Najib's failure to listen earns public rebuke

It was Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's failure to listen to the people that earned him the public rebuke he got in Penang during the BN’s Chinese New Year open house.

He has spent huge amounts of money trying to impress upon Malaysians his concept of change. But he has failed.

It is a pity but he was humiliated when the crowd in Penang said ‘No”, not once but three times, when he asked whether they are ready for BN.

It is strange for the PM to have asked the question three times, having heard their reply the first time around. Perhaps the PM was just doing what he does best. He was not listening.

The people have been asking for answers to many questions but has the PM been listening? Well, he certainly has not answered.

There are allegations against the PM and his family in relation to certain business deals. There are questions over statutory declarations. These come back to more pressing questions involving the death of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu.

Then there are questions surrounding the PM’s failure to respond to attacks against religion in our country, the use of the word ‘Allah’ by non-Muslims and the threat to burn the Malay-language Bible.

The PM who has repeatedly sought support by declaring himself as a ‘PM for all Malaysians’ has failed miserably to demonstrate that very courage needed of a leader in such circumstances, to lead where leadership is required.

Then the even more disturbing failure on the PM’s part to see to it that action is taken against individuals who deliberately flout the law and insult race and religion. There is just simply no action and the PM doesn't answer.

Then we have the PM keeping silent when party stalwarts such as Dr Mahathir Mohamad whose views represent and hold great weight in Umno, continue to support such demeaning acts.

The same people keep insulting other races even to the extent of pleading to the people to give the PM a two-thirds majority in Parliament, so that laws can be changed so as to get rid of Malaysians who fight against them, who fight for justice by revoking their citizenship.

These are merely a few examples. The PM has sat silent throughout these incidents. He doesn't seem to listen.    

Consequences of deafness

The PM has failed to understand what it is Malaysia needs and that is a change in political mindset, where quite apart from economic reform, we need to build a stronger and more resilient society, with greater social values and moral fabric.

Malaysia needs leadership if it is to move into a new era, an era where all Malaysians can rest assured that its government is alive to the real issues around it and brave enough to deal with them.

The PM has failed to do that. He has failed to live up to his 1Malaysia slogan.

Spending money doesn't make you a better PM. Listening to your people on all scores and responding with solutions, especially in difficult situations, will.

There is much to be learnt from the public rebuke BN got in Penang. There is no way the people can force BN to listen to them. 

BN can ignore the people as they have on many occasions. But when they ignore the people, they shouldn't be surprised when the people in turn reject them publicly in the end.

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GOBIND SINGH DEO is the DAP’s parliamentarian for Puchong.