Instead of tarnishing Anwar, it is Najib's image that has taken a hammering

It is now quite obvious that the sex video churned out by select UMNO-BN leaders to frame Pakatan Rakyat leader Anwar Ibrahim just before the 10th Sarawak state elections has had no effect whatsoever in Sarawak.

Instead, the image and credibility of Prime Minister Najib Razak is now at the lowest ebb. This is in stark contrast to Anwar's image which is much better than before as the clumsy conspiracy has exposed UMNO-BN's hand.

Malaysians now view Anwar as a persecuted man, the victim of a political vendetta waged unfairly by Najib through abusing the insitutions of the country such as the police, the judiciary and the MACC, which he has no right to do so.

DAP MP for Seremban John Fernandez told Malaysia Chronicle that he really "salutes" Anwar for being able to withstand so much pressure from the UMNO-BN.

"A lesser man would have given up and migrated already. I truly admire Anwar for his courage, fortitude and perseverance in the fight for justice, fairness and truth," Fernandez said.

Sex video and 'suicide' death fall

In Kuching, the talk in the town as regards the Datuk T sex video too point the finger squarely at Najib, who has already been accused of plotting the sodomy charges against Anwar.

"It is not Anwar in the tape lah, because the body is too flabby but even if it is Anwar, so what? The BN leaders and Datuk Trio are not clean themselves," an elderly man told DAP campaigners, who were scouting for feedback.

The video features a man who purportedly looks like Anwar having sex with a prostitute. But while it failed to seriously dent Anwar's armour, no amount of costly public relations may be able to help to repair Najib's damaged image.

Sivarasa Rasiah, PKR MP for Subang, feels that Najib's image took another beating after a senior Customs officer, Sarbani Mohamaed, was found dead in suspicious circumstances at the MACC.

"This tragic death has shown Najib to be an ineffective leader as he has failed to take firm steps necessary to ensure that incidents like Teoh Beng Hock's death do not occur again. A death occuring in a government institution as imporatant as the MACC is no small matter and what is more, now there are two deaths," Sivarasa told Malaysia Chronicle.

Third World mentality, unexplained and suspicious deaths

There are now fears that foreign investors will give Malaysia a wide berth when they see that the way the country is being run.

"It is starting to really resemble a Third World regime where there are unexplained and suspicious deaths," PKR vice president Tian Chua told Malaysia Chronicle.

All eyes are now on Najib and how he will handle the Sarawak state polls.

"His open vote-buying in Sibu, Kerdau and Kuching have portrayed him as a despotic leader desperate to cling on to power. The Malays themselves are beginning to doubt Najib's creditbility," Perak PAS information chief Khalil Idham Lim told Malaysia Chronicle.

"This second death at MACC involves a Malay, what has Najib to say to that? The BN government must give a good explanation for this as it always claims to champion the Malays."

Indeed, it looks like Najib may have fallen into the pit that he tried to dig for Anwar. Pundits have advised that he would do well to take note of this and refrain from practicing "sewer politics with immediate effect". - Malaysia Chronicle