M Bakri Musa, a surgeon who practises in Califormia, and noted (by KTemoc) as an admirer of old school leaders like Tun Razak and Ku Li, has only sneering comments for AAB. This has been what he wrote of AAB in his Malaysiakini column:
Abdullah's public piety and 'Mr Clean' image is nothing more than a shrewdly crafted facade. The man's character does not justify those descriptions.
Take his piety. Soon after becoming prime minister, he unashamedly indulged in a grand gesture of being Imam by leading his ministers in a widely publicised congregational prayer. The latest had him leading an even larger group after breaking fast. These are nothing more than a crass attempt at evoking the powerful images of our great Caliphs, giants who were not only political but also spiritual leaders.
Malaysians forget (or more correctly were never reminded) that Islamic Studies was not Abdullah's first choice. He stumbled upon it because he could not handle the mathematics to pursue economics. Then, as today, Islamic Studies was a dumping ground for those not inclined for or incapable of rigorous academic pursuit.
Likewise his 'Mr Clean' image; he never had the opportunity before! Now that he is prime (and finance) minister, he is furiously making up for lost time.
Related:
(1) The real Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
(2) Who benefits directly from PORR?
True enough. That was also mentioned in the Wikipedia.
ReplyDeleteTo quote:
Abdullah is a former student of Bukit Mertajam High School. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Islamic Studies from the University of Malaya in 1964, having originally wished to pursue a degree in Economics but failing to meet the required standard after failing his statistics paper.
Imagine that for a Finance Minister...
Only in Malaysia can a totally unqualified person due to some twisted legal definition of race as found in apartheid South Africa be handling a highly complicated and technical post such as the Finance ministry. But then that’s what the NEP is all about.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I wonder if Malays like M Bakri Musa who sound so high and mighty have the balls to give up their privileges as Bumiputras and to ask their own Malay relatives and friends to repudiate these privileges as well. After all it was these so-called Bumiputra rights which put AAB where he is today.
I can think of no Malay who has actually given up his government sponsored privileges in the name of fairness or even in the name of the Islamic religion which claims to be founded on the principles of fairness, justice and so on. Can anyone prove me wrong? Have people like M Bakri Musa ever matched their 'bikin' and 'cakap'?
People like M Bakri Musa are no more than power hungry hypocrites. The motive for their criticisms has more to do with their not being part of the Malay ruling elite than anything else. At least with Malays like AAB, I know them for the power hungry maniacs that they are. However, with Malays like M Bakri Musa you never know when they will put a knife in your back the moment they get into power.