I can discern five tactics which had been used by the former Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his partner-in-kleptocracy, Jho Low in the past year to nullify the historic decision of the Malaysian people in the 14th General Elections on May 9, 2018 as part of grand strategy of the Malaysian kleptocratic duo, Najib Razak and Jho Low to escape accountability for the 1MDB mega scandal and escape spending their remaining years in Sungai Buloh Prison.
The five tactics which had been deployed in the Najib-Jho Low grand strategy in the past year were:
Firstly, to unabashedly and even shamelessly parade around the country in the “Malu Apa Bossku” campaign with the subliminal message that Najib had committed no wrong in the 1MDB scandal and to portray him as a victim of persecution by Pakatan Harapan government.
Secondly, to create a public opinion that enough had been said about the 1MDB scandal and Najib’s kleptocracy, that the 14th General Election is over and let the courts decide whether Najib was guilty of corruption or not, but for now, the ball is in Pakatan Harapan’s court and that what the people wanted to hear was what the PH government had achieved to lower the cost of living and bring about institutional reforms. Tandem with the creation of this public opinion, the kleptocratic duo’s cybertroopers were entrusted with the task of dominating the media, in particular the social media, to shout down those who speak or write about 1MDB and Najib’s kleptocracy as if they had commited a some heinous crime akin to treason – when in fact, it was Najib’s kleptocracy which was the real treason.
Thirdly, to peddle the toxic and vicious politics of lies and falsehoods to create distrust, intolerance and hate shouting from the rooftops and treetops that Malay rights and Islam are under threat and the need for Malay and Muslim unity to protect these rights and interests.
Fourthly, to peddle the lies and falsehoods that the Pakatan Harapan Government is dominated by the DAP in pursuit of “Chinese interests”, that Mahathir is a stooge of Lim Kit Siang and take orders from Lim Kit Siang. At the same time, MCA and MIC a peddle lies and falsehoods that the DAP had betrayed the Chinese and Indians to Malay interests. These lies and falsehoods, the UMNO-PAS accusation that DAP dominates PH and the MCA-MIC accusation that DAP had betrayed the rights and interests of Chinese and Indians and non-Muslim religions, are contradictory and untrue, but they are designed the polarise Malaysians according to race and religion.
Fifthly, that Pakatan Harapan is a coalition which had betrayed its election manifesto and an utter failure as compared to Barisan Nasional, and as a result, it will be a one-term government if it does not collapse and disintegrate sooner, and will surely be driven out of power in the 15th General Election.
All these five tactics had been deployed, and although they seemed to have some success in reversing the first four by-election defeats in Sungai Kandis, Balakong, Seri Setia and Port Dickson, by securing three by-election victories for the Opposition in Cameron Highlands, Semenyih and Rantau, the Pakatan Harapan/Warisan landslide victory in the Sandakan by-election sent the Najib-Jho Low strategists and plotters back to the drawing board as it was clear that these five tactics could not win them Putrajaya or enabled the Malaysian kleptocratic duo to escape their just deserts for their mega crimes of kleptocracy.
As a result, there is now a sixth tactics in the Najib-Jho Low grand strategy for the Malaysian kleptocratic duo to escape accountability for the 1MDB mega scandal and to escape spending their remaining years in Sungai Buloh Prison.
This is to create or magnify rifts and divisions between political parties and personalities in Pakatan Harapan to generate conflict that could steadily deteriorate and result in collapse and disintegration of Pakatan Harapan.
Better still, this sixth tactics includes stirring up division an dissension among different personalities from different PH parties, which could be twisted and distorted into racial or religious conflicts.
It cannot be denied that there are differences on a host of issues among the political parties and personalities in Pakatan Harapan, but PH leaders at all levels should remain united and committed to the five pillars of Pakatan Harapan promises in the 2018 PH Election Manifesto, whick said:
“Our ultimate promise to REBUILD THIS NATION AND FULFILL THE HOPES so that we once again become a country that is envied by all. There are five pillars that guide our agenda, each one with its own specific steps. PILLAR 1: Reduce the people’s burden. PILLAR 2: Institutional and political reforms. PILLAR 3: Spur sustainable and equitable economic growth. PILLAR 4: Return Sabah and Sarawak to the status accorded in Malaysia Agreement 1963. PILLAR 5: Create a Malaysia that is inclusive, moderate and respected globally.”
A precondition of Pakatan Harapan’s survival as a sustainable coalition that can last more than one term to complete the mission to build a New Malaysia – a task that will take a decade and more – is that all Pakatan Harapan must remain committed to these five “pillar-promises” and the objectives and principles to reduce the costs of living, achieve institutional reforms, engineer economic growth, restore power to Sabah and Sarawak and to build an inclusive and moderate Malaysia.
Pakatan Harapan leaders at various levels from different political parties must be mindful of their every comment, speech or statement and not, wittingly or unwittingly, consciously or unconsciously, fall or get entrapped by the new diabolical tactics of the Najib-Jho Low gameplan to escape accountability for the 1MDB scandal and the legacy of kleptocracy.
The DAP had been accused of betraying our principles and objective of a New Malaysia and had even become MCA2 alleging that DAP leaders are only interested in clinging on to office and power.
DAP cannot and will not become MCA2 as we are not prepared to cede the DAP principle, culture, persona and soul to anyone.
DAP leaders and members remain committed to the vision of a New Malaysia where everyone regards himself or herself as a Malaysian first and his or her race, religion, region or socio-economic background second; and where there is democracy, freedom, justice, integrity, progress and prosperity for all Malaysians.
While DAP leaders and members have never given up on these ideals and objectives whether in or out of government, MCA leaders had long lost these ideals and objectives, if they had them in the first place.
DAP leaders are in politics to serve the people and nation. MCA leaders are in politics to serve themselves at the expense of the people and nation.
These are among the reasons why DAP will never become a MCA2, and why MCA in post-14GE can never become DAP2.
There are those who change policies and principles once they are in power and in Government, but not the DAP.
We are now no more in Opposition but part of the Pakatan Harapan government and inevitably our modus operandi is different but our principles, ideals and vision of a New Malaysia remain unchanged.
It is imperative that all Pakatan Harapan leaders and activists be aware of Najib-Jho Low’s new tactics and strategies.
(Media Statement (2) by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Gelang Patah on Monday, 20th May 2019)