The Barisan Nasional election slogan-turned Merdeka/Malaysia Day theme “Janji Ditepati” has never been more violated in the 17 days between the 55th Merdeka Day on 31st August and the 49th Malaysia Day on September 16.

Let me just refer to three BN violations of “Janji Ditepati” in these 17 days:

1. Royal Commission of Inquiry into Illegal Immigrants (RCIII) in Sabah

I confess my deep disappointment that the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak did not at least take the opportunity of the 49th Malaysia Day on September 16 to announce that the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Illegal Immigrants (RCIII) in Sabah has started work.

Najib had said on August 11 that the RCIII would be given six months to complete its investigation and report, and that the six-month period would take effect beginning from the date the instrument of appointments were issued to the RCIII chairman and members.

More than five weeks have passed since Najib’s announcement on August 11 but there has only been stunning silence and void about the RCIII, as there are no signs that the RCIII chairman and members have been officially appointed to enable the RCIII to start its six-month work to address the decades-old problem in Sabah and Malaysia.

There can be no devastating violation of “Janji Ditepati” and Najib’s own Prime Ministerial slogan of “People First, Performance Now” than the ridiculous and scandalous situation where the RCIII is not yet operational more than seven months after the Cabinet decision on Feb. 8 to set it up and more than five weeks after Najib’s announcement of its terms of reference and membership on August 11.

2. Najib’s signature slogan of 1Malaysia

Twice during this 17-day period, Najib violated his own signature policy of 1Malaysia which is “to make Malaysia ….a greater nation: a nation where, it is hoped, every Malaysian perceives himself or herself as Malaysian first, and by race, religion, geographical region or socio-economic background second and where the principles of 1Malaysia are woven into the economic, political and social fabric of society”.

The first time Najib violated the 1Malaysia “Janji Ditepati” was when he failed to conduct himself as Prime Minister for all Malaysians and instead made the divisive call to Malaysians to “defend independence” against Pakatan Rakyat in his closing speech at the “Merdeka 55: Janji Ditepati” gathering at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium on 31st August.

The second time Najib violated “Janji Ditepati” was on Malaysia Day eve, where Najib made an inflammatory and divisive speech on Malay survival and UMNO’s position as backbone of the BN, totally contradictory to his 1Malaysia policy of wanting Malaysians to be “Malaysian first and race, religion or region second”.

3. Malaysia as world’s best democracy

Najib wants Malaysia to become the world’s best democracy – but the BN government is the source of the most instances of violation of “Janji Ditepati”, as illustrated by the double standards applied by the BN government, which took tough action against “mooning” by a youth on August 30 and stomping on pictures of the Prime Minister but saw nothing wrong in similar deplorable conduct against Pakatan Rakyat leaders like Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, and PAS Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Mat Nik Aziz and civil society leaders like Bersih Co-Chairman Datuk S. Ambiga whether perpetrated by UMNO or UMNO-sponsored activists.

Aggravating such double-standards is the shocking statement by the Home Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein just two days before Malaysia Day that there will be no guarantee of security for PKR’s nationwide Merdeka Rakyat tour in the face of rising political gangsterism, crime and violence perpetrated by UMNO elements.

Is Najib prepared to conduct a public review of the many violations of the BN election slogan-turned Merdeka/Malaysia Day “Janji Ditepati” theme?