How PH’s failings and attacks helped elevate ‘Bossku’ Najib
“Bossku” Najib Razak campaigning in Johor on Thursday. (Najib Razak Facebook)
PETALING JAYA: Pakatan Harapan’s relentless attacks on Najib Razak, and its fall from power in February 2020, helped to elevate the former prime minister’s status as “Bossku”, according to a political analyst.
Azmi Hassan of Nusantara Academy said Najib had demonstrated ingenuity in using social media to provide fact-based arguments to the public.
“During PH’s 22 months in power, he would take to social media to point out their fumbles or answer claims made against him,” he said.
He added that this triggered the public’s desire to want somebody like Najib back at the helm again and a government like Barisan Nasional (BN) which was believed to be relatively stable in the last six decades.
“Perception is very important in politics and with Najib’s “Bossku” aura attracting crowds, the perception is that the party (BN) is being supported by the masses,” he told FMT.
Asked why Najib retained a “Bossku” aura despite being embroiled in several court cases, Azmi said Najib’s supporters believe the convictions to be selective political persecution, “because his supporters have noticed that others who were also convicted were not singled out”.
The opposition’s attempts to censure Najib have only fuelled his popularity among supporters, he said.
Former deputy transport minister Aziz Kaprawi said the public’s hopes were dashed when PH failed to fulfil their promises when they were in power, and it helped to bolster Najib’s following.
“They realised that Najib is better than the likes of Lim Guan Eng and Mahathir Mohamad. Despite his court convictions, he performs better as a leader in comparison to the others,” he told FMT.
Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had said recently that Najib’s “Bossku” aura would lead Umno to victory in the Johor elections.
Aziz said it was pointless for the opposition to keep bringing up the same issues to discredit Najib, especially since they have been mooted from before the 2018 general election.
James Chin of the University of Tasmania’s Asia Institute said the opposition often criticised Najib because they feared his commanding presence could potentially get him re-elected as the prime minister.
“They are worried he will find a way to get out of his 1MDB conviction and all the other ongoing trials and he will make a comeback as prime minister. For them, it is a nightmare scenario,” he said.
“Ironically by harping on old issues and attacking him, they are giving his popularity a boost.”
PETALING JAYA: Pakatan Harapan’s relentless attacks on Najib Razak, and its fall from power in February 2020, helped to elevate the former prime minister’s status as “Bossku”, according to a political analyst.
Azmi Hassan of Nusantara Academy said Najib had demonstrated ingenuity in using social media to provide fact-based arguments to the public.
“During PH’s 22 months in power, he would take to social media to point out their fumbles or answer claims made against him,” he said.
He added that this triggered the public’s desire to want somebody like Najib back at the helm again and a government like Barisan Nasional (BN) which was believed to be relatively stable in the last six decades.
“Perception is very important in politics and with Najib’s “Bossku” aura attracting crowds, the perception is that the party (BN) is being supported by the masses,” he told FMT.
Asked why Najib retained a “Bossku” aura despite being embroiled in several court cases, Azmi said Najib’s supporters believe the convictions to be selective political persecution, “because his supporters have noticed that others who were also convicted were not singled out”.
The opposition’s attempts to censure Najib have only fuelled his popularity among supporters, he said.
Former deputy transport minister Aziz Kaprawi said the public’s hopes were dashed when PH failed to fulfil their promises when they were in power, and it helped to bolster Najib’s following.
“They realised that Najib is better than the likes of Lim Guan Eng and Mahathir Mohamad. Despite his court convictions, he performs better as a leader in comparison to the others,” he told FMT.
Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had said recently that Najib’s “Bossku” aura would lead Umno to victory in the Johor elections.
Aziz said it was pointless for the opposition to keep bringing up the same issues to discredit Najib, especially since they have been mooted from before the 2018 general election.
James Chin of the University of Tasmania’s Asia Institute said the opposition often criticised Najib because they feared his commanding presence could potentially get him re-elected as the prime minister.
“They are worried he will find a way to get out of his 1MDB conviction and all the other ongoing trials and he will make a comeback as prime minister. For them, it is a nightmare scenario,” he said.
“Ironically by harping on old issues and attacking him, they are giving his popularity a boost.”
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