Najib's 'Ali Baba' government

“Ali Baba” in the Malaysian business world is a term normally used to describe main-contractors who grab contracts and then pass them down to other companies, normally after pocketing a nice profit without lifting a finger.

And Najib Razak is arguably the biggest “Ali Baba” practitioner in Malaysia.

It is not just the dirt flying high and low from the purchase of the Scorpene submarines, for which French authorities are now investigating kickbacks to his his friend Razak Baginda's Perimekar but the “Ali Baba” practice also extends to the way he governs Malaysia.

Right now, Najib Razak has sub-contracted the governing of Malaysia to his cousin, Hishamuddin Hussein, UMNO roughneck-groups such as Perkasa, and the Inspector-General of Police.

In Najib’s ying-and-yang concept of reality, only good things should be associated with him. All the rest of the manure and faeces should be thrown over to the 'hired help'.

More likely than not, Najib learnt this skill during his days of thunder in 1987-1989, when as UMNO Youth chief, he led an illegal assembly in Kampung Baru. And to his everlasting shame, it was there that he uttered the promise to “bathe this Keris with Chinese blood”.

Not the sort of press you would want when you are prime minister. And Najib has learnt through the years to hunger for the limelight. His ego, never small, has ballooned thanks to encouragement from his equally wants-to-be-loved spouse, Rosmah Mansor.

During the Sarawak Election of April 2011, whenever Najib was in town, the authorities went to great pains to maximise his airtime without Chief Minister Taib Mahmud in the picture. On most walk-abouts and BN rallies, Taib was intentionally left out so that Najib could be the people's hero.

This preoccupation with maintaining a “good” image has hampered his inability to lead as a leader. Of course, there are those who say it is not just about good image but that it only shows Najib is a political coward and incapable of making decisions.

Be that as it may, Najib will only be seen making the 'good' and 'right' decisions. He can only be seen playing 'good guy' and no viliian roles for him. Hence, the directive by the authorities to tar the Bersih march as an “illegal rally”.

Wilder than Bigfoot

Bersih 2.0 can be credited for letting loose some of the wildest and most absurd stories imagNot even inable, even outshining the one-time idea that Bigfoot was running wild in the wilderness of Johor.

The nation has gone crazy under the weight of the UMNO 'spin' and its media apparatus have released just about everything it has to demonize and paint the Bersih march black.

The Malaysian police have cooked up a story that Communist elements are making a comeback to mainstream politics in Malaysia. Cuba would be happy to hear this. It is also worth noting that China, which Najib now professes to admire, has just celebrated the 90th anniversary of its communist party. So what sort of mixed signals is Najib sending?

Really, it is waste of time figuring out because it is just an excuse. Who wants to be slowed down by being a Commie in this day and age? Only Cuba is still staunchly holding onto the idealism of Communism to the hilt. Even China has converted itself into a form of Capitalistic-Communism whereby they now have a growing number of filthy rich businessmen eager to take on the world economy. But really, that is not the point for Najib and the Malaysian authorities.

The fact is they really lack the grey matter that usually resides in the cranium. Penang police grabbed whatever excuse they could lay their hands on and to make it even more offensive, the court upheld their decision to save them embarrassment. Not a thought was spared to the 30 ethnic Indian activists who have to suffer the rotten conditions of the police lock-ups. Is this not institutionalised bullying and racism?

The real bad guys

Then, the questioning of national laureate A Samad Said by the police under Section 4(1)(b) of the Sedition Act 1948 and Section 27(5) of the Police Act 1967, which relate to unlawful assembly. Such a move should be viewed as an attempt to gag all writers in Malaysia.

So far, the actions taken by Najib, his cousin Hishammuddin and the police mirror those by Communist forces in Russia, China and the Khmer Rouge, which went to great lengths to imprison and murder not just writers and poets. But also thinkers, political activists, dissidents and basically anyone who got in their way.

At a time when Malaysia is going through intellectual-bankruptcy, censorship will only backfire. It won't help in the efforts to build a knowledgeable and smart society. Instead, the Government of Malaysia has created an environment that repels intellectuals and induces fear in all artisans.

And a nation that stifles and kills its artisans is a nation without a soul.

A nation that confines its writers, poets and thinkers is a nation empty and void of any substance.

It is an empty shell of a society, without any sparkle of ingenuity or inspiration.

Tell us if we are wrong. Is it not then, the supporters of Bersih who are not acting like Communists but rather the police under instructions from a running-scared prime minister and UMNO-BN government.

Yoda from the Jedi Council and Harry Potter’s twin brother

UMNO-owned Utusan newspaper has found it convenient to blame Christians for supporting Bersih 2.0. After demonizing Bersih chief Ambiga Sreenevasan as anti-Islam, the UMNO-owned newspaper reported that the group calling for electoral reforms was being funded by foreigners such as the Konrad Adenauer Foundation from Germany and the Canadian Allied Foundation.

How Utusan made the connection between Christians and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and the Canadian Allied Foundation is beyond reason. It is like saying Yoda from the Jedi Council in Star Wars was Harry Potter’s twin brother.

Yet, the Malaysian Strategic Research Centre too had strong ties with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. The MSRC was formed by Razak Baginda, Najib's good friend and alleged proxy in the purchase of RM7 billion Scorpene submarines. He was also controversially acquitted of abetting in the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu, a beautiful 28-year old translator who allegedly was also mistress to both the men.

Once again, Utusan and Najib have shot themselves in the foot. From stirring racial and religious tensions to spinning outright lie, both are now disgraced. At least Utusan is just a tool, a hireling. Whereas Najib is the the PM, the leader of the nation. Who should be responsible when the chips are tallied up.

The same goes for IGP Ismail Omar and Hisham too, despite the blood ties. For should there be tragedy or bloodshed, Malaysians won't allow anyone to get away anymore. So think carefully, do not blindly follow orders. And to those who issue, do not be too sure you won't be held be responsible just because you delegated the bad-guy role to your juniors.

Monsters in just 2 years

And while the nation crashes and burn under all the UMNO madness, where is Najib Razak the Prime Minister who spun the 1Malaysia slogan? Where is Najib Razak as the Prime Minister for all Malaysians?

Sad to say, he has disappeared amid the madness. The Najib administration has effectively removed all forms of civil rights belonging to the citizens of Malaysia as guaranteed under the Federal Constitution.

In his by-now twisted mind, Najib feels justified to take away these liberties in exchange for his stay in power. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Imagine, it only took 2 years or so to create such monsters in Najib and Rosmah. What would happen if they were allowed to stay on?

- Malaysia Chronicle