Fear and loathing in Team Najib

Kadir: Psywar advisers will play one-upmanship, Kok Wing can only offer more slogans and songs

KUALA LUMPUR: Najib Razak’s camp of advisers and supporters are showing their insecurities and fears of being abandoned, former newspaper editor A Kadir Jasin wrote today.

He said the appointment of the Barisan Nasional’s longtime advertising man Lim Kok Wing among new advisers to conduct psychological warfare suggested that the existing machinery had been ineffective and could not be trusted.

Kadir foresees infighting and games of one-upmanship among them as each tries to outdo the other “to enjoy the love and affection” of Najib and his wife Rosmah Mansor.

“Knowing LKW, he would outtalk and ride roughshod over other members of the team, namely Abdullah Md Zin, Johari Baharum, Rais Yatim and Shahrizat Abdul Jalil. We can expect to see more slogans, songs, banners and cartoons if LKW has his way,” Kadir said.

Like many others in the media world, Kadir also wondered how Lim would manage the campaign against his former patron, Dr Mahathir Mohamad, under whose premiership he had run all the election advertising campaigns for the Barisan Nasional as well as public service campaigns for the government.

“LKW owes his rise to prominence and wealth to Dr Mahathir. So is Shahrizat and Rais, who in spite of burning the bridge, was still honoured by Dr Mahathir. Let’s see how they are going to treat the man,” Kadir said.

Dr Mahathir has carried out a lone and relentless campaign to unseat Najib as Umno president and prime minister following disclosures of dubious financial dealings in the government-owned 1Malaysia Development Bhd and reports of the lavish lifestyle of the prime minister’s family.

Kadir said Najib’s team of image managers included the press secretaries, the communications advisers, the image-makers, sponsored bloggers and a communication advisory group comprising editors of mainstream media.

He warned that they might not be able to rein in so-called “independent” operators such as Najib’s “newly-minted mouthpiece” Rizal Mansor, as well as Farid Ridzuan, sponsored bloggers and the likes of government propagandist Puad Zarkashi, Sabah Umno deputy chairman Salleh Said Keruak, and communications adviser Paul Stadlen.