Hobson’s Choice And Scraping The Barrel


by Tunku Abdul Aziz
MySinChew
20.3.09

Najib Abdul Razak will be remembered as the most controversial prime ministerial aspirant this nation has ever known. The deadweight political baggage he is lugging around, as he sets his course on what he fervently hopes will be the last lap to the best address in the country, is enough to make a grown man cry, but not Najib, the single minded man of destiny according to his wife, Rosmah.

He seems to take his travails in his stride. Is he not, again, according to Rosmah, predestined to occupy the highest political office in the land? I am inclined to think that there may be some truth in what Rosmah has been saying about his destiny because she has already begun, to preen herself, so the gossip goes, to play the part of Malaysia’s First Lady.

Unfortunately for her, and others who might harbour a similar ambition in the deep recesses of their fantasy, our country is a monarchy, albeit a constitutional one (may it always remain that way) and as such, the First Lady is our queen, not the wife of the prime minister. Her confident prediction of Najib’s political ascendancy and immortality could, in the event, prove to be just a little premature given the murky political waters he is wading through.

“The PM governs; the king rules! The queen is the First Lady.”

It is not my intention enumerate the reasons for Najib’s unprecedented unpopularity. Many serious allegations of moral and ethical lapses have appeared on local blogs as well as in foreign publications. Rightly or wrongly, he has been cast as someone unappealing, and these negative perceptions look set to feed on him. They can only be reversed by his clearing his name in the court of law.

Najib is an intelligent man, and he must surely know that many people do not trust him and that he cannot govern this country effectively with so much ill will surrounding his person. In his beleaguered state and feeling, no doubt, under constant siege there is, many of us fear, no knowing what diabolical measures he will resort to, including using the Internal Security Act, to silence his critics. I hope Najib will take early steps to assure the citizens of this country that the little crumbs of freedom that Pak Lah has grudgingly thrown at us will not be swept away. He has a monumental task to convince us that he really, despite all indications to the contrary, believes in the rule of law. He has to show that he can be trusted to do the right thing by us.

I am greatly amused to read that our irrepressible former prime minister, Tun Mahathir Mohamad the selective amnesiac has proffered gratuitous advice, as is his wont, to “young Najib” who is starting out in the serious business of governance on the importance of choosing the right people to serve as his cabinet colleagues. What sort of people did Tun himself pick when he ran this country for 22 years? Men and women of great moral and ethical rectitude?

I believe Najib knows what he needs to do to survive the next general elections. The luckless man will be scraping the bottom of the barrel to find men and women of integrity whose main interest as politicians is service in the public interest. We wish him well as he goes about putting his team together. It does seem me that Najib might yet turn out to be a great prime minister by doing the opposite of what Tun Mahathir did when he held sway over this country. He should distance himself from the great meddler and be his own man for once.

Najib will need to be less of an Umno top brass and more of a Malaysian nationalist by putting the interests of the country first and last. Malaysia after the political machinations of nearly three decades is divided as never before on all fronts, and it is time we settled down to a period of calm reflection and introspection. We cannot hope to achieve sustainability of purpose as a united, prosperous and peaceful nation by blind indulgence in policies that we know to be unjust and unfair, policies that are inimical to the future well being of our people.

We cannot survive as a nation in social, political and economic terms unless this country is governed with equity and justice for all. We need another unprincipled politician like we need a hole in the head. However, we need desperately a statesmanlike politician (a contradiction in terms, be that as it may) who has broad appeal not because he embodies and personifies the politics of patronage that sustained Mahathirism of unhappy memory but because he knows instinctively that integrity, and all that it stands for, in governance is the only way forward for this country of ours.

Najib has his work cut out for him, and I wish him well as our next head of government. He governs; the king rules! The queen is the First Lady.

  1. #1 by k1980 on Monday, 23 March 2009 - 12:31 pm

    He was the one who claimed malaysia needs 400 years of NEP because it has been colonised for 400 years. With such a mentality, what can we expect from this clown?

  2. #2 by ALLAN THAM on Monday, 23 March 2009 - 12:33 pm

    The old can only give all sort of advise but never reflect upon himself what has he done during his 22 years.

    All human being how great or other wise will go through the same process of aging ie when the age catch up the most honorable thing to do is shut up and enjoy what you have.

  3. #3 by boh-liao on Monday, 23 March 2009 - 12:36 pm

    Yes, we need clean and just people with proper national visions to lead the nation.

    However, if we were to dip top Umno people, who are standing for election in the coming week, into a pool of clear holy water, the water will be stained murky. And holy cow, gold nuggets and crowns, ready for coronation, will also drop out from their pockets and collect at the bottom of the pool of murky water.

    Are these the people to lead us out of the current economic recession?

  4. #4 by Jong on Monday, 23 March 2009 - 12:44 pm

    Who says the King rules?
    This UMNO-led BN Governemt has always ruled while the King and Sultans must act on the advice of the UMNO/BN Prime Minister and Menteri Besar.

    The recent Perak political crisis/impasse occur because the State of Perak was under Pakatan Rakyat Government and who allowed it to happen? It’s unbelieveable and most unacceptable it has to happen in Perak whose Sultan was a former Lord President of the country!

  5. #5 by AhPek on Monday, 23 March 2009 - 12:48 pm

    Of all persons it is a wonder Mamak has thought it fit to advise Najib of the importance of selecting non corrupt and uncorruptible men into his cabinet.I couldn’t think of a worse hypocrite than this mamakJust look at Abdullah’s cabinet which is inherited almost lock stock and barrel from him,and the immeasurable damage wreaked on the country throughout the last 5 years!

  6. #6 by Godfather on Monday, 23 March 2009 - 1:42 pm

    Allah Almighty keeps the Mamakthir alive just so that he can see for himself the mess he has wrought on Bolehland. Zak Hammaad the Mamakthir ass-licker, are you listening ?

  7. #7 by frankyapp on Monday, 23 March 2009 - 1:51 pm

    Hey guys isn’t it against his conscience and religion,now only to tell or advise NR in the importace of appointing non corrupt and uncorruptible men and women into his cabinet ?.

  8. #8 by ALLAN THAM on Monday, 23 March 2009 - 1:58 pm

    The Old hat forget about the AP minister. They are very budy budy during the old sweet time. The lady even cry for the old hat when the old hat pretend want to resign, remember the show the great show ever. Who say great man would cry Man tears even more powerful than the lady as the case has prove that man tears can even drawn out the tears from the lady, so to say. But all this was due to the same common ideology ie keep the corruption going. So what authority the old hat have to say on this this topic who is clean who is not clean? What the buts hit?

  9. #9 by ALLAN THAM on Monday, 23 March 2009 - 2:05 pm

    when the old go from the earth he also left behind a great legacy, the legacy of corruption in his former party.

    The party that the old hat recreate and now he has resigned from the party.

    He the one who left behind all the corrupt minister yet he say he has too much work to do and he did not know they are all corrupt when he realized it was too late to change so he blame his hand pick successor. So can you see the greatness of this man.

    some time great can be achieve simply by manipulating the words. We a great man at the wrong side who is superior in twist and twist all event to the best of his interest?

  10. #10 by wanderer on Monday, 23 March 2009 - 2:06 pm

    We all must have a little bit of forgiveness in our heart… the old fart TDM’s brain is failing him fast and thus, could not recalled the damages he has done to the country. He needed to build all the monumental white elephants to remind Malaysians of his ‘Clean Image’.
    The writer has rightly pointed what he thought of him.
    “I am greatly amused to read that our irrepressible former prime minister, Tun Mahathir Mohamad the selective amnesiac has proffered gratuitous advice, as is his wont, to “young Najib” who is starting out in the serious business of governance on the importance of choosing the right people to serve as his cabinet colleagues. What sort of people did Tun himself pick when he ran this country for 22 years? Men and women of great moral and ethical rectitude?”
    I guess this said it all!

    Godfather, Zak is listening alright but, difficult for him to rid his natural habit.

  11. #11 by ALLAN THAM on Monday, 23 March 2009 - 2:14 pm

    This old fart or old hat or old junk what ever it is, his memory is not fading at all . This was his trad mark of scarcity. This old hat was great in the negative sense that he can twist and turn and roll his tongue. He was the one who allowed corruption to be flourish during his 22 years reigned. Our foundation has crippled under his rules.

    He want to give us another present before he disappear this time playing his youthful game of racism, the game that has shot him to fame in politic.

  12. #12 by taiking on Monday, 23 March 2009 - 2:51 pm

    K1980 said:

    “He was the one who claimed malaysia needs 400 years of NEP because it has been colonised for 400 years.”

    Did he say that? Oh dear. What an insult to our malay friends. Umnoputras may require a longer period I am sure. The rest of us, non-umnoputras, have acquired the basic skills to lock the real world in a nail and tooth struggle.

  13. #13 by ALLAN THAM on Monday, 23 March 2009 - 3:16 pm

    Tengku Razaleigh say the old hat make people stomachache. This could be cause by the mamak royak.

  14. #14 by Jong on Monday, 23 March 2009 - 3:29 pm

    What about “old jackal” ?

  15. #15 by ALLAN THAM on Monday, 23 March 2009 - 3:48 pm

    Under Bn they also produce a guy whose salary was RM5.1 million a year, RM425,000 A MONTH, RM1,165 A DAY. Hoe many malaysian are earning a basic SALARY OF RM1,000 A MONTH. and we have a guy earning RM1,65 A DAY.

    Who pay this all people who reside in the state of Selangor and who am sure must used and drink water.

    can you see how daring these BN robbers.

  16. #16 by chris chong on Monday, 23 March 2009 - 4:29 pm

    i can’t even name any good work done by him for the country even since he is in the cabinet.

    btw, how is perak now??? who got the paycheck of MB end of this month??? and where the heck is the sultan perak??? does he even care???

  17. #17 by Jeffrey on Monday, 23 March 2009 - 4:51 pm

    All I can say is that though conceding that NAR as “the most controversial prime ministerial aspirant this nation has ever known”, the DAP vice-chairman Tunku Abdul Aziz’s statements:

    · “I believe Najib knows what he needs to do to survive the next general elections

    · Najib has his work cut out for him, and I wish him well as our next head of government. He governs; the king rules! The queen is the First Lady”

    sound comparatively upbeat and optimistic (infused with more ‘Faith’, ‘hope’ and ‘charity’) in sharp contrast to the pessimism and cynicism of Zaid Ibrahim’s “If truth be told, Najib can’t be PM” and YB LKS’s “Najib heralds the coming of a New Dark Age” both posted in this Blog on March 18th, 2009.

    The Question : Is Tunku Abdul Aziz one of the many who when faced with the inevitable would refuse to be fatalistic and will hold on to their aspirations and hopes in the face of apparently overwhelming contrary evidence? Or is it the case that there is really no overwhelming contrary evidence that will likely vindicate the others’ pessimism and cynicism?

  18. #18 by chengho on Monday, 23 March 2009 - 5:22 pm

    tunku Aziz,
    rather than you waste your time with BN ,it is better for tunku to do house cleaning for PR . Currently Penang state government is choatic.. with Fairus issues , CAT and tiger cave , 2 olds men of PAS is fighting to form unity goverment with Najib..

    DAP should appoint you as the General Secretary of DAP, since LGE is too busy with lay-off issues and administrative matters in Penang. LGE need to focus on economic recovery in Penang. You will do a great service to strengthen PR government in Penang

  19. #19 by shortie kiasu on Monday, 23 March 2009 - 5:23 pm

    There is no stopping to his ascendency to the highest political office in the land, and so is his wife to be the first lady.

    This the way it is in this country, how it happens.

    Good or bad, clean or dirty… he is destined to take the helm soon.

  20. #20 by wvee on Monday, 23 March 2009 - 6:57 pm

    We have never forgotten that his daddy was the one who brought NEP into Msia. Son will have to pay the price!

    Well, we can’t stop him becoming the 6th PM, we can vote PR in 13th GE (surely, I will give all my efforts to help PR to take over in Federal). Najis, as the last PM of BN will probably forced to be brought down by the people.

    When PR rules, we must have a strong PR government in order control the rampant dirty tricks by the celaka UMNOputras and the blood sucking party components of BN.

    From every aspects of Najis’s “did” (be it in the recent 2009 budget, 60B stimulus package, 400M so called “commission” in the submarine’s dealing, his policies when he was Education Minister, the suspicious SMS in Mongolian woman case, or any of his allegations on any women before this), we all Msian have the most doubts for him to become a PM than anybody else. Msia has no more other better PM candidates? OMG, all those in line now in UMNO are not fit at all!

    Those idiots including Dr M who spoke in PERKASA recently should have been charged by sedition act. Really, this country does not belongs to the Malays only! What a foolish statement to mention after 50 years of staying together?! This is not the way of scoring political marks for his son?! Well, I am afraid there is more to come in the general assembly of hooligans later. It is outrageous.

    To be honest, I am one of the professionals who is now working in oversea (developing other country, instead of my own). Why?! I cant find job in Msia? Of course not. The wages in Msia are far too low compare to what we are able to get in foreign countries. The truth? 4-5 times! To stupid to turn it down…isnt it? Reality? Msia has no place for those non-bumi who are capable to earn more. We have been fooled by the BN government, particularly celaka UMNOputras for many years. God damn NEP!!!

    I am deeply disappointed with the BN government! PEOPLE, WE ARE NOT JUST GOING TO VOTE THEM OUT, HELP OTHERS TO RELIASE AND TO DO THE SAME!!!

  21. #21 by undergrad2 on Monday, 23 March 2009 - 7:45 pm

    “The wages in Msia are far too low compare to what we are able to get in foreign countries. The truth? 4-5 times! To stupid to turn it down…”

    All things considered Malaysia is still a good place to live in. It’s cheap. Ask OlangLojak.

  22. #22 by undergrad2 on Monday, 23 March 2009 - 7:59 pm

    “We have been fooled by the BN government, particularly celaka UMNOputras for many years. God damn NEP!!!”

    Without the NEP where would limkaput be today??

    With the NEP he was able to take his family to the U.S. and there to study and live off taxpayer money; he served the UMNO government for more than 20 years, being part of the same machinery which scr*ewed us up before retiring at the old age of 55 with a long service medal from the Agong.

  23. #23 by ALLAN THAM on Monday, 23 March 2009 - 9:14 pm

    It was quit horrific to read this old hat speech. Just could not under stand why he choose this time to voice such a ultra racist statement.

    He who has rules this country over 22 years, he was the one who should campaign the right of all races so much so for Malay race, but sad to say he has failed miserably because of unchecked corruption during his rules. No body disputing NEP but the real problem that all those in the power refused to admit was this NEP has been abused to feed those in power all the cronies so to say so that they can cling to power for such a long time.

    even he has admitted that the economy group of the Malaysian who mainly come from the ethic Chinese have contributed most to the taxes and so the development of this country yet at this time he chose to play the racist card and say that will definitely cause a lot of anxiety among the people.

    As Zaid has just say, our country need a leader who unite and no leader who divide. We are still hopeful we still have people who has foresight who still believe in democracy and not narrow mined. still believe in divide and rule.

    We are very unfortunate that this man who seem to be very can give very powerful speech, who can master his fiery speech to chose to told on this racist topic. We simply could not understand.

    Looking back, many has believe that he has brought a lot prosperity to this country such as huge development but what he has also done total disservice to the country was the corruption and abuse and power during the last 22 years.

  24. #24 by vsp on Monday, 23 March 2009 - 9:54 pm

    Mahathir is a great opportunist. He’s just like the lallang swinging whichever way the wind blows. A man who was so ashamed of being called a Malay then when he was in Singapore studying medicine, had to declare that he was an Indian. Of course when the situation changed, like a chameleon, he transformed into an ultra-racist, becoming more Malay than the Malays themselves and in the process has to disown his own fatherland’s great heritage.

    When UMNO was run by true Malays before the advent of the mamaks, arabs and indo pendatangs, there was no problem in race relations among the population. In fact it was Mahathir that destroyed the Malays. UMNO, the original party was banned and in its place, was taken over by a fake mamak-arab-indo pendatang UMNO Baru. Many true Malays were pushed out of the party which was hijacked by the mamaks particularly. A party that was once run by real patriots who have only the interests of ordinary people at heart was replaced by rapacious businessmen and opportunists. All these started with Mahathir.

    In order to prolong their rule, they corrupted every institutions: the Judiciary, the Civil Service, the Police, the Mosque and the monarchy. Inspite of all the great monuments that were built at great expense, Malaysia is today a failed state.

    Can Mahathir be proud of what he has wrought? Instead of making the Malays into world-class people he has weakenen and subjugated them under the rule of a pseudo Mamak-Malay feudal overlord. For all his wrongdoings he has up-to-date not even acknowledged his contribution to the rot. Instead he tries to dump all his mistakes on the Malays but the UMNOputras.

    Now, he is lamenting and advising everyone and sundry to be corruption-free. Wow! what a hyprocrite. When he was the PM for 25 years, he had the power and the influence to do something about it, but he did nothing. Like the Devil himself he is able to quote the mantra of a saint.

    All true Malays, open your eyes and see who have really failed you. Unless you do it you will be in bondage to the immigrants. Look at Sabah, the immigrants are even more than the real population. Look at your pasar malam, the immigrants have pushed you out of earning a living. Who are responsible for such a state of affairs? – the UMNOputras, of course.

  25. #25 by undergrad2 on Monday, 23 March 2009 - 11:53 pm

    “Can Mahathir be proud of what he has wrought? Instead of making the Malays into world-class people he has weakened and subjugated them…”

    Why not?? There are the likes of Kasim Amat, Shamshul Anuar. Then there is limkaput. Or have you forgotten??

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