S Thayaparan
“Najib is setting the stage for a political comeback, but what is Anwar's plan?”
COMMENT | Three years ago, when there was this rather dumb petition that Najib Abdul Razak’s trials be broadcast live - a move an initially reluctant Najib embraced - I thought the government had dodged the bullet when it came to shots fired by the media-savvy former prime minister when then communications and multimedia minister Gobind Singh Deo nixed the idea of state-owned media broadcasting live telecasts of Najib's trials.
While numerous Pakatan Harapan officials continue the strategy of attacking Najib, what they miss is that the allegations against Najib did not remove him from Umno, it did not result in a populist revolt in the Umno base, and it has not resulted in disavowal from the Umno establishment.
What is dangerous about this Najib sandiwara is how the extremist forces in this country have taken advantage of the political instability brought upon by the weakening of the Umno political hegemon.
Racial and religious issues are being played up because all these Malay uber alles parties want to be the sole voice of the “Malays”.
Having said that, opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim could have really thrown a spanner in Najib's current political role by delivering a very public rebuke of everything Najib and Umno stand for.
It would be easier if there were various policy differences between Anwar and Najib but a skilled debater understands that in debates such as these, people want spectacle and it was not incumbent on Najib to deliver the fireworks.
To answer Mariam’s question, Anwar does not have a plan and apparently, neither does anyone else in Harapan.
Furthermore, I wish people would stop saying that Najib is attempting a political comeback.
“Najib is setting the stage for a political comeback, but what is Anwar's plan?”
– Mariam Mokhtar
COMMENT | Three years ago, when there was this rather dumb petition that Najib Abdul Razak’s trials be broadcast live - a move an initially reluctant Najib embraced - I thought the government had dodged the bullet when it came to shots fired by the media-savvy former prime minister when then communications and multimedia minister Gobind Singh Deo nixed the idea of state-owned media broadcasting live telecasts of Najib's trials.
While numerous Pakatan Harapan officials continue the strategy of attacking Najib, what they miss is that the allegations against Najib did not remove him from Umno, it did not result in a populist revolt in the Umno base, and it has not resulted in disavowal from the Umno establishment.
What is dangerous about this Najib sandiwara is how the extremist forces in this country have taken advantage of the political instability brought upon by the weakening of the Umno political hegemon.
Racial and religious issues are being played up because all these Malay uber alles parties want to be the sole voice of the “Malays”.
Having said that, opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim could have really thrown a spanner in Najib's current political role by delivering a very public rebuke of everything Najib and Umno stand for.
It would be easier if there were various policy differences between Anwar and Najib but a skilled debater understands that in debates such as these, people want spectacle and it was not incumbent on Najib to deliver the fireworks.
To answer Mariam’s question, Anwar does not have a plan and apparently, neither does anyone else in Harapan.
Furthermore, I wish people would stop saying that Najib is attempting a political comeback.
Najib is already here. He and his acolytes have managed to destabilise and engineer elections in which their factions have emerged triumphant.
The problem with Anwar and Harapan is that they do not have a political narrative that anyone beyond the most partisan adherents would subscribe to.
Beyond the toll that this pandemic has had on people's lives, what I think people really want is some form of stability. Any kind of stability.
And because Harapan seems obsessed with relitigating battles they have already won, what some folks are thinking is that Umno has learnt its lesson and perhaps the old BN way would bring some sort of relief in these uncertain times.
Big tent strategy
Anyone perusing the online and real-world propaganda by Umno would understand that not only is Umno attempting to plant its flag in the middle ground, but it is also attempting to win over the majority by claiming that Perikatan Nasional has failed the Malay masses with economic hardship through incompetent leadership (which they blame on Muhyiddin Yassin) and bankrupt Islamic ideas, which they blame on PAS.
And because Harapan is determined that a big tent strategy is the way to go, most voters, even partisans, have no idea what separates their coalition from the other.
In other words, people do not really have a choice because there really are no policy differences between the political parties beyond hatred for Najib.
Now, if people voted because Najib was the only thing on their mind - either for or against - then there would be merit to this strategy.
Unfortunately, Najib is not such a polarising figure.
Now I get that for that particular breed of Harapan supporter, the Malay base is stupid and ignorant which is why they vote “Najib” but the problem is that while Najib's fingerprints were all over these by-elections, the Umno/BN narrative of “stability” is resonating.
DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang
Keep in mind what DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang said in the run-up to the Cameron Highlands by-election in 2019 which Harapan lost.
Lim said if Harapan wins, Najib's hope of a comeback would be “crushed to smithereens” and the latter could bid a “final goodbye to Malaysian politics.”
Even when it comes to the non-Malay vote, it would be extremely naïve to think stability is not a legitimate vote-getter.
Najib is not aiming to secure the vote of the entire Chinese community.
What he is aiming to do is secure enough support from the Chinese community to get Umno’s candidates over the line with Malay support.
Voters are not as dumb as some folks think.
They see this big tent nonsense and remember how Harapan spectacularly imploded by betrayals, frogs and exactly zero policy difference from Umno/BN and those voters who show up may think it is a better idea that politics remain stable especially when it impacts their lives in ways, urbanised people cannot fathom.
Meanwhile, Najib, convicted of corruption, has been relentlessly attacking opposing power structures within Umno, positioning his faction as key players in the "musical chairs" that is the de facto system in place until we have an election, to determine which bunch of screw-ups are going to be able to form a coalition to run this country.
This debate could have been the spark that ignited enthusiasm in Harapan, especially amongst the base but all Anwar did was confirm that unless the Malay establishment removes Najib from play, the next general election could be Anwar’s and Harapan’s Waterloo.
Keep in mind what DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang said in the run-up to the Cameron Highlands by-election in 2019 which Harapan lost.
Lim said if Harapan wins, Najib's hope of a comeback would be “crushed to smithereens” and the latter could bid a “final goodbye to Malaysian politics.”
Even when it comes to the non-Malay vote, it would be extremely naïve to think stability is not a legitimate vote-getter.
Najib is not aiming to secure the vote of the entire Chinese community.
What he is aiming to do is secure enough support from the Chinese community to get Umno’s candidates over the line with Malay support.
Voters are not as dumb as some folks think.
They see this big tent nonsense and remember how Harapan spectacularly imploded by betrayals, frogs and exactly zero policy difference from Umno/BN and those voters who show up may think it is a better idea that politics remain stable especially when it impacts their lives in ways, urbanised people cannot fathom.
Meanwhile, Najib, convicted of corruption, has been relentlessly attacking opposing power structures within Umno, positioning his faction as key players in the "musical chairs" that is the de facto system in place until we have an election, to determine which bunch of screw-ups are going to be able to form a coalition to run this country.
This debate could have been the spark that ignited enthusiasm in Harapan, especially amongst the base but all Anwar did was confirm that unless the Malay establishment removes Najib from play, the next general election could be Anwar’s and Harapan’s Waterloo.
S THAYAPARAN is Commander (Rtd) of the Royal Malaysian Navy. Fīat jūstitia ruat cælum - “Let justice be done though the heavens fall.”
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