SMALL GUY, BIG DREAMS: Nong Chik - Chief Executive of Malaysia's Federal Territories?

Every state in Malaysia has its head of state either in the form of a Sultan or governor, except for the Federal Territories (FT) of KuaLa Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya.

Since ambitious FT Minister Raja Nong Chik already has “Raja” in his name, one wonders if he could be desirous of becoming the first-ever head of state for the Federal Territories, given his recent all-out take-no-prisoners conduct in trying to pry the Lembah Pantai seat to contest from Prime Minister Najib Razak.

And knowing RNC, as Nong Chik likes to be called, it will not be a mere ceremonial role he is going after but with the executive powers much like the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, SARS.

Unfair accusation? Then, lets ook at what RNC has been up to since becoming the FT minister.

Making sure the Mayor doesn't upstage him

Isn’t it telling that, despite aiming to be a world class city, RNC ensures that Kuala Lumpur will never have a world class mayor, like the Mayors of New York and London as to have such a capable person would be detrimental to his ambition. Thus KL folk after suffering one of the most incompetent mayors in the form of Mohd Fuad, they now have an even more spineless mayor in the form of Ahmad Phesal.

Now Ahmad Phesal may be a good fella but a good, firm and just may he is not. But the most important deciding factor is he is 'everything' to RNC - someone who would never be able to steal the limelight from the dimunitive and undistinguished FT Minister. So Ahmad is lucky indeed for all he is required to do is to hold the glamorous title of “Datuk Bandar Kuala Lumpur”.

Ahmad Phesal will be the errand boy, minion, spokesman, agent and butler to serve RNC but not to take care of the welfare and needs of the KL people. At most, Ahmad will just be RNC’s sidekick and lap dog, accompanying him on official vists and grinning and nodding his head when the 'boss' speaks. Even when Mohd Fuad was still the mayor, Ahmad Phesal was reporting directly to RNC instead of to Fuad, who was his immediate superior.

And the worst cheek of it all, this trumped-up glamorized personal and private assistant of RNC's is being paid for by the public. RNC is very cunning indeed. He is very scheming and rather scamming too.

KL deteriorates as RNC focuses on personal political ambitions

One of Ahmadl’s recent assignments was to ensure that the re-development of old flats in KL similar to the ones in Jalan Pekeliling and in Kerinchi goes smoothly - in the best interest of the developers and of course RNC. Flat dwellers never even made it to the list of priorities!

The PR1MA housing scheme, which is envisioned by RNC's own boss Najib Razak, will be the main platform RNC plans to use to serve his personal interests and motives. And Ahmad Phesal is the chief agent to accomplish all the deals that have to be made at the expense of the present owners of the old flats.

The scam is being shuffled along at the Seri Pinang flats, Seri Melaka flats and Taman Ikan Emas in Cheras but already has been met with objections from the residents during a May 9 presentation held at the DBKL Hall in Bandar Sri Permaisuri, Cheras.

It is no wonder that KL has visibly deteriorated since RNC was appointed Senator and made FT minister in 2008 as the mayors he has in turn recruited have all been too busy serving his personal interests rather than the city's. Remember the KL Velodrome that was neglected beyond repair to the extent that taxpayers may now have to foot the bill for another RM88 million velodrome?

Have you not heard of the poorly planned 7.7ha tropical fruit orchard undertaken by KL City Hall with a price tag of RM17.2million that has 'everything' but not enough fruit trees? What about the ever increasing crime rate in KL? As mayor, both Mohd Fuad and Ahmad Phesal had important roles to play because they should be the ones to keep harping on the police to tighten surveillance and work harder to prevent crime.

We can also see evidence of more neglect by just traveling along Jalan Ampang from KLCC until the junction at Seri Wangsa. Just take a look at both sides of the road and you will be shocked at the unsightly damaged railings, broken-up and un-repaired sidewalks, with manholes and sumps covers not on the same level as the sidewalks, unplanned digging and excavations, unmaintained trees.

There is also an old and dilapidated restaurant with adds to the unsightliness, while the lamp post stumps on the sidewalk in front of Affin Bank opposite the KLCC have still not been removed or replaced. And mind you, this stretch of road is lined with foreign embassies and high-end condominiums. Yet RNC is too busy to bother and so is Ahmad Phesal it appears.

Clawing & killing off Shahrizat: Next, Nurul Izzah!

RNC has better and more urgent fish to fry in Lembah Pantai, where he has already begun an all-out assault to make sure his UMNO colleague Shahrizat Jalil is pushed out of the picture once and for all.

This he has succeeded in doing and Shahrizat, who has been the UMNO candidate in Lembah Pantai for more than a decade, no longer has any chance to contest in the coming election thanks to the news leaks that were allegedly planted by the RNC camp over the RM250million NFC debacle.

RNC's next move is to make sure that current Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah will not win in GE-13 and it does not matter to him what ways and means are used to keep the first-term Opposition lawmaker out of Parliament.

The most important thing for RNC is that he gets to contest and gets to win Lembah Pantai. Then he can become a 'bona-fide' leader and not dependent on Najib's goodwill to make it to the Senator's list and from there, take the 'backdoor' entry into the Malaysian Cabinet.

So it is that RNC has taken care to ensure the people in Lembah Pantai are well greased by various cash aids, goodies and handouts to remember him by when the ballot is finally called.

Making sure the BOSS is happy

RNC also makes sure that Najib, his big boss is happy too and has used the PM as a means to reach the people as can be seen from the banners hung around KL and FT always showing him and the PM. He also makes sure he is always present when Najib is attending any event in KL. Most of these have actually been arranged by RNC himself to highlight his boss - and also himself, of course!

It is important for RNC to make a good impression on the people of KL so that they can accept him as their 'Chief Executive'. To be the CE, RNC must win all the 11 parliamentary seats in KL.

To this end, RNC and Ahmad Phesal recently met with the leaders of the residents associations in the FT and gave RM5000 to each association, emulating Najib's famed 'Gua tolong lu, lu tolong gua' or transactional politics. 'You help me, I help you' - that's the name of the game and corrupt or not, both Najib and RNC will keep at it.

Amusingly though, RNC was even clumsier than Najib who is already notorious for being heavy-handed. His attempts to buy his way into the good graces of the people received flak from the public when the news was revealed and from the associations leaders as well!

KL at his feet

And should RNC falter in his overarching ambition to be the CE of the FT, it does not matter as there is plenty of consoling factors that will soon bring the smile back to his small, sharp-featured face.

KL has a huge budget for its administration, maintenance and development. Although, the federal government - read Najib - is pumping massive money directly and indirectly into the KL MRT project, there are so many other mega projects to keep RNC busy. All he needs to do is to maintain his position as FT minister.

For example, there is the Ampang LRT extension, the new TRX financial hub, the beautification of the Klang River, re-developing the Pudu Jail area and the re-development of Kampung Baru. All these are in KL. Now, does it becomes s a bit clearer why RNC would claw like a raging tiger, fight tooth and nail not only against Nurul Izzah but even his own Umno colleague Shahrizat Jalil just to ensure he remains FT minister?

Better yet if he makes it to FT CE! The world would indeed be his oyster then. There is definitely a lot of money to be made if RNC plays it right. His daughter - already embroiled in a corruption scandal - too could have another huge piece of the cake. Delish!

Malaysia Chronicle