How do you feel when someone keeps breathing down your neck, nagging, criticizing and meddling with your work right from the day you start work?
Well, if you want to know, 'tanya Najib'. Yes, ask Prime Minister Najib Razak because that must be how he is feeling all this while. And worse still, the person doing the heavy breathing is not Mongolian beauty Altantuya Shaariibuu or wife Rosmah Mansor but Mahathir Mohamad!
Yes, Mahathir or Dr M the former prime minister - hard as nails and some say ruthlessness personified - who defeated all other pretenders to his throne including Musa Hitam, Tengku Razaleigh and Anwar Ibrahim. Dr M also removed Abdullah Badawi from power even though he had handpicked Badawi to succeed him. And this was how Najib came to power - given the green light from Mahathir to replace Badawi..
Yes, the old man was that powerful. Remember Tun Salleh Abas who was unceremoniously sacked as Chief Judge. Even the Malay Rulers lost their immunity against prosecution! It was then that dazzled by his own power, Mahathir began ruling the country like his own property, arbitrarily helping his sons and cronies to amass wealth beyond imagination.
By comparison Najib, and for that matter Badawi too, have not been able to match the mega structures built by Mahathir, such as the still half-full office blocks at the Petronas Twin Towers, the money-swallowing F1 Circuit, the far from perfect Putrajaya and the ever rising tolls for using our highways.
Up till now, Najib has failed to eke out any real or lasting transformation programs despite having the gall and vanity to encourage the people to call him Bapa Transformasi or the Father of Transformation!
However, in gravy train department, neither Najib nor Badawi have been slouches. While they may not be able to drive the gravy train as well Mahathir and his sons, they too have supped and feasted well on the largesse that comes with near absolute power.
Fed up of Dr M's backseat driving
About to begin his second term as PM - if he is not thrown out as Umno president in the party's elections later this year - there are signs Najib is now fed up with being in Mahathir's shadow. He wants to be his own man but is not sure how. He wants to claim his own right as the elected Prime Minister, but is afraid Mahathir might get upset and squash him to death like a pesky fly.
No wonder Najib is feeling peeved and rather insecure with all the recent talk of removing him from power in UMNO and taking out a no-confidence vote against him in Parliament. Obviously, Najib must feel he must do something and do it fast.
He probably reckons his trump card was leading UMNO/BN to win the 13th general election. Whether it was by hook or by crook, UMNO-BN has won and UMNO has the biggest number of seats - 88 out of 133 to boot. To him, this took place at a time when the country has not been doing too well in every aspect; UMNO was in big trouble due to its never-ending infighting and scandals, while the BN component parties were in shambles too. Above all, the Opposition was the strongest ever. Could Mahathir win the GE-13 or for that matter all the previous elections if faced with the same problems?
And from here, the seed grows, a bulb suddenly lights up for Najib. Why not stand up to Mahathir and then inherit all the devious and lucrative ramifications already set up by the older man.
Of course for now, Najib and strategists will try to walk silently like Ninjas, delivering the killer blow when they are ready and without Mahathir even realising it. But wily old fox as he is, Mahathir may already be two steps ahead in this cloak-and-dagger game that he excels in.
Right time, right place
Mahathir was fortunate to be at the right place in the right time when the world’s economic growth was at its peak. Malaysia had lots of funds and needed infrastructure development while the Opposition was divided! Of course there were two economic recessions, but Malaysia still had the resources and national was nowhere near the record level it now is.
Yes, Mahathir can boast that he did it his way but what about replaying the script today amid the current shortage of funds, which has forced Najib has to consider imposing the unpopular GST?
Within UMNO, the camps are divided. Some say that there are reasons for Najib to be removed from power, but there are just as many who think he deserves a second chance.
This is what Najib is banking on. His strategists and media are playing it to hilt- from trying to win him sympathy and making him appear the 'good guy' to Mahathir's 'bad guy', they are going for broke.
Najib's chances
But how strong are Najib's chances of retaining the UMNO presidency and premiership? With Mahathir's help - which would mean Najib and the rest of the country would have to endure the old's man bullying and bitching for another 5 years till the next GE - it is certain he will be able to maintain his positions.
The question is - what about without Mahathir? Can Najib take on other Umno rivals who are supported by Mahathir from behind the scenes for whatever Machiavellian reasons that Mahathir has? Chances are that in such an event, Najib would have to retire real early.
Could this be why Najib's camp bizarrely leaked false news that he was to meet with Anwar in Jakarta? Was Najib trying to tell Mahathir, 'hey, if you want fo fight, OK I too have a smoking gun!' Or was Najib merely trying to play 'good guy' to Mahathir's 'bad guy'? When one considers the enormity of the implications, which would involve a unity government, chances are higher Najib was trying to tell Mahathir he can also play hard ball.
Then what's next? Face it, for those who hope for national reconciliation, it definitely won't come from Najib who can be expected to want the same unquestioned power that Mahathir wielded.
Anwar was just a means to an end. In any case, given Anwar's mega popularity, he is too risky a rival for Najib to strike a deal with. Already, Anwar has won himself the tag of being the 'People's Prime Minister' - something that Najib cannot be too happy about!
So what else can Najib do?
Well, he can just ignore Mahathir but this will only make Mahathir more determined to keep nagging and interfering. Not to mention, insisting on taking the driver's seat on the UMNO gravy train. Which perhaps Rosmah might also want.
Najib can also ask his supporters to confront or counter attack Mahathir but Mahathir has instructed his supporters to do the same against Najib. Yes, Mahathir's son Mukhriz - the newly-minted Kedah Mentri Besar - has said he will back Najib to remain as PM and Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin to stay as DPM. But remember, nothing is cast in stone and Mahathir is the master of last-minute sleights of hand!
In short, Najib will have to use all available ways to fight Mahathir. In the coming weeks and months to the UMNO internal election, Malaysians can expect 'movie' after 'movie', 'drama' after 'drama' although most of these will tend to be either disaster flicks or outrageous comedies.
After all Mahathir has so many ways and resources at his disposal. And he is so experienced in this type of guerilla warfare. Not to mention, former sidekick Daim Zainuddin is never to far away to offer diabolical schemes and plots if the need really arises to evict the Najibs from Putrajaya.
Finally, Najib can also seek the help of some ’bomohs‘ (spell casters) as he was previously reported to have done to secure the PM's post. Rosmah too is watching like a hawk. After all she stands to lose all the status, the kow-towing, the glamor, the charging of expenses to the PM's Office, as well as spending public cash if Najib is ousted.
Will Najib survive or bite the dust
So will Najib be ousted? And who will replace him? Will it be Razaleigh but does he really have enough support to win a no-confidence vote against Najib when Parliament convenes later this month? At this point in time, there is more doubt than confidence that the Kelantan prince will finally get to achieve his dream of becoming PM.
"Ku Li will need Mahathir's support, that's for sure. But will Mahathir forgive and forget so easily? We think it is not impossible but only if Najib makes a wrong move and gets Mahathir all uptight and worried. Two desperate men, and I mean Ku Li and Dr M, can easily defeat Najib but how desperate is Dr M to form an alliance with Ku Li," a political source told Malaysia Chronicle.
Or will Najib's replacement be Muhyiddin? Yes, Muhyiddin lacks charisma but a lot of those who have worked with him says he is capable of reasonable output. With Home Minister Zahid Hamidi roped in to provide the charm (Umno-style anyway), Muhyiddin cannot be written off. But a dark horse, he will remain.
So, by and large, these are the players. As the drama staged by the Najib camp unfolds and is countered and feinted by his rivals, Malaysians can look forward to a lot of laughs in the weeks ahead. Intrigue is set to bust the UMNO ceiling!
Malaysia Chronicle
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Najib vs Mahathir: Who will survive, who will bite the dust?
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Najib still successfully maintain his post as a PM after GE.congrate!
ReplyDeleteNajib terkenal dengan transformasi yang membawa negara kepada pembangunan yang semakin pesat.
ReplyDeletedaifnya pembangkang zaman sekarang.. bila tidak ada isu, inilah kerja mereka.. suka melaga2kan pemimpin2 BN..
ReplyDeletebaik tanya pada Pakatan Rakyat.. sekiranya Pakatan memerintah, siapa pula yang akan survive? AnuWar? Lim Kit Siang? atau Nik Aziz?
ReplyDeleteagaknya inilah kerja media2 pro pembangkang.. hanya tahu mensensasikan isu2 yang tidak mendatangkan manfaat kepada rakyat..
ReplyDeletewalau apapun cerita batu api media pembangkang, yang pasti perbezaan antara Mahathir dan Najib hanya pada era pentadbiran.. kedua2 tokoh ini memiliki kebijaksanaan dan daya kepimpinan yang unggul tidak seperti AnuWar Ibrahim..
ReplyDeletehose whom the gods wish to destroy, they first make madâ€. Certainly it would be a fitting description of Muammar Gaddafi, whose gory end was telecast for all to see, on Al-Jazeera and CNN. It would be no less appropriate a phrase to describe Mahathir Mohammed; who has been mad for quite a while now.
ReplyDeleteIn the mid-80s, Malaysia still retained some independent institutions. However when the judiciary, in the form of Salleh Abbas, refused to bow to Mahathir’s dictates, he took drastic steps to destroy Salleh Abbas. And henceforth the judiciary became Mahathir’s creature, rather than a proudly independent institution in the British tradition.
ReplyDeleteHe would also go on to clip the powers of Malaysia’s constitutional monarchy.
ReplyDeleteMahathir became, for all intents and purposes, Malaysia’s dictator. He was surrounded by sycophants and rent-seekers. And that appeared to be exactly how Mahathir liked it, for megalomaniacs are certain they know best, and view the givers of dissenting advice as threats.
ReplyDeleteMahathir, uncaring of the fact that Malaysia was a small country with limited say in the affairs of the world, would proceed to attempt to lecture everyone else, particularly the West, on how the world, or their nations, should be run. This despite the fact that he ran Malaysia like a demented despot.
ReplyDeleteThere are two ways that countries can play large roles in the global affairs of nations. They must have either financial or military muscle.
ReplyDeleteMalaysia had neither, yet Mahathir would for years, including after he retired, continue to harangue the west with his ‘advice’.
ReplyDeleteIn the case of 9/11, to this day he insists that it was an American or Jewish conspiracy to destroy the Twin Towers. This crackpot conspiracy theorist, to the detriment of his country, was Malaysia’s Prime Minister for 22 years.
ReplyDeleteThree years after becoming Prime Minister, in 1983, Mahathir  would decide to create, from scratch, a national automotive industry. This, of course, was, to put it mildly, a really bad idea. Automotive industries require captive home markets.
ReplyDeleteYou can only break even, assuming a competitive environment, if you could sell a million cars a year in your home market. Proton, a decade after its formation, could only manage to sell 200 thousand units a year, far short of the required million.
ReplyDeleteThere could never be money for genuine R&D. Proton would never meet Mahathir’s fantastical dream of being a world player in the automotive market. Proton only continued to survived on the protection of government tariffs.
ReplyDeleteAnd it’s cars were merely repackaged Mistsubishis using outdated technology; as Mitsubishi was not willing to share new technology with Proton.
ReplyDeleteOrdinary Malaysians ended up with the raw end of the deal; they were forced to buy Proton’s sub-standard cars for premium prices. Consumer safety was ignored by Proton and the government turned a blind eye. Protons lacked airbags and and anti-lock braking mechanisms.
ReplyDeleteMany a fatality occurred that could have been prevented if these saferty features had been in place. Export models of course had all the requisite safety features. It was only Malaysian lives that Mahathir deemed cheap.
ReplyDeleteThe government tried to rid itself of Proton by selling it to DRB but Proton would come boomeranging back to haunt it. And no real automotive company was interested to buy it. Discussions with Volkswagon and GM would all fall apart. Malaysia is stuck with Proton, thanks to Mahathir, and it is costing us.
ReplyDeleteNot that Mahathir was bothered by his failures. Like a mad scientist, he would go off on his next experiment.
ReplyDeleteIn one case it was to build the tallest building in the world. Money was not an issue; he could expropriate it from Petronas under one guise or the other.
ReplyDeleteNone of his advisers appeared to have asked the most obvious question, which would be; why on earth would you want to do that? Instead they appeared to tell him, in toadying chorus, what a wonderful idea it was.
ReplyDeleteThere were endless other ways to spend the money, in development or infrastructure, that would have benefited Malaysia in the long term. Mahathir instead chose to dump it in a concrete monument to his own vanity. Mahathir was the short guy,
ReplyDeletetrying to walk on outsize stilts to prove that he was tall. It was unreal and was bound to end in a big fall, which is precisely what would happen in the Asian meltdown of 1997/98 when Mahathir’s house of cards would come crashing down on him.
ReplyDeleteMalaysia’s apparent success in the 1990s was at first attributed to good economic management. Yet all the Asian economies were booming including Thailand and Indonesia. It was quite impossible that Asian leaders, including a collection of despots whose leading lights were Suharto and Mahathir, were all providing their nations with good economic leadership.
ReplyDeleteThe real explanation was that foreign funds were fuelling the Asian boom and too much of it was hot money that could disappear overnight.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that more and more funds were investing in Asia was an indication of the herd instinct that rules the often illogical global financial markets; rather than anything else. Currency speculators would take advantage of the inherent weaknesses of the economies within this unsustainable system to usher in, starting with Thailand, the Asian Financial Crisis of 1997.
ReplyDeleteFor Mahathir, it would mean a political crisis as well. His way of handling the Financial Crisis was to blame everybody except,
ReplyDeleteof course, himself. George Soros, a currency trader, was suddenly a monstrous leech feeding off helpless Asian countries. Yet currency traders were a part of the complex global financial system. If there was an imbalance in the system, the currency traders would, in their own way, correct it.
ReplyDeleteMahathir would not admit that he had been spending money on failed grandiose schemes. It was all, Mahathir insisted, Soros’s fault.
ReplyDeleteThe Malaysian political crisis of 1998 would test Mahathir as never before, and it would illustrate the lengths that Mahathir would go to hang on to power. His deputy Anwar Ibrahim would be jailed,
ReplyDeletebased on concocted evidence fabricated, allegedly, at the behest of Mahathir’s friend and crony, Daim Zainuddin. The trial was a farce; one of the key prosecution witnesses, a policeman, stating that he would lie to the court if ordered to do so and yet managing to have his evidence admitted.
ReplyDeleteIn 1999 Mahathir would move his administrative capital to Putrajaya, a fantasy city built from scratch at enormous cost. As usual, Mahathir had Petronas pay for it.
ReplyDeleteFor Mahathir, oil was not a finite resource for Malaysia as a nation to carefully manage, but a means to realize his own grandiose visions, often with no particular benefit to the country.
ReplyDeletePutrajaya would cost an irreplaceble RM 12 billion to Malaysia. The money went into grand designs and buildings filled with expensive furniture.
ReplyDeleteIt went into expensive ornate lamp posts instead of functional ones. Wanting to have bridges, but not having either rivers or lakes in Putrajaya, Mahathir dug his own lakes! He then built bridges over the ground he had just dug up! All this at taxpayer cost!
ReplyDeleteAnd what did we have to show for it? A bunch of civil servants sitting in nice buildings instead of functional ones.
ReplyDeleteNice buildings do not produce any economic activity. Factories do, private business does, and infrastructure facilitates the two, reducing the cost of goods and services and reducing time to market. Putrajaya’s buildings and unneccessary just sit there; a huge crater of waste.
ReplyDeleteIn 2004, Mahathir handed over power to Abdullah Baddawi. He was certain that he would be able to control Baddawi from behind the scenes. Baddawi, however, decided to go his own way. He cancelled projects that Mahathir had approved.
ReplyDeleteHe would not build Mahathir’s lunatic ‘crooked bridge’ to Singapore. Mahathir then engaged in a ‘war’ with Baddawi which would end with Baddawi’s ouster after the 2008 elections; though Baddawi was forced to leave office more because of BN’s 2008 election debacle rather than Mahathir’s attacks.
ReplyDeleteOver the past 2 years Mahathir has been trying to rewrite history by claiming, for example, that he had not ordered the the infamous 1987 Ops Lalang where more than a hundred opposition figures were arrested.
ReplyDeleteNobody was fooled and his audience actually laughed.
ReplyDeleteNot satisfied, Mahathir wrote a book with the misleading title of ‘Doctor in the House’. The book is filled with hypocrisies and in some instances, outright lies. His intention, one supposes, was to try and make himself look like a doctor who cured Malaysia’s ills. In fact,
ReplyDeleteMahathir was a cancer in Malaysia’s gut, and his malignant effect will be felt long after he is gone.
ReplyDeleteWhat an old bastard that hink he is still the prime Minister, you better step down, & shut up la!
ReplyDelete