The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak has written a most extraordinary and unprecedented article on his blog entitled “Malaysia’s Record of Democracy and Free Speech is Strong” clearly with two objectives:
Firstly, on the eve of his visit to the White House and meeting with US President Trump, to burnish his credentials as a true democrat and advocate of free speech. Najib’s strategic advisers regard Trump’s invitation to Najib as a “coup” and a great national honour for Najib and Malaysia, especially in the run-up to the 14GE. This however is not universally shared by Malaysians who regard Najib’s White House visit as a “national humiliation and shame” as Najib would be visiting the White House under the cloud of the infamy of a kleptocrat and “MO1” – both branded by the US government through its Department of Justice (DOJ).
Secondly, to take the opportunity to demonise and launch a bitter attack against Pakatan Harapan and its leaders, as well as critics of the Najib administration, for the American audience, to paint the picture of the Najib administration unfairly under attack and even “siege” by undemocratic opponents.
Najib is riled by the bad publicity in the US media over his visit to the White House, but who is responsible for such press in the American media?
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) came out with an editorial which asked why President Trump is “bestowing this honour on Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, who jailed an opposition leader and is a suspect in a corruption scandal that spans the globe”.
It even called for the cancellation of the White House invitation to Najib, declalring: “Any embarrassment is better than giving a scandal-tainted leader a White House photo-op.”
In an opinion piece, the Washington Post said that Trump’s hosting of Najib marks another setback for the rule of law.
It hit the nail on the head when it said: “Engulfed by allegations he pilfered billions from his own country’s sovereign wealth fund, he craves international legitimacy.”
New York Times in a piece entitled “Malaysian Leader, Under Corruption Cloud, Will Meet with Trump” said Trump’s invitation to visit the White House “comes at a perfect time for Mr. Najib and could give him a much-needed dose of legitimacy at home as a general election nears”.
I cannot think of any instance in Malaysia’s 60 years as an independent nation under six Prime Ministers where the Malaysian Prime Minister is written about with such contempt and derision by the American media.
Why is this so?
From Najib’s article, he blamed and accused the Pakatan Harapan leaders for trying to “blacken” the country’s image.
What is even more interesting and revealing, Najib has shown that the lies, fake news and false information in the black UMNO/BN propaganda campaign accusing Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad as my puppet among Malay voters while among non-Malay voters I am charged of being Mahathir’s stooge, emanated from the highest power centre in UMNO/BN, when Najib in his article openly described me as “Opposition’s real mastermind”.
Najib is indulging in the ridiculous and utterly nonsensical when he alleged that Pakatan Harapan leaders, including Mahathir, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Datuk Dr. Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Datuk Seri Azmin Ali, Mohamad Sabu were mere puppets responding to the strings that I am pulling from behind the stage as I am the “Opposition’s real mastermind”.
I had not met a single reporter whether from Wall Street Journal, Washington Post or New York Times for more than four years after the May 2013 General Election.
It would appear that I possess omnipotent powers to “blacken” Malaysia’s reputation through the American media and society, powers that I myself am not aware that I possess!
Was the international multi-billion dollar 1MDB money-laundering scandal my idea, which I had somehow convinced Najib to carry out?
Was Malaysia being regarded world-wide as a “global kleptocracy” all my doings, manipulating and masterminding Najib in his various kleptocratic actions?
I call on Najib to raise the bar and rise to a higher level of democratic politics.
For a start, I challenge Najib to prove his claim to be a true democrat by declaring that he would peacefully and democratically transfer power to Pakatan Harapan if Malaysian voters in 14GE decide on change of government in Putrajaya and that there won’t be riots or any declaration of emergency as some had suggested.
Let him make this declaration in his visit to the White House to prove that he is indeed a true democrat!
(Speech at the DAP kopitiam dialogue at Changkat Keruing, Perak on Monday, Sept. 11, 2017 at 9 am)