Najib fighting for his political life in Sarawak

MP SPEAKS Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak is fighting for his political life in the Sarawak state election on May 7.

This is why he is campaigning as if the 11th Sarawak state election is the 14th parliamentary general elections, as he himself had declared on nomination day that the Sarawak polls on May 7 will be a ‘precursor’ to GE14 in two years’ time, which will decide his future as the prime minister of Malaysia.

This is also why he has aided and abetted Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem in the abuse of Sarawak immigration autonomy powers, although Najib should know more than anyone else that it is unconstitutional, illegal, and against both the word and spirit of the 1963 Malaysia Agreement to ban Malaysians who are not Sarawakians from entering Sarawak for the sole purpose of carrying out “legitimate political activities”.

Najib is doing a third thing in the 'fight for his political life' in the Sarawak state election - bringing the entire cabinet of 37 ministers to campaign in Sarawak under the guise of holding the cabinet meeting in Kuching next Wednesday.

In fighting for his ‘political life’ in the Sarawak state election, Najib has done three things which had never been done by anyone of the previous five Malaysian prime ministers, whether Tunku Abdul Rahman, Razak Hussein (his father), Hussein Onn, Mahathir Mohamad, or Abdullah Ahmad Badawi:

• Personally attending the Sarawak state election nomination day, accompanying Adenan in filing his nomination papers;

• Personally involved in a hectic campaign in the Sarawak state election – as if his whole political future is dependent on the May 7 polling outcome; and

• Bringing his entire cabinet to Kuching during the short 13­-day campaign period, so that the 37 cabinet ministers can fan out to campaign for Sarawak Barisan Nasional in the various parts of the state in the last few days of the campaign period.

I have been wondering why Adenan had gone out on a limb to so callously and recklessly abuse his immigration powers as Sarawak chief minister by banning DAP and PKR leaders from coming to Sarawak to carry out “legitimate political activity” when these are their constitutional rights, especially as there is no need for him to commit such blatant abuse of power as his position as the Sarawak chief minister after May 7 is absolutely secure from the political scenario presented on nomination day.

I had thought that the only reason for Adenan’s abuse of powers is the result of the pleas of SUPP or other Sarawak BN parties and leaders who feared the participation of DAP and PKR leaders in the Sarawak election campaign – but this does not seem to be powerful enough as the reason, even if there are such pleas.

There is something amiss as Adenan’s position as Sarawak chief minister is not in danger in any form.

But now, Najib has provided the missing link as the reason why the chief minister is so blatant in his abuse of Sarawak immigration autonomy powers.

Suddenly, the 11th Sarawak state election is no more about who is going to be Sarawak chief minister or form the Sarawak state government (which in any event, had as good as been decided) but the fate of Najib as the Malaysian prime minister – hounded and haunted by the his twin global financial scandals which have refused to disappear but have becoming bigger and bigger as a result of international developments on the 1MDB scandal.

Adenan is abusing the Sarawak state autonomy powers to protect Najib’s political future.

If Najib, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, and the entire cabinet of 37 ministers want to make the 11th Sarawak state general election as a verdict on his premiership, the DAP is prepared to take them on - but let there be a level playing field and he should advise Adenan to stop abusing his powers under Sarawak immigration autonomy by lifting all prohibitions and restrictions on DAP and PKR leaders from campaigning in the Sarawak state election.

Are Najib and Adenan prepared for such a democratic contest for the hearts and minds of the people?

Is Adenan’s Team and Adenan’s Way nothing but Najib’s Team and Najib’s Way?

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LIM KIT SIANG is the MP for Gelang Patah and DAP parliamentary leader. -Mkini