Clear signs Najib to yield power, to focus on overseas 'trips' till tenure ends

So, where in the world is Prime Minister Najib Razak? In the past month, Najib has been in China, in Indonesia, in Australia, in Saudi Arabia, and then back to Saudi Arabia again; and now he’s off to Hawaii!

Is he the host of a travel channel? A pretty or pretty-ugly version of Asha Gill depending on whether you are part of fast-falling 59% of Malaysians who like him, or part of the fast-growing 41% who don't!

And in all these trips Najib has achieved absolutely nothing other than a criminal waste of public money. Along with him for the ride, and further burdening the taxpayer, is the ample, bejeweled and expensively hand-bagged figure of his less-than-popular wife, Rosmah Mansor.

Najib’s trips to Saudi Arabia are particularly contemptuous of the need to conserve public funds in such financially challenging times. Najib first went to Saudi Arabia for the funeral of the Saudi Crown Prince. He could have sent someone else, and someone less costly, to attend this funeral of a repressive Middle Eastern figure.

For example, he could have sent his deputy Muhyiddin Yassin, who is in any event of no particular use in Malaysia, other than to cause further harm to our already messed-up Education System.

Hula Hula at preposterous costs

After CHOGM, where Najib was photographed sleeping slack-mouthed during speeches, he goes right back to Saudi Arabia for his Haj. Now, knowing that he was going to have to go to the APEC meeting immediately after, why would Najib not postpone his trip? He is not a private individual but a government servant being maintained at preposterous public cost.

Malaysia, meanwhile, floats along leaderless and ungoverned. Greece is failing, Italy is under siege, Spain is trembling and the global economy is under threat, while Najib is missing and on holiday. To put it mildly, he is shockingly irresponsible. He is also the Finance Minister but does nothing and leaves the economy in the hands of Ahmad Husni, who has proven himself to be little more than a glorified accountant. And not a top tiered one either, let's tell the truth.

Malaysia meanwhile is recoiling from the exposure of huge government waste and corruption in the Auditor-General’s report. Najib is uncaring. He blinks not even an eye at news of a RM10 million super-luxury condo bought for the family of a senior Cabinet minister using the people's money set aside for a national beef production project. Is it really all in the family for the BN? Is it really all about 'You help me, I help you'?

Meanwhile, Malaysians groan under the burden of 5 to 8% inflation on food, caused by Najib’s incompetent policies. Najib’s profligate spending adds to it and in a huge way. He and Umno may think, what's a few hundred millions more when already billions if not a trillion is at stake. Seriously, the cost of delaying Malaysia's cure will be in the trillions. Time as they say is of essence.

Time is invaluable. The LONGER Malaysia delays tough reforms while Umno hunts high and low for non-existent talent to help it out of its hole, the MORE we endanger our children, the HARDER we kill our economy.

Forced to step aside

There can only be one explanation for such a total uncaring attitude by Najib. He has given up.

That's right. He can’t handle the political pressures being piled on him by the Muhyiddin-Mahathir faction. He has neither the intellect nor can he attract the people who can manage the economy. His faux reforms have been proven to be just that. Why not just take it easy and enjoy endless holidays?

Frankly, at this stage of Umno's history, it matters not who is at the helm. None of the current crop of leaders will work. Like a bad boil, Umno has to be pricked and the pus must be freed before healing can take place. But in the meantime, in the words of a writer colleague, GET THE HERE OUT OF HELL and let Malaysia move on. Don't take the nation on your suicide plunge!

A Joker Abroad

At the December assembly, Najib and delegates can scream, shout and threaten all they like but things cannot improve. The inevitable will happen. Change will come one way or another. The doctors will tell you, pus will always finds a way out. So for those who want to gun after Najib's chair, do it fast. Stop the crap, no one is fooled by the silly bluster! Whichever side wins, Umno will lose. It just does not have the right leaders to survive. So be gone while there is still a Malaysia left. And return ONLY if you can heal yourselves.

For the Umno grassroots - the majority of whom are decent and regular people - as well as other Malaysians, do the same. Draw your battle-lines NOW. Really, this is not the time to go on holiday. Unlike Najib, we are not born with a silver spoon. We need to work for a living and to keep the wheels of the economy churning. Only this time, we must make sure that whatever we make, they don't siphon out immediately. Once bitten, twice shy!

Perhaps Najib will write a travel book after this entitled, “How I and my wife went on serial paid holidays and rubbed shoulders with world leaders while not caring a hoot about the Malaysian economy”.

All that Sky TV needs to do is follow Najib around, and they would have their second season of ”A Joker Abroad”. Except that we Malaysians won't be laughing with the rest of the world. We would be too busy paying for it. Very dearly too!

Malaysia Chronicle