One ‘slap’ raises many questions

When Krishnan 'whacked' at Najib's poster, this senior citizen was exasperated with the government of the day for not paying any attention to his problem.

COMMENT

An elderly man who turned up at the Pakatan Rakyat’s Black 505 rally at Padang Merbok last Saturday was the least bothered about the consequences should there be any over his action of ‘slapping’ Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.

So frustrated was M Krishnan, 55, with the premier whom he claimed failed to understand the laws enacted that he continued ‘whacking’ Najib’s portrait with his slippers before spitting out the water he drank on the premier’s face.

Krishnan surely did not turn up that day to display his ‘machoism’ at having the guts to ‘whack’ the prime minister.

On the contrary, it was the countless episodes of frustrations and helplessness that prompted a senior citizen to ‘attack’ the very leader who swears by the mantra that ‘people first, performance now’.

However, going by the anger and angst that forced Krishnan to belasah or ‘slap’ Najib, it is no longer ‘hazy’ to the rakyat that the premier is far from being a people’s leader.

In Krishnan’s case, his nightmare as a public housing scheme (PPR) owner and the indifference showed by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) in responding to his complaints about the poor condition of the flat has turned him into a disbeliever of all that Najib says about turning life around for the rakyat.

Krishnan’s complaint also extends to Social Security Organisation Malaysia (Socso) whom he claims failed to compensate him in full despite an injury suffered while at work.

Going by Krishnan’s very ‘humble’ appearance, it comes as no surprise that the government authorities made no bones in dismissing him and his grouses.

The question that Krishnan has aired via a ‘slap’ on Najib’s face is this – why do the authorities keep mistreating the rakyat in spite of the grand claims made by the prime minister and his coterie of ministers that they are there to serve the people?

One ‘slap’ raises many a questions

When Krishnan ‘whacked’ and spat at Najib’s poster, the roaring applause that came his way was the least of his concern; this senior citizen is exasperated with the government of the day for not paying any attention to his problem.

And before the Home Ministry or any other ministry concocts up a pretext to hail Krishnan to court before dumping in prison, the federal government should do what has been long overdue – admit that it has failed the rakyat, the result being the erosion of the people’s faith in the central government’s leadership under the Barisan Nasional coalition.

Much credit has been given by Najib to his government transformation programme (GTP) which he kicked off in April 2009, which the premier claims has had a positive impact on the lives of millions.

Indeed, if the GTP had touched the lives of millions, why then does a Mr Krishnan resort to ‘slapping’ and spitting on the face of the prime minister, albeit it being on a canvas?

Going by Krishnan’s public outburst, it appears that the GTP which among others aimed to raising the living standards of low-income households has yet to deliver as touted.

Instead of rattling off statistics that back the success of the GTP, it would have been wiser for Najib to have made it compulsory for the government agencies to attend to all complaints coming from the rakyat, no matter how big or small the issue may be.

The fact that DBKL dare reject complaints coming from the public only proves that GTP or otherwise, nothing has changed as far as the ‘working mentality’ of this local government is concerned.

Trust cannot be won via speeches

Krishnan might have felt a little relieved at having unleashed his anger at Najib, never mind if only at the prime minister’s poster. The ‘food for thought’ for Najib remains that the common man finds his premier unworthy of respect.

If Krishnan’s action does not jolt Najib out of his never-ending ‘stupor’, the writing is on the wall that it would not be very long before the premier finds himself ‘ousted’.

So before more ‘Krishnans’ take to the street with their chappals to stress their point, the BN government has to drop all pretenses that it is the ‘master’ of the rakyat and can go on dictating terms to the people.

June 22, 2013 unveiled a ‘tragedy’ where a man almost as old as the nation, tired with the antics of the government agencies decides amidst the choking haze to make his way to Padang Merbok where upon seeing a poster of the prime minister, did what he had been longing to do all this while – ‘whack’ and spit at the very leader who never shies away from claiming that he has the rakyat’s best interest at heart.

What a paradox it was that while Krishnan’s ‘whack’ and spit episode might have won this ‘uncle’ many admirers, it was the opposite in premier Najib’s case.

For Najib, the loss of the common man’s ‘vote’ was both irreplaceable and irrevocable and he has only himself to blame for that.

Jeswan Kaur is a freelance writer and a FMT columnist.