Alex Ferguson and the doctor

This is what The Doctor in the House has left for Malaysia - very unlike Alex Ferguson’s illustrious legacy.

COMMENT

When in England you must talk football. It’s inevitable. Weekends, as everyone knows, mean a large dose of football here, as is the case in many homes and pubs in Malaysia and other parts where the beautiful game takes centre stage amongst manic followers.

Even as David Moyes works his way around moulding his own Manchester United, his formidable predecessor’s shadow looms very, very large. Fans and pundits queued for a copy of Ferguson’s My Autobiography the minute it released and started racing to the best seller category.

He is Britain’s most celebrated coach – one who’s won the most number of Manager of the Year awards in his 26 year career as Manchester United’s manager and is responsible for creating Brand United that took the world by storm.

Ferguson’s reputation and power grew over three decades of collecting silverware with United, during which time he ran a very tight ship, not giving an inch, even as the game moved into an era of lucrative contracts and player power.

At the end of last season, the man retired on a high note, and insists that he’s only keen on exploring more relaxing turfs now. With such a history of achievement, it’s only natural that everyone wants to pick up something from the supremo’s revelations in his fiery book.

Reviewers of Alex Ferguson’s autobiography arrive at some common conclusions: the book is all about control [“Control was my aim. The big decisions you make in those jobs are usually seen by outsiders as exercises in power, when control is really what it’s about”], any opposition to Ferguson’s managerial style wasn’t tolerated, he was a master tactician, his revelations are selective, for instance no more than a couple of paragraphs on his pitfalls re-the 100 million pound Rock of Gibraltar horse that almost crumbled the club, and that he reserves most venom for Roy Keane, his one time team captain and confidante.

For reference I attach excerpts from various reviews in UK newspapers- ‘Totalitarian command dominated his thinking and framed his assessment of his rivals’, ‘He maintained a position of absolute authority across nearly three decades’, Woe betide anyone who has ever challenged his authority’, ‘An explosive assault on the footballer who was once his friend, confidant and on-field representative’, ‘This book should really be called Settling Old Scores’, ‘What he tells us in his autobiography is inevitably selective’, ‘He glosses over — or completely ignores — some of his own embarrassments with the sort of airbrushing of which Uncle Joe Stalin would be proud.’

The doctor

Anyone who’s been following Malaysia’s political scene will have seen where this story is heading. For the uninitiated, let me guide you.

Let’s play a game of replacements:

Longest serving manager – longest serving Prime Minister

Silverware: KLCC, KLIA, KL Tower, multimedia super corridor, Putrajaya…

Selective memory: Operasi Lalang, MAS privatisation, Proton, DRB-HICOM, Lingam Tape…

Totalitarian command/absolute authority: Clamping down on press freedom, shutting down newspapers, deploying the ISA liberally to arrest political opponents – including members of parliament, social activists…

‘Woe betide anyone who has ever challenged his authority’: Tunku Abdul Rahman, a host of unfortunate deputy PMs, the judiciary, the royalty, the west, Jews, Australia, Singapore, opposition parties…

‘This book should really be called Settling Old Scores’: Tengku Razaleigh Ramzah, Daim Zainuddin, Lee Kuan Yew, PAS [betrayers of Islam]…

He reserves most venom for Roy Keane, his one time team captain Roy Keane: to be replaced with Anwar Ibrahim, and team captain with deputy prime minister

Unfortunately the parallels end here.

Perceived legacy

Ferguson’s vision and ability built a solid empire and he left on a high note, having given his complete dedication to the club. His contributions and name will forever be etched in the hearts and minds of Manchester United fans. Non United fans too share the same respect and admiration for the man.

The Malaysian story however, is one of perceived legacy.

Malaysians went into a long, dangerous lull in the face of accelerated economic prosperity and inflated national pride-national car, major highways, our own silicon valley, a hydro electric dam the size of Singapore, Formula One, making into record books for skyscrapers, including mammoth shopping malls etc, etc, etc.

Major polarisation was also in acceleration. However, in our drugged state of greater purchasing power, flashy lifestyles, glistening buildings, foreign holidays and all, we allowed for some dangerous precedents to take root.

Some of course dared raise their voices, only to be hushed or condemned to detention without charge. Laws were changed or introduced to ensure absolute power. The judiciary put its foot down but the Lord President Tun Salleh Abbas himself was unceremoniously suspended, with more judges sacked. Newspapers voiced their dissent. They were shut down.

Malaysia was declared a Muslim country. No one corrected the misinterpretation of the Federal Constitution.

The face of the civil service and academic institutions was changing. Corruption had penetrated the core of the government mechanism. A huge wedge was placed between bumiputera and non-bumiputera that no amount of poetic, well-intentioned Petronas advertisements could repair. Malaysia as we knew it was fast disappearing.

This is what The Doctor in the House has left for Malaysia – very unlike Alex Ferguson’s illustrious legacy.

Today Malaysians specialise in mall hopping [well, we have more malls than libraries or sports facilities], we also have to look left, right, front and back umpteen times before dashing into our over-prized cars for fear of assaults or robbery, we send our children to private or race-based schools [let’s not kid ourselves by saying national schools are for everyone] and most heartbreakingly we ‘tolerate’ instead of embrace our mixed ethnicities.

All is not lost Malaysia – for as long as we cherish our roti canai, nasi lemak and char kuey teow, we shall fight.

Perhaps, following the Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Commission model [one that unanimously passed the verdict 'Powerful countries are getting away with murder'], Malaysians too can moot a Crimes Against Malaysians Commission, by the people for the people.

Then we can deliver our verdict to the current Malaysian Dilemma –‘Power crazed leaders are getting away with damaging the entire social fabric of Malaysia. Free Malaysia.’ Malaysia Boleh!

Neal K The writer is doing a course with a leading newspaper in the British capital and seizes the opportunity to ‘lepak’ and lookout for all things us in this new column called ‘London Lookout’.