The Najibs’ pilgrimage and GE

If the allegation is true that it is nothing more than a political gimmick, Does Najib think manipulating his hajj will assure him of the people's vote?

COMMENT

News is out that the 13th general election is scheduled for Dec 10. Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak is expected to dissolve Parliament on Nov 11.

All this will happen once Najib and wife Rosmah Mansor return from their hajj pilgrimage on Nov 6.

Along with this news which was made by Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) chairperson Badrul Hisham Shaharin or better known as CheguBard, came some disturbing revelations.

Naively or otherwise, Badrul said his “inside sources” told him that Najib and Rosmah’s trip to Mecca was related to the image building-cum-enhancement of the PM and his domineering wife.

Badrul went on to say that media coverage has been put in place to provide extensive coverage to the hajj pilgrimage performed by the premier and his wife.

What is astonioshing is the reason behind the airing of the couple’s pilgrimage – to influence and lure the rakyat, especially the Malays in winning their votes come the 13th GE.

“Don’t be surprised if the image or video clip of Najib and Romah entering the Kaabah is aired every night,” Badrul was quoted as saying.

Does Najib think manipulating his hajj will assure him of the people’s vote and victory in the impending general election? Was that the real intent of Najib and Rosmah, to make the full of trials and tribulations journey to Mecca, to perform the hajj?

Najib’s hajj agenda

For those doing the hajj, it is said to be a very “private” affair, between them and God. Donned in the white ihram and devoid of all material comforts, the hajj is performed with the intention of seeking forgiveness for the sins done.

In the case of Najib and Rosmah, misusing the pilgrimage to further their worldly vested interests, i.e. improving their image to win the hearts of voters will put any decent human being to shame.

It was just two months ago that the Selangor Islamic Religious Department or Jais gate-crashed into a thanksgiving dinner organised by the Damansara Utama Methodist Church, accusing the church of trying to convert Muslim guests at the dinner.

It is illegal to proselytise Muslims in Malaysia.

But extremist organisations like Perkasa were far from assured that proselytisation was never the church’s agenda. In retaliation, on Oct 22, the Himpunan Sejuta Umat (Himpun) was organised.

Perkasa, the Malay rights group, lauded the success of Himpun claiming it unified Muslims even from opposing political factions.

Himpun claims to have the backing of 200 NGOs representing four million Muslims nationwide.

Yet the 100,000 seats in the Shah Alam Stadium were glaringly empty with barely 5,000 people turning up for the rally. To the Christian leaders, the Himpun fight is “irrelevant” as no conversion attempts were ever made.

Himpun’s co-organiser, Mohd Yusri Mohamed, had prior to the rally insisted that the rally was not anti-Christian, amid rumblings of uneasiness that it could spark further racial tensions.

What does Perkasa have to say about the Najib-Rosmah hajj pilgrimage, which is all about fulfilling their hidden agenda?

Rushing into the GE a disaster

Badrul, who is also Rembau branch PKR chief, said he was made to understand that Najib deliberately chose the date Nov 11 after receiving paranormal and astrological advice which said the number 1 is the lucky digit for Najib and Rosmah.

Are Muslims not forbade from believing in such matters? It is said that not only is the practice of astrology haram or forbidden, so is visiting an astrologist and listening to his predictions, buying books on astrology or reading one’s horoscope are also forbidden!

Since astrology is mainly used for predicting the future, those who practice it are considered fortune-tellers. And the one who seeks his horoscope comes under the ruling contained in the Prophet’s statement:

“The Salaah (daily prayer) of whoever approaches a fortune-teller and asks him about anything will not be accepted for forty days and nights.”

Such a belief is considered shirik or polytheism because Allah has clearly stated: “With Him are the keys to the unseen and none knows it except Him.”

To-date, it is confirmed that Najib will go by the Nov 11 date despite being cautioned by some quarters not to hold the general election much earlier and in a surprised manner.

Badrul went on to say that the 13th GE is also being rushed to tackle the inner crisis troubling Umno, the country’s dominant party representing Malay rights. The 13th GE is Najib’s way of making sure his detractors within Umno do not succeed in dethroning him.

But Badrul is worried that the call for the GE much sooner will only spell trouble for Najib, keeping in mind the chain of events post-July, when election watchdog Bersih 2.0 held its “Walk for Democracy”. One of them was the setting up of a parliamentary select committee on electoral reform in August this year.

Bersih 2.0 has cautioned the Najib administration that any move towards electoral reform would be deemed insincere and deceitful if the eight immediate demands by Bersih 2.0 are ignored before the 13th general election.