First posted on Sunday, 6 March 2016
It is not about Anwar Ibrahim becoming prime minister. It is not about DAP, PKR or Umno staying in government or being in government. It certainly is not about race, religion or politics: it is about Najib Razak's suitability to be prime minister of Malaysia.
Umno
has outlast five prime ministers, ten deputy prime ministers, fourteen
Yang di-Pertuan Agongs, one konfrontasi with Indonesia, one racial riot
of 13th May in 1969, the break up with Singapore over Malaysia,
Reformasi and Pakatan Rakyat. It has had six decades of continuous
majority government
Who
says it will not survive 1MDB, survive the fall out from the RM2.6
billion donation deposited into it's president personal account and
survive the latest dismissal of another DPM? Who says it will not
survive the predicted onslaught by the core group headed by a past Umno
president intent upon unseating it's current president?
For
every argument that says Umno and Najib Razak will now surely fall as a
result of the actions of this core group, I can give two rebuttals why
Umno and Najib Razak will not fall.
For
every reason given as to why Najib should no longer be it's president, I
can provide countless reasons as to why he should stay in office.
And
for every call by the core group for Najib Razak's resignation from the
office of prime minister I can provide ample evidence to support the
positive influence of Najib's leadership upon the country's economic
well being that has resulted in a Malaysia much better than the one he
inherited from Abdullah Badawi.
Ditto
for whatever negative comments that Najib Razak and his cohorts may
have for Mahathr and the core group he leads that is focused on removing
Najib from office as prime minister of Malaysia.
Whatever
the arguments put by either side for or against the other, what is now
certain is that the rules as to how politics is to be played in Malaysia
has now changed. The rule today is that there is no rules,no codes of
ethics or morality, nothing is off limits. The failure of Mahathir to
unseat Najib over the last year or so only meant that he has to try
harder now.
All
that Najib has done in the name of government has been rubbished - some
deservedly so but some unfairly so. All the economic "successes", the
numerous transformation programs, the various initiatives introduced by
Najib's government to improve the nations economy and assist the rakyats
most in needs...all have all been taken by the opposition in the very
worst possible light.
All
this negativity from Mahathir and the opposition has also failed to
unseat Najib Razak as prime minister of Malaysia. So what else is left?
His character.
Character means "the aggregate of qualities that distinguishes one person from others. moral constitution or status , reputation."
Has Najib done anything to disqualify him from political office? From being prime minister?
Before
you make a judgement on Mahathir or the opposition for judging the
fitness of any person to hold political office based on his/her
character you will have to ask yourself how is it that Malaysian
politics has now come to this? How does what one do in private life,
what indiscretion one has committed in the flush of youth and of course
one's sex life, has anything to do with anyone being fit to hold high
public office?
The answer to that is simply this. Live by the sword, die by the sword.
Umno
has consistently use the "morality" or good or bad of one's character
as being reason enough to prosecute and persecute any one who is
perceive to be a threat to Umno's political future. No one more
than Anwar Ibrahim has been the victim of such prosecution and
persecution. There are more, many more who have endured such persecution
and prosecution. Umno arbitrarily criminalize the action of anyone who becomes a threat to Umno's hold. on political power.
It
is fitting, is it not, to turn the tables on this current president of
Umno, Najib Razak, and ask if he is fit for public office when his
character flaws revels him to be not!
And
so this what the core group is now focused on : challenging the
suitability of Najib Razak to be prime minister when his "character" has
shown him to be a flawed individual who by his actions - 1MDB and the
RM2.6billion donation deposited into his personal bank account (among
other things) - does disqualify him from holding high public office however "legal" his actions are!
So
for those of you who have been so vocal in condemning Mahathir and
those other 57 who have signed the core group declaration to remove
Najib as prime minister, understand that what this core group is doing
to Najib is what Najib has done to others - especially to Anwar Ibrahim
and many others.
They
are not talking about politics, not talking about the policies and
initiatives of this Umno led Barisan Nasional government. It is not
about the past
deeds,whether good of bad, of Mahathir or any one else of the group of
58 that signed the core group declaration. It is not about Anwar Ibrahim
becoming prime minister. It is not about DAP, PKR or Umno staying in
government or being in government. It certainly is not about race,
religion or politics : it is about Najib Razak's suitability to be prime
minister of Malaysia.
As in every "Yes" or "No" situation you will have to take side. Neutrality is not an option because given the state of our nation today, there is no place for "undecided".
You
can take a sword and slice the country into two - one side being a
"Yes" and the other side a "No" .....but that will not resolve the
conundrum we are
in today. Either Najib and all those who have been complicit in keeping
him in political power goes, or, Najib buries those who are in the core
group lock stock and barrel....no ifs no buts.
I
have cast my hopes, my aspirations and every effort within me with the
core group for reasons I have many times explained in what I write in my
blogs and anywhere else. I reiterate : I do not want a thief, a robber
and a liar to be my prime minister. Najib Razak is all that and more!
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