But Prime Minister, after 53 yrs people are ready to take the risk

Mariam Mokhtar, Malaysia Chronicle

Was it a veiled threat or a hint of defeatism, when Najib said, “We cannot afford to forsake our future. If Barisan cannot win, no others can win”?

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak told a Deepavali gathering in Pekan that it was unlikely that the opposition could wrestle power from BN and that the people should not mortgage the country's future to the opposition as they were only good at making empty pledges.

“They do not share an ideology and only know to make promises. They hold on to separate political beliefs, making their partnership all too loose”, Najib was reported as saying.

Najib claimed that BN, previously known as the Alliance, had brought the country to Independence, fulfilled the aspirations that came with it, and continued to spur Malaysia to become a developed nation. BN, he proudly suggested, had a proven track record of keeping its promises.

In the run-up to a possible snap general election (GE-13), Najib who is ever mindful of the threat posed by Pakatan Rakyat (PR) warned, “Do not take any risk that will we will regret later” and cautioned that a wrong choice could cause “calamity”.

Najib revealed a sense of foreboding when he said that ‘history had shown that leaders who also knew to make promises would ultimately bring disaster to the people’.

His assertion that the BN leadership had always ‘strived to deliver on the coalition's promises in the interest of the people and country’ may be met with skepticism, but he was quick to stress that his administration would run the country as fairly as possible for the good of all communities.

He said, “I will hold firm to the 1Malaysia spirit and put the people first. God willing, the people will benefit greatly from Barisan Nasional rule.”

Perhaps, Najib is not aware that BN rule has not been of benefit to many.

Meanwhile, the forthcoming PR convention at Seberang Perai, will focus on issues of mutual interest, with its leaders exploring common policies for education, the economy and society, as well as concentrating on preparations for GE-13. As expected, touchy issues such as PAS’s renewed push for an Islamic state will be avoided.

Opposition Leader and Pakatan de-facto head, Anwar Ibrahim told reporters, “We will explain our agenda in detail; our understanding of the constitution. We will strengthen the policies so that it is clear among the party leadership on every level in preparations for possible elections”.

The convention will see the unveiling and launch of a new slogan, ‘Ubah Sekarang!’ (Change Now!).

Convention administrative coordinator Mujahid Yusof Rawa said the slogan contained five important messages to the people. These include PR's aim of establishing a federal government which is free from corruption, is transparent and has integrity.

“We want to democratise and free Malaysians, as well as build solidarity among the different ethnic groups because our society is now fragile as a result of racial and religious tensions,” Mujahid told reporters.

Scheduled for 19 December, the day-long convention will kick off with a mammoth gathering of Pakatan top guns in the island and in Seberang Jaya the night before.

Booths displaying PR's achievements will be set up. As a special feature, there will be booths showcasing the achievements of the PR governments in Kedah, Kelantan, Penang, Selangor as well as Terengganu, by PAS in the past.

Mujahid was quick to impress: “Pakatan, through the various state governments, has given examples of how it rules. We have proven our ability and transparency.”

Thus, it is the opposition’s proven track record that Najib is fearful of.

All the while, Najib has always maintained that his administration ‘kept its promises’. Naturally, he does not want to run the risk that the electorate might want to prove him wrong.