Chinese ties: Another thesis for a PhD degree from PM Najib?

Richard Loh

Everyone is getting tired of the big talk, speeches and promises that so far have turned out to be little more than deceit and lies. Over the weekend, the Prime Minister gave another of his great speeches at the Chinese Economic Congress but we are smart enough now not to be conned again. So, I am rating his speech as nothing more than just another thesis - a stab for another PhD degree - from him.

All universities in Malaysia should award a PhD degree to Najib Tun Razak for his outstanding performance in presenting his dissertations on the Malaysian economy. He acknowledged that the Chinese business community could transform into another pillar of national growth and development via his speech at the Chinese Economic Congress.

Prime Minister Najib's thesis or dissertation is simply just a presentation and like any other presentations will be folded and kept away in one of the libraries after the Chinese Economic Congress ends - never to be heard off again.

How in the world can he come out with such a thesis when all his predecessors have already presented the same many times over. It must be that he has no intention to see his thesis materialize and put into practice. He knows very well that many will not believe and the Malay NGOs such as Perkasa will shot it down immediately.

But because of his lust for power, money and falling support from the Chinese voters he has no choice but to present one even though it may be a false presentation. He knows very well he can rescind his thesis as and when required. Remember how one minister who criticized the Internal Security Act but changed his stance when he rejoined UMNO and was appointed a Cabinet minister in-charge of law. He then defended the ISA even though it contradicted his earlier thesis.

The latest one from Najib will pass with flying colors and enable him to earn another PhD degree, but it will never work when applied in his ruling government. Let me explain why.

Our staple food is rice and how do you get cooked rice on your dinner table? First, you must have the raw rice, wash it, add some water, put the lot inside a cooker and turn on the electricity or fire to cook it. You need the raw rice, water, cooker and fuel in order to get the cooked rice.

What Najib is saying is that we can all have the cooked rice even if there is no raw rice, water, cooker or electricity. But I guess that could only happen if he is a magician.

He wants the Chinese community to trust him as their leader and share their concerns with him. But this must be his biggest joke when everyone can see that he is an illusionist playing alone with his magic wand.

He has urged the Chinese private sector to spearhead economic reforms, take the reins and forge economic innovation in genuine partnership with other communities. He sees the Chinese firms as being the backbone of the Malaysian economy through its network of small and medium enterprises but does not tell them how they can take up his challenge.

The Chinese community has been hit left and right by the DPM, Malay leaders, Umnoputras, Utusan, Perkasa and other Malay NGOs. They claim that the community is ungrateful, extremist, pendatang and are only allowed to stay in this country at their pleasure. We are reminded several times to leave this country if we are not happy with their ketuanan melayu and the NEP siege mentality.

Should not Najib stop all these racist remarks, racist practices by his own Malay elite and Umno-controlled media before embarking on his call for co-operation from the Chinese community? How can Najib provide the cooked rice when the raw rice is being stolen, when the water is wasted to fill up dams that are not needed, when the cooker is used as war drum and the fuel to burn down bridges of peace and harmony?

Najib also asked the business community to move away from the “Ali-Baba” mode of partnership, the economic pie needs to continue to grow but must be shared in a way that is fair and just. He stressed that helping one community should not be seen as being at the expense of another community. It requires a major mindset change in many of us, he also said.

But his statements are being addressed to the wrong crowd. It would make better sense if he directed his statements to his Umnoputras, Perkasa, Malay NGOs and those who still believe on handouts in order to survive.

And lastly Najib's proclamation, "This is a government of the people and by the people".

Can anyone believe it? Najib, who coined the 1Malaysia slogan, does not even dare to openly declare that he is Malaysian first!

He does nothing when the police thrash innocent people for holding candlelight vigils, arrest peaceful demonstrators. People die from no apparent reason while under detention, mysterious deaths suppress the people from speaking the truth.

The judiciary and the MACC are not far behind, eagerly helping the Najib administration to get rid of the leaders who are strong in the opposition and those who are vocal against his administration.

There is no end to the list of injustice from Najib's so-called "government of the people and by the people".

-Malaysia for All