office. That, in plain English, is utter rubbish.

Najib may have wanted to do a few things but he has also kept his eye on the right wing of Umno. That is why his once-promising economic liberalisation has floundered badly.

Notice how the talk of open tenders has all but disappeared because the Umno beast has to be fed with contracts and projects and concessions. This beast demands a share of all the big projects in the country. The PM has to accede because he has to keep his party happy. So when they demanded for a slice of the MRT piece, they got it.

He treated Datuk Ambiga Sreenvasan and the people of Bersih as criminals because that was what his party demanded. That is why there was a flip-flop over the offer of the stadium.

Only when he realised that Bersih represented the aspirations of many Malaysians and that his handling of the rally had backfired big time, did his administration backpedal and start talking about election reforms. Even then, it was on their limited terms and with no commitment to bring about the reforms before the coming polls.

His friends, brothers and advisors have spoken about the need for the PM to be a reformer to save his administration and legacy. That is why there is now a push to talk about abolishing the ISA, etc. Because political survival is at stake.

We don’t blame Najib just as we don’t blame Abdullah. They are taught from young that their allegiance is to Umno first. That is why they allow their party newspaper to run rampant with racism and allow their party members and surrogate units to divide this country on a daily basis.

Only when their backs are to the wall, do Umno presidents try to become reformers. Or when they are no longer in office.

  1. #1 by k1980 on Wednesday, 21 September 2011 - 3:15 pm

    Tomorrow Pak Bad Awi is going to reveal that he tried to abolish the NEP but the mamak stopped him from doing so.

    Day after tomorrow, he will reveal that he tried to stop the food for oil scandal in iraq but saddam hussein stopped him from doing so.

    And finally on Friday he will reveal he tried to disband umno but the police stopped him from doing so…..

  2. #2 by k1980 on Wednesday, 21 September 2011 - 3:31 pm

    History will remember Dollah as a snoozing Mat Jenin who was unable to make his incompetent Pak Pandir-like son-in-law the next pm.

    His favorite song—
    Dream, dream dream dream, dream, dream dream dream
    When I want you in my arms, when I want you and all your charms
    Whenever I want you, all I have to do, is
    Dream, dream dream dream
    When I feel blue in the night, and I need you to hold me tight
    Whenever I want you, all I have to do, is
    I can make you mine, taste your lips of wine, any time, night or day
    Only trouble is, gee wiz, I’m dreamin’ my life away
    I need you so that I could die, I love you so, and that is why
    Whenever I want you, all I have to do, is
    Dream, dream dream dream, dream
    I can make you mine, taste your lips of wine, any time, night or day
    Only trouble is, gee wiz, I’m dreamin’ my life away
    I need you so that I could die, I love you so, and that is why
    Whenever I want you, all I have to do, is
    Dream, dream dream dream … snoozkk

  3. #3 by abdul on Wednesday, 21 September 2011 - 3:54 pm

    This shows the quality, if any, of leadership that Malaysia has. Because they have far too many agendas, especially personal and for cronies, they got lost in a heap of rubbish that deserve them to be consigned into oblivion in GE13

  4. #4 by monsterball on Wednesday, 21 September 2011 - 3:56 pm

    The corrupted lot are in dire strait situations….in do or die position…exactly like Najib said….to prepare to die protecting PutraJaya.
    In this case…not really DIE in that sense……but his government will be dead and PR takes over.
    Everything Najib said and promised …are hitting his government and leadership hard….for without 2/3 majority…no billions to bribe voters…popularity keep sliding down.
    No money….no vote.

  5. #5 by dcasey on Wednesday, 21 September 2011 - 4:10 pm

    “Najib had a clear vision from Day One of taking office says Nazri”. “That, in plain English, is utter rubbish says the writer”.

    Wot??? Nazri asked in disbelief….that is not rubbish, it is the art of shoe polishing, he insisted.

  6. #6 by Bigjoe on Wednesday, 21 September 2011 - 4:52 pm

    There is no reforming UMNO/BN and Malaysia without actually splitting UMNO. Its that simple. The person to reform UMNO must coopt the right-wing and then send them to oblivion and its not even simple to do the second step. You can’t just arrest them and throw them in jail. They are like Al-Qaeda supporters – they don’t believe anything even if the proof is right in front of them. They believe what they want to..

    To rid the UMNO/BN of the right-wingers – you have to both attack their organisation as well as engage them. Take away things that feed them – the money first and foremost. You have to constantly engaged them in arguments and when their leaders go too far which they inevitably will, you throw the books at them and send them away..Then coopt the followers, keep them so busy and occupied with their won lives.

  7. #7 by sheriff singh on Wednesday, 21 September 2011 - 6:50 pm

    When the UMNO cash cow run out of milk, the addicted calves will get withdrawal symptoms. Where will they go? What will they do?

  8. #8 by drngsc on Wednesday, 21 September 2011 - 6:54 pm

    The difference between Jib and Bad-bad-wi may be non-politics. One guy sleeps alone, while the other guy sleeps around. One guy has control over his wife while the other cannot.
    In politics, well they are UNMO lah. So many warlords there, and they were both on rocking chairs.

    Please do not get fooled by Jibs smoother PR ( cost us alot of money ) team. Jib, It is all talk only.

    Please stay focused.

    We must change the tenant at Putrajaya. GE 13 is our best chance. Failure is not an option. We all must work very very hard.

  9. #9 by tak tahan on Wednesday, 21 September 2011 - 8:33 pm

    Ok Ok mai kan cheung.We would change the tenant at Putrajaya and by that we will work extremely hard with no failure option.One guy sleeps alone..where his maid cum wife?The other guy sleeps around and the unfortunate one got c4ed..the rest should heap a sigh of relief while still alive and kicking.In short,this two always sleep very well on job..same same la.

  10. #10 by bennylohstocks on Wednesday, 21 September 2011 - 8:53 pm

  11. #11 by yhsiew on Thursday, 22 September 2011 - 12:25 am

    They may pretend to be Tony Blair style cool reformers, but they must not forget that we, the people power, are the ultimate kingmakers.

  12. #12 by boh-liao on Thursday, 22 September 2011 - 9:29 am

    Of cos, same same lor, how 2 b different when they all came fr a ONE RACE RACIST party called UmnoB; same same too 4 MCA, MIC, etc RACE BASED political parties
    Must b d ONLY RACE BASED political parties
    in d world

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