When He’s Alone, What Does Najib Think About?


by Kee Thuan Chye
Yahoo! News
31.12.2103

I wonder, when Najib Razak has his private moments, what does he think about?

Does he think about what a liability his wife, Rosmah Mansor, is turning out to be? About the bad press that has been mounting against her and her allegedly extravagant spending and her use of the government jet to go to Qatar? And now her son’s purchase of a RM110 million condo in New York City?

Lavishing that amount of money at a time when Malaysians are being compelled to pinch pennies is obscene. It also shows up the glaring contrast between the lifestyles of the ruling elite and those of the common people. While the ruling elite forces us to tighten our belts in the face of rising prices, its own family members appear to be having a whale of a time.

It may be claimed that Rosmah’s son, Riza Aziz, came to great wealth through his own talent and initiatives, like investing successfully in Hollywood movies such as The Wolf of Wall Street, and is therefore entitled to his enjoyment of luxuries, but the next question that begs to be asked is: Why, in the midst of the brain drain Malaysia is suffering, does he not come back instead to contribute his talent and wealth to developing his own country? And helping his stepfather to achieve the goal of making Malaysia a high-income nation?

In his private moments, does Najib think of reining Rosmah in? Of sitting her down and having a good talk with her about the need to be sensitive to his position as prime minister, and certainly not to do anything that could inadvertently hurt his public image?

But then, does he even think that what she does is politically unbefitting? Is he at all concerned that it has angered Malaysians? Well, from his ardent defense of her at the recent Umno general assembly, at which he praised her for her “contributions” to the country – which avowedly amounted to only bringing Malaysian students home from crisis-torn Egypt – it would seem not. He appears more concerned about protecting her feelings.

One might well ask: Is he languishing under some kind of stupor?

In his private moments, does he think about the association he is alleged to have had with the late Altantuya Shaariibuu, who was blown to bits with a C4 explosive allegedly by his former bodyguards? Although attempts have been made by government agencies to expunge her from Malaysian memory, culminating in the acquittal of the accused by the Court of Appeal last August, has her ghost been exorcised from Najib’s mind? Or does it come back to continually haunt him because the mystery remains as to who would want her killed? Does it bother him that as long as it remains unsolved, his name is not quite cleared? At least, not as far as the public is concerned?

Does he, when he sits alone by himself or lies in bed before falling asleep, think of the bad press he himself is getting? Of late, the worst must be about the rise in prices because of his allowing the petrol and sugar subsidies to be cut, and electricity tariffs and toll rates to be raised. So much so that there are groups calling for the Government to be toppled.

Does he feel any pang of conscience thinking about the rakyat’s suffering while he is spending the rakyat’s money like there is no tomorrow? In November, the news weekly The Heat gave an excellent breakdown of his spendthrift ways. For instance, he and Rosmah spent RM17 million on overseas travel between 2008 and 2011.

Then in 2012, the rakyat had to pay RM134,317 for Rosmah’s trip to Saudi Arabia, Oman and Bangladesh, plus RM140,000 for an overnight stay in Dubai’s luxury hotel, Atlantis. Doesn’t this go beyond the bounds of decency and the limits of the rakyat’s tolerance? Why should we have to pay for these expenses when Rosmah holds no public office and is therefore not a representative of the Malaysian government? And why must she stay at Atlantis when RM140,000 can go a long way towards funding the needy?

Incidentally, about two weeks after that report came out, The Heat had its licence suspended.

In his quiet moments, does Najib think about the impracticality of his being finance minister as well? Doesn’t he have enough on his plate already as prime minister? Does he want to keep the finance portfolio so that there won’t be checks on his spending of public funds? And he can give his own Prime Minister’s Department a budget allocation of RM15 billion, which, according to The Heat, is 3.5 times the allocation for the entire state of Sabah?

Is holding two jobs too much for him? To the extent that between 2009 and October 2013, his government paid private consultants a hefty RM7.2 billion to give advice and even create the education blueprint although we have 1.4 million civil servants from whom it could surely tap some great ideas?

More important, is holding two jobs making Najib lose control of the way the country is going?

His ministers come out and say the most horrifying things, and he lets them. Like telling the police to shoot suspects first and ask questions later. Or telling the public, “You fight with me, I fight you, I kill you.”

His ministers clamour for preventive detention to be revived and Najib tamely agrees, breaking the promise he made in 2011 that preventive detention would be a thing of the past.

The Malay right-wing group Perkasa makes provocative statements that incite ill feelings against non-Malays and non-Muslims, but Najib doesn’t even say a word, not even to reassure the targets of attack. In fact, when he’s expected to say something to reduce tension over a heated issue, he often plays mute.

Then there’s religion. He’s allowing it to split Malaysians. In his Maal Hijrah address on November 5, he vowed to uphold the word ‘Allah’ for the exclusive use of Muslims – even if the world laughed at Malaysia for doing so.

Now the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) is setting out to track down Christians who use ‘Allah’ to refer to God. It is also reminding churches in Selangor that a 1988 state law forbids them from using ‘Allah’ and 34 other Arabic words, including ‘nabi’ (prophet), ‘injil’ (gospel) and “Insya’Allah” (God willing).

And yet Najib could still say at Christmas that Muslims should not offend Christians and Christians should not offend Muslims. After having taken the combative stance during the Muslim day of celebration a month before, he now said that although there were differences in their interpretations of the concept of God, these should not lead to disputes because “Islam and Christianity can be said to have common origins”.

Most pertinently, he reiterated that he was not interested in winning an argument because he was more keen on preserving peace, harmony and stability. If he truly means this, he should right away retract what he said on November 5, and issue a directive to all government agencies to drop the dispute over the use of ‘Allah’.

Forget about the court verdicts – the High Court ruling allowing the Catholic weekly The Herald to use it, and the Court of Appeal’s decision against it. These are arguments, after all.

Acknowledge that both religions have common origins, which is also the reason for the Christians using ‘Allah’. Acknowledge the history of the use of the word. Not only here, but even in Arab countries, the centres of Islam. Acknowledge that in Indonesia, the most populous Muslim country in the world, there is no restriction against Christians using the word.

If Najib dares to stop the dispute, he will move nearer his much-touted 1Malaysia. If he dares not, it will simply remain a salesman’s slogan.

But does he really give a toss? In his private moments, does he agonise over doing the right thing? Does he even do his own thinking or does he leave it to consultants? Is he too much in a stupor?

Well, if I were his uncle, I would advise him to break out of his stupor. But then again, could he?

* Kee Thuan Chye is the author of the book The Elections Bullshit, available in bookstores.

  1. #1 by lee tai king (previously dagen) on Tuesday, 31 December 2013 - 9:10 am

    Oh thinking of how he could empower himself to the next higher level, I am sure.

    BTW, that must be the favourite past time for all umnoputras.

    “Hmmm… where can I get my next bundle? I am in need of a ferrari.”

    That’s the sort of stuff he and his gang would think of, I believe.

  2. #2 by Bigjoe on Tuesday, 31 December 2013 - 9:38 am

    It does not matter what Najib think in private. The fact is he is DISHONEST & IRRESPONSIBLE – his track record is filled with broken over promises, hypocrisy and excuses of failures especially of the most critical matters.

    The truth is UMNO/BN is addicted to abusing power they are not held accountable for. They can’t help themselves and the fact that Perkasa is now in practise part of them and in fact their ultimate dream means they can never kick the addiction.

    We already have a nightmare in Perkasa. At one time, it was “too sensitive” to confront that nightmare because we were a young country. Today, grown up, delaying facing our nightmare is irresponsibility.

  3. #3 by boh-liao on Tuesday, 31 December 2013 - 11:01 am

    Well, h’mmmmm, he will most likely think abt
    – all d local n international women dat he enjoyed n savored
    – d KRIS dat he raised n d bl00d-thirsty yell dat he made in front of his kind
    – d big fat $$$$ n properties dat his children n step-children hv accumulated
    – C4
    – d effektif, dirty tricks used n 2 b used in GEs, so nice 1

  4. #4 by TheWrathOfGrapes on Tuesday, 31 December 2013 - 11:19 am

    The next one that stupid fella procure for me must not be Mongolian.

  5. #5 by loo on Tuesday, 31 December 2013 - 11:38 am

    One point of clarification. Nothing wrong for people to hold 2 different ministries unless one is competent & accountable. The question would be directed towards Najib’s capacity as the finance minister. The only fella who is capable to be finance minister is Ku Li

  6. #6 by sheriff singh on Tuesday, 31 December 2013 - 12:47 pm

    In his private moments, he plans his many, many trips for next year together with pendek.

  7. #7 by homeblogger on Tuesday, 31 December 2013 - 3:35 pm

    He can think???

  8. #8 by ENDANGERED HORNBILL on Tuesday, 31 December 2013 - 5:34 pm

    “Between 2009 and October 2013, his government paid private consultants a hefty RM7.2 billion to give advice and even create the education blueprint….”

    I am not bothered with what Najib thinks at this point. What Najib should be bothered is what Malaysians think of him.

    Either he is as mad as Rasputin or as crazy as that fiddler on the roof, Nero, or as idiotic as Mugabe, as senseless as Idi Amin, as stupid as an ssa (think of a palindrome) and, for brevity’s sake, as brainless as a zombie.

  9. #9 by boh-liao on Tuesday, 31 December 2013 - 5:59 pm

    Was he alone in d MasTerBed room in PD, thinking of naughty thingy with Ful of Sai n d C4-ed gal

  10. #10 by PRmaju on Tuesday, 31 December 2013 - 6:22 pm

    What jibby think about?

    “Wow!, this PM job is damned tough, every day, I got to pretend, got to act like a PM, got to stay silence, got to act dumb and mute , got to able to look and sound convincing when I gave speeches which I knew nothing about, except that they sound very nice and cost billions to consultants, got to be able feed all umno parasites, got to look religious, got to know which direction the wind is blowing, got to able to sneak out of country without letting people know at strategic time to avoid being caught by reporters, got to be very “flexible” with foreign and local audience, got to cook up sweet stories and throw some sweettener to fool the kampong folks, got to be alway more thick skin than a rhino to ignore the thousands of criticism and scolding from the Rakyat for my duplicity with Perkosa and flip-flopping, got to hide the slush fund , got to accompany my wife for shopping! No other job is as tough as this !! Dont know how long my heart can take it!

  11. #11 by ENDANGERED HORNBILL on Tuesday, 31 December 2013 - 7:11 pm

    Some people might say: ‘Don’t just criticise the man. Think of some of his positives too.’

    Well, he is still married. That is a positive.
    He’s got only 1Wife. And some say she is the First Lady of Malaysia. Wow! Certainly another positive.
    He has got children.
    And step-children too. Some bonus.
    Well, he’s got a fat salary. And perks.
    And flies on Malaysian Air Force 1. Wow! (That’s positive for him, negative for taxpayers. Who cares?)
    What other positives?
    Trying hard.
    Can’t think of any.
    Is fatness a positive?
    Maybe a fat bank balance?
    A slow-brain.
    Sly smile.
    Smirk on the face.
    I/2 a handshake.

    That’s all about his positives I think.
    If you have any more, tell me.

  12. #12 by Di Shi Jiu on Tuesday, 31 December 2013 - 10:00 pm

    When Najib is alone, and Mama is not there to hold his hand, he thinks of the following…

    “Trousers on before shoes on.”

  13. #13 by cinaindiamelayubersatu on Tuesday, 31 December 2013 - 10:29 pm

    Malam isnin – fikir esok berapa aku nak makan?
    Malam selasa – fikir jumpa tok bomoh untuk pertahankan kuasa.
    Malam rabu – fikir duit ok,kuasa ok,selamat aku.
    Malam khamis – fikir asah barang untuk malam jumaat.
    Malam jumaat – fikir rosmah (iya ke jib?)
    Malam sabtu – fikir kat mana nak joli duit makan hari isnin.
    Malam ahad – tak fikir dah, joli sakan….

  14. #14 by sheriff singh on Tuesday, 31 December 2013 - 11:19 pm

    ”When He’s Alone, What Does Najib Think About? ”

    A hand job ? If only he can.

  15. #15 by Noble House on Wednesday, 1 January 2014 - 4:35 am

    “What Does Najib Think About?” Good question, indeed!

    Probably looking himself in the mirror hoping everything will be forgotten once he turns his back on us.

    Well, yay day is here again where he gives compliments to his administration on the rationalising of subsidies to strengthen the country’s fiscal position and move towards a balanced budget by 2020. Speaking of the New Year, he said 2014 will be a year of great opportunity. Sadly, I don’t think there is any prize for it though. Najib might as well give us a wake-up call when they’re over.

    Nevertheless, may the year 2014 brings hope to all Malaysians and may we remain resolute in our commitment to each other. I would rather not use the word ‘Happy’ for obvious reason.

  16. #16 by boh-liao on Wednesday, 1 January 2014 - 9:35 am

    When he is alone, he wishes he is not alone, wishing at least with pornoSnake 2 do something exciting together, like producing a CD or VCD – better still, Instagram

  17. #17 by Cinapek on Wednesday, 1 January 2014 - 11:48 am

    “..In his private moments, does Najib think of reining Rosmah in? Of sitting her down and having a good talk with her about the need to be sensitive to his position as prime minister, and certainly not to do anything that could inadvertently hurt his public image?.”

    Could he?

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