Najib tries to buy support with RM1.1mil and fine-words of multiracial unity

Despite being told to shut up by netizens in a Diam Lar! Facebook page for hollow and hypocritical speech, Prime Minister Najib Razak tried to close the door on a recent slew of high-handed and racially-tinged crackdowns by saying it was time for Malaysians to accept being multiracial rather than just be "tolerant of each other".

But Malaysians are unlikely to fail for the gambit. Like the boy who cried wolf, Najib has lied once too often to the Malaysian people, U-turning without a thought to the feelings of the minority groups the moment he sensed the sentiment of the right-wing members in UMNO, on whom he is desperate for political survival.

It is obvious that within UMNO and BN that all eyes are now on his deputy Muhyiddin Yassin, after Najib disgraced himself with a barrage of horrendous decisions sparking national and overseas concern that he was trying to turn Malaysia into a police state.

Embrace not tolerate

No wonder then that on Thursday, the 58-year old Najib tried to reignite the feeling that he was still a better choice than Muhyiddin, who is also unpopular with the minority groups for perceived racism and religious bigotry.

"If we say we are tolerant of each other, that means there still exists walls that will make us fell a bit uneasy with each other. But if we accept each other, then we can celebrate our togetherness and be fully united as Malaysians," Star reported Najib as saying at a Chinese school launching on Thursday.

"We need to improve on our system of democracy, but don't anyone try to deny that we are democratic. Do not be blind to history and be an ingrate. We need to always be thankful to our forefathers through Perikatan (the Alliance, now Barisan Nasional) who had the foresight to agree to have different types of school system. Otherwise, we will not have this diverse system in the country."

Buying support

Then Najib announced an allocation of RM1.1 mil for several Chinese schools in Kedah, confirming cynicism that his speech was just another ploy to win political support, rather than a sincere offering of the proverbial olive brach.

"The Chinese would be more grateful if Najib stood his ground on his words rather than dish out the money. Money will never buy respect or trust. So Najib can donate 10 million or 100 million, but they will still tell him to diam lah!" PKR vice president Tian Chua told Malaysia Chronicle.

"Also if Malaysia is so democratic as Najib claims, why are the PSM leaders still in jail under the Emergency Ordinance Act, why is Bersih still outlawed, why is there no explanation from the government for the doctored photos of that so-called violent Bersih supporter in the NST and Malay papers. These are questions that are so obvious that they expose Najib as being hypocritical and not sincere, even now after so much has happened." - Malaysia Chronicle