Who’s to blame for Zahid Hamidi?

If you are offended by the noise coming out of Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's mouth, don't be. He has always had the IQ of room temperature.

And only the luck of being born into a political party that values bombast more than it does integrity, intelligence and common sense has allowed him to climb up the political ladder.

In any other political system, a man who could not answer how he amassed so much wealth when challenged by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 1998 would have become a footnote. But this happened in Umno, where having a couple of question marks next to your name is a badge of honour.

Yesterday, the Home Minister gleefully announced that a Singaporean resort owner had his Malaysian permanent residence stripped for allowing a surau to be used by a Buddhist group for meditation.

Instead of accepting that the man made a genuine mistake and only deserved a reprimand, Ahmad Zahid (pic) chose the worst form of retribution - the type politicians dish out for political points.

As International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies Prof Dr Mohamad Hashim Kamal told The Star, Islam never prohibits followers of other religions to use a mosque to perform their prayers. This man of letters noted that when a Christian delegation visited Prophet Muhammad in Medina, the Prophet offered them the use of the mosque for their prayers.

But this is Malaysia, truly unique, truly intolerant.

A few minutes after announcing the punishment for the Singaporean, Ahmad Zahid then usurped the role of the court on another isuue as he declared that non-Muslims must respect the rights of Muslims and stop using the word Allah.

"The use of the word Allah is exclusive to Muslims. Full stop," he said. Never mind that the case is before the Court of Appeal.

But Ahmad Zahid should not worry. Unlike the Umno goons and bloggers who demanded that the Vatican envoy apologise when the diplomat showed solidarity with Malaysia's Christians on the Allah issue, Christians and other reasonable Malaysians will not be frothing at the mouth and demanding any apology from the minister.

If anyone should take the blame for this nonsense, it is the two men who raised Ahmad Zahid's profile to what it is today. So if what Zahid says stings your ears, (blame) Tun Abdullah Badawi and Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

It was Abdullah who brought Ahmad Zahid back from political oblivion in 2004, appointing him a deputy minister.

Zahid had become a peripheral figure in the party after the sacking of his political godfather, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in 1998. But Abdullah felt that Zahid had been rehabilitated and could provide some warlord cover if things became a bit tough during his term as prime minister. Following the 2008 polls, Ahmad Zahid was made Minister in the Prime Minister's Department.

Abdullah and Ahmad Zahid still remain close and the minister was a guest at the former prime minister's Hari Raya open house yesterday. But Abdullah's selection of Ahmad Zahid as a minister is a constant reminder of his greatest failing as a PM - the blind spot for Umno.

Since the launch of a book titled Awakening: The Abdullah Badawi Years In Malaysia, there has been some nostalgia for the Abdullah years with some of his more staunch supporters suggesting that he could perhaps play a role of a statesman in our fractured country.

He can't play that role. He cannot because he is an Umno man, through and through. He put Umno before anything else, even Malaysia - every time. Ahmad Zahid did not become a pompous, obtuse man just yesterday. He has been like this forever but he was rewarded by Abdullah and Najib.

Najib appointed him as Defence Minister in 2009. A year later, Ahmad Zahid was alleged to have beat up his daughter's boyfriend so badly that the man had to be hospitalised.

The police took no action but the victim filed a civil suit and the matter is pending.

That case did not have any bearing on Najib. He appointed Zahid to the powerful Home Ministry, overseeing the police, immigration and several other important government agencies.

Why? Loyalty.

Just like Abdullah in 2004, Najib also needs someone to protect his flank. He needs a fighter, a shouter, an orator. So what if his man insults large segments of Malaysians everytime he opens his mouth? So what if he makes a mockery of Malaysia's claim to be a moderate and tolerant country?

Fact is Abdullah Badawi and Najib Razak couldn't give a toss what Malaysians want or deserve. Their only consideration was and remains protecting their flanks from attacks and what Umno wants.

That is why Ahmad Zahid is holding court on all sorts of issues. Who could blame him, though? He is an opportunist.

Blame Abdullah and Najib for foisting their bodyguard on Malaysia.