Najib, the word's not defend. It's Save Putrajaya! From the clutches of the BN!

When Najib Razak stood before a sea of youth in Putrajaya yesterday, he had to have thought carefully about what he should say. Young voters form a formidable percentage of the electorate and he needs them to keep his job.

He might have have announced that he has come up with a solution to job woes. He might have announced that he really, actually would crack down on corruption, starting by disbanding the discredited MACC. Or he might have announced that education would be free for all Malaysians up to doctorate level.

That's what the Germans do, and look what a powerhouse they are. And countless other might-haves.

Instead, what stood out was his call for them to defend Putrajaya. He then proceeded to shout out "Defend Putrajaya" three times, sounding like a Hitler on amphetamines.

So that was what this whole 'youth gathering' was all about. It was about politics, about trying to pick up the youth vote just before the elctions, and all done in most unsubtle manner.

When we were more youthful, and attended events, or fairs, the most dull part would be having to listen to some boring politician going on and on. And Najib is no orator. His speeches mostly consist of speaking in a normal voice, and then shouting out a few words in a manner most jarring to the ear.

Najib did manage to elicit a 'yes' from the crowd to his call to 'defend Putrajaya' but we suspect so would he have, if he had asked everyone to run together with him and jump into the Putrajaya lake! Not that they would actually have jumped.

This call is rather discriminatory of Najib, because he only wants them to defend Putrajaya. What about Selangor, and Sarawak and Penang and Kelantan and all the other states in Malaysia; does he not want them to defend it? Shouldn't they be defending the whole of Malaysia?

But hang on a minute, defend Malaysia from what? There are no external threats to Malaysia right now, not in this nice, peaceful region. Malaysia's problems are internal.

And the problems include, in no particular order:

• Corruption

• Abuse of power, by the government and it's agencies

• Selective prosecution

• Political manipulation of should-be-independent institutions such as the Election Commission and the Judiciary

• Lack of educational opportunities

• Lack of employment opportunities

• Apathy

• Rising prices of goods

• Rising cost of transportation

The list of course, goes on. None of them can be solved by shouting self-serving slogans at gatherings of youths.

Looking for a single word to sum up the above list of woes (and of course readers will add their own to the list); we can find none in the dictionary.

The word does exist though, and it is 'Barisan Nasional'. Corruption, abuse of power, the manipulation of the nation's institutions, educational woes, lack of employment and the downward spiralling of the economy are all results and features of the BN's misrule of Malaysia.

It is not defending that Putrajaya needs, it is saving. And to save Putrajaya, to save Malaysia, the BN must be voted out, by the youth, and by all who care for Malaysia's future. - Malaysia Chronicle