Bibles fiaso: Najib left looking foolish, while Muhyiddin bides his time

Prime Minister Najib Razak may have painted himself into a corner with the latest development in the Malay-language Bibles. If his intention was to appear a hero to the Christians, a statesman to his Umno party and a savvy operator to his political peers, he would have failed all three objectives.

Not only are Christians hopping mad over his indecisiveness in the botched release of some 35,000 Malay Bibles, they want his hide for “defacing” their holy book.

When Najib suddenly gave the green light on Monday night, he also placed 2 conditions including the stamping of an ugly serial number to track the copies released.

While he may have been trying to cover his rear end for the decision which is unpopular with many Malay-Muslims, he also created an uproar amongst the Christians that was even louder than before.

Foolish Najib, Muhyiddin will do 'something'

To Umno members, his inability to triumph in an issue as sensitive as this will expose him to attacks from the right wing.

His deputy Muhyiddin Yassin must surely be pleased, and already the whispering within his circle is that he had warned Najib, “I told you so”.

“Definitely there is political rivalry between them. The no. 2 would definitely have the intention of taking over the no. 1, especially seeing as how Muhyiddin is older than the PM,” PAS vice president Mahfuz Omar told Malaysia Chronicle.

Indeed, 6 hours before the Najib announcement that the Bibles would be released, Muhyiddin had assured conservative Muslim groups there were no such plans and any decision would have to go through a Cabinet meet slated for Friday.

Then Idris Jala, junior minister and Najib's blue-eyed boy, made the surprise announcement catching the nation by surprise and Muhyiddin wrongfooted.

But, with the Christian groups even angrier now that Bibles are stamped or 'defaced' with the Home Ministry's serial number, Najib is not only left looking more foolish, he has inadvertently placed a strong weapon in Muhyiddin’s hand.

Mahfuz does not forsee Muhyiddin, who is also Umno deputy president, mounting a direct challenge for the party presidency, but believes that the DPM will oust Najib in the same manner as Najib ousted his predecessor, Abdullah Badawi.

“Muhyiddin will do ‘something’ within Umno. This is another chip he can use against Najib very effectively,” said Mahfuz.

What really happened?

Other Pakatan leaders also noticed the 'miscommunication' between the Umno No. 1 and 2 and questioned if internal gamesmanship was at play.

"What really happened? Why suddenly there is not need for any Cabinet decision to resolve this long-standing issue of the detention of the 35,000 Bahasa Malaysia Bibles?" said DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang.

"It is clear that the decision to suddenly release the 35,000 Bahasa Malaysia Bibles was not because of any respect for the principle of constitutional guarantee of freedom of religion or national unity considerations, but solely because of the impending Sarawak state general elections. Religious harmony should not be made a political football or a vote-getting bait if the government is serious about 1Malaysia as an inclusive policy to embrace all races and religions."

Meanwhile, PKR vice president, N Surendran urged Najib to stop supporting Perkasa and to discard racial and religious politicking.

“Perkasa is a racist body – a mono-ethnic group, advocating the rights of one race only, which in modern Malaysia we don’t encourage,” Surendran told Malaysia Chronicle.

He also said the rivalry between Najib and Muhyiddin was long-simmering and well-known within political circles.

“Strange how BN and the mainstream media are always attacking Pakatan for disunity when it happens within their own party,” said Surendran. - Malaysia Chronicle