WHAT A MISS! A defining moment if Najib had succeeded in wooing Anwar

KUALA LUMPUR - Prime Minister Najib Razak described as "imagination" and "naughty" the recent news reports that he had used intermediaries to propose forming a 'unity government' with Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim.

But despite the denial, it is clear he has missed a great opportunity to seal his legacy as an outstanding Malay leader and go down in history as the man who finally managed to unite an Umno torn apart and never fully recovered from Anwar's shock ouster in 1998.

"The report that quoted Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar as confirming there was an effort by Datuk Seri Mohd Najib to form a unity government is a political statement that is meant to be naughty," Najib said in a statement issued by his office.

"The efforts by former Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla before the 13th General Election to obtain Datuk Seri Mohd Najib's and Datuk Seri Anwar's agreement to avoid personal attacks and accept the results is the only political agreement that exists."

Najib also revealed that according to Jusuf, Anwar had contacted Jusuf before the general election to obtain an agreement to respect the people's decision, which Najib had agreed to.

"However, Anwar refused to do so as he alleged that there was foul play in the election process. Therefore, Anwar's statement of an effort to form a unity government is just a "creation and invention" for the interest of the opposition pact, especially for its leader," added Najib.

Najib also reiterated there could not be any discussion for a unity government unless Anwar and the rest of his Pakatan Rakyat coalition accepted the results of the controversial and fraud-tainted May 5 general elections.

The Opposition has previously rubbished this demand as "sheer posturing" and "unreasonable".

It was real but there was ulterior motive

There are many views and opinions swirling around town as to how real is the prospect of a unity government.

Was all the talk and speculation stirred up to help Najib drive up his 'bargaining power' in Umno ahead of a party election in October or was it just another complex ploy to split up the Pakatan Rakyat?

For PKR, the Pakatan party at the centre of the maelstrom, Najib's response was to be expected.

"We can only repeat what we have been saying. The offer was made and it was for Anwar to become deputy prime minister and bring in 4 leaders from PKR into the Cabinet. That is not a unity government to us. That is like asking PKR to join BN," Tian Chua told Malaysia Chronicle.

"For us, it is business as usual. Anwar has already turned down the offer and we don't expect it to go any further. It will end here."

Bringing Anwar back to the Umno-BN fold

For Anwar and PKR, that may be so. But for Najib, it is likely to be just the beginning.

Umno leaders and grassroots have been unsettled by news of the unity government.

Many of those in Umno who had hoped for Anwar to return to the fold would have been thrilled if it really came true.

Anwar was one of the most popular Umno leaders, holding the post of deputy president and deputy prime minister before he was sacked and jailed in 1998 by the then prime minister Mahathir Mohamad.

Although Mahathir had slapped on manifestly trumped-up sodomy and corruption charges against Anwar, it was clear the older leader was very wary of his deputy's phenomenal popularity.

Umno watchers now expect Najib to claim full bragging rights over the latest episode, taking credit - especially with the grassroots - for trying to bring Anwar back to their party or at least to the BN fold.

Defining moment

In Najib's first term as president, he had succeeded in getting Mahathir to re-join Umno. Mahathir had resigned in anger at what he alleged was the incompetence of the then president, Abdullah Badawi.

Najib may have hoped that by hooking Anwar, it would help him to win a second term as the Umno president. For sure, it would have. In fact, it would have been much more than than that.

Getting Anwar to return would have been a defining moment for Najib. And a pretty watershed one for Umno as a party.

His supporters would then have justification to declare him the only Malay leader capable of uniting an Umno split down the line and never fully recovered from Mahathir's overly-harsh, in fact criminal, treatment of Anwar.

Even though Najib didn't succeed, many in Umno believe the grassroots will still forgive him and appreciate his 'initiative' by giving him their vote in the October 19 party poll.

Cuts both ways: Stalemate all round

But there are also others in Umno who suspect Najib of trying to harm their party by consorting with the 'enemy' as Anwar is after all the Opposition Leader now.

Some take the view that Najib has bungled badly. They expect his rivals to exploit this failure as proof of his political naivete and inability to bring to fruition any effort.

"To make an offer to just PKR alone while leaving out DAP and PAS tells you everything. It is like extending an invitation you know won't be accepted. So yes, it cuts both ways. His enemies will say he is not smart and is insincere to make an offer he knows is bound to fail," an Umno watcher told Malaysia Chronicle.

The Umno watcher also believes that apart from PKR, the Najib camp would have been ready to deal with DAP. However, the stumbling block was PAS.

This may seem odd given Umno's frequent and public 'courtship' of the Islamist party, but according to the Umno watcher there are selfish motives involved.

"Umno tries to be holier than thou but they aren't really keen to bring in an Islamist into the equation. Perhaps there are already too many Malays in Umno fighting for too few positions," he said.

"But I don't think PKR and DAP can abandon PAS. They are stuck too, the 3 of them need each other. So it is stalemate all round. If you want change, then the only way is through the ballot box and electing a new government, not through a unity government. That is just too complex and Umno is just too old-fashioned to be able to handle it."

Malaysia Chronicle