Full-blown leadership crisis: This is how UNPOPULAR Najib is in reality

In the many thousands of messages that were being conveyed by the potpourri of citizens who assembled at Bersih 3.0, this one action captured by the writer (see pic on left), is the saddest message transmitted in that protest on 28 April 2012.

Never in the history and living memory can we recall an act so despicable as this where protestors took turns to step on the poster of Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak the prime minister of Malaysia.

The caption on the poster read “Najib do you really care?”

And each time a protesting public stepped on the poster, there were thunderous claps from those milling around.

Failed with a capital F

Truly, Najib has failed to earn the respect, support and admiration of all the citizens of this nation. As a leader of the government and as the leader who should represent the thoughts and feelings of the entire nation of people, he has failed to garner the respect that is deserving of a prime minister.

Yes in the world – outside Malaysia, we do witness citizens in riot mood defacing or even burning pictures and effigies of leaders. And the eventuality is that leader resigns or is removed in the best interest of nationhood.

And as far as the Malaysian mindset goes, we never stomp on a portrait of a leader especially if he or she is the prime minister of the country.

Respect is cherished and the benefit of doubt is always given - even to Tun Dr Mahathir who has been drawing a lot of bitter criticism from the public since these past almost ten years.

Another 3 posters

In another place this writer spotted three posters on the road with the middle one depicting the prime minister’s portrait.

Strangely, without any prompting, protesters passing by drooped coins on the middle poster. One even threw in a flower.

Shocking! How do we describe the sentiment? In fact there was no one standing by wanting to profiteer from the money being dropped onto the poster of the prime minister of Malaysia.

Seriously while we should condemn the act we also need to intelligently decipher the significance of this act.

> The prime minister needs to take cognizance without anger and revenge arresting his thinking and feelings.

> The supporters of BN and especially UMNO whose President is the object of the protestors’ anger, need to put aside their anger and blooding-eyes and take a closer look at the act.

Don't take revenge, accept that it could be your own fault

While we should not encourage or support such actions, we should not choose to go the wrong route of seeking vendetta.

Instead we should re-examine in a learned and responsible manner to understand why the citizens have gone to this extent of expressing their feelings towards the prime minister.

The prime minister himself must not be shielded from these incidents. He must be given the honest opportunity to know and work towards understanding the reality on the ground.

To help those who may be overwhelming clouded by witnessing these acts at the Bersih 3.0, here are some trains of thoughts:

>  Is the country devoid of leadership?

>  Is the nation’s leadership well accepted?

>  Can the country’s present leadership successfully navigate the hurt and frayed feelings to a point of reconciliation?

>  Or will the leadership react with guns blazing and a vendetta never known before since the times of the past leaders who helmed BN?

>  Has the PM of Malaysia failed to garner respect and honor from the citizens?

Crisis

Indeed, the country has entered a serious crisis state. Let us not kid ourselves by saying that it is only the minority trouble makers.

No amount of threats and going after the few who ran ballistic will resolve the state we are currently being wedged into.

No amount of public relations explanation by the police captains on the brutalizing of media can appease the anger. Likewise no amount of justifying statements by the authorities on the censorship of international giant media can be sold successfully to the global community.

No amount of counter propaganda being mounted against the opposition parties and their leaders can help transform the people’s feelings to a positive quarter.

Resign

The leadership must take responsibility for all failed strategies that made Bersih 3.0 turn out to be what it finally became. The leadership must take total responsibility for not averting Bersih 3.0 when Bersih 2.0 took place.

The role of the prime minister is to lead the nation. The nation has both presiding and opposition political parties. The citizens are made up of both pro and opposition political party allegiances. The PM is not the leader of a political party but a leader of all citizens.

Yes, going by the actions captured in these two photos, it is most disturbing, worrying and sad. It should never have happened.

Datuk Seri Najib the prime minister and leader for the nation needs to respond and not react. Failing which the nation will only sink deeper into a crisis and when that happens there will be no winners nor gainers.

The path ahead for the prime minister is sadly come to an either-or option. He either resigns for failing his people or he regains the people’s trust and confidence, reconciles and leads with nation-interest and not party popularity.

Malaysia Chronicle