WILL NAJIB DO RIGHT BY THE PEOPLE COME MARCH 8?

The finest thing for him to do is to announce his retirement.

Aspan Alias

This March 8, there will be an assembly of about 170 Umno division heads, a congregation to show solidarity with Najib, whose support from ordinary people like you and me is fast dwindling. Najib is experiencing a leadership crisis at a level never experienced by any previous prime minister. He is probably hoping the assembly will repress the incessant calls by many quarters for him to retire and live in repentance ever after.

The pressure for Najib to resign is swelling. To some, he has only one choice, and that is to resign promptly, failing which he will face the grave consequence of being forced out by whatever other means by pressure groups that are working full time to ensure that he leaves, if possible instantaneously. At the moment, Najib is managing the country like a grieving father who has lost all his children. No one from the Cabinet is going out in the open to protect his leadership.

If the report of a Cabinet rejection of his proposal to bail out 1MDB for RM3 billion is true, then this is another big setback for the ailing premier as it can be construed as a head-on rebellion against his leadership, or at least a vote of no confidence. If that is the case, Najib is now a spent force technically and he has no reason to stay on as Prime Minister.

Right now Najib is unable to focus on governing. He has to spend all his efforts on saving his premiership. He has to concentrate his energies on playing personal politics, leaving him no time for the people.

He has lost all direction in steering the government. If he still wants to continue loitering in Putrajaya, he and the other Cabinet members will have to take responsibility for any adverse consequence the country will face.

If Najib goes, the entire Cabinet must go with him as they are equally liable for all the horrors the country is facing. The magnitude of evils committed by the current government is so alarming that only radical change will undo them.

The people are tensely waiting to hear what Najib will say at the March 8 gathering. Will he ask the Umno division leaders to defend him in his position? Or will he read a glowing, self-written testimonial of his supposed successes?

Or will he instead announce his graceful retirement and ask all those present to support his move because he wants to see the country remain in one piece? That will be the finest thing for him to do. He has to impress upon his audience that his retirement is the best means of keeping the country together and united. This will be his biggest contribution to the country.

Such a move will be etched in history and Najib will be remembered as a great leader who loves his country enough to sacrifice position and power.

Of course, the move must be followed by all the members of his Cabinet. If Najib is replaced by any member of his weak Cabinet, then it will be as if no change has taken place. In my blog writings, I have consistently advanced the opinion that someone with a high level of magnanimity and integrity as well as experience and capacity as a planner has to be in charge to effect the change we are desirous of.

This is what ordinary Malaysians like you and me essentially want to see. We want structural change for the country. What we really need to do is to start the nation anew.

That is why not anyone among the current members of the Cabinet and the Umno Supreme Council is fit to take the mantle. This time we must be fully in gear to find the right leader to lead in making the required changes.

I am not saying that those in the Umno Supreme Council have no role to play in the process of change