'REIGN OF TERROR' for M'sia as PM Najib & wife Rosmah consolidate their hold on power

UPDATED KUALA LUMPUR - News that the Malaysian government has suspended a publication for inadvertently casting a spotlight on the super-lavish lifestyle of Prime Minister Najib Razak and his notorious spouse Rosmah Mansor has set off shock reverberations.

Critics say a tsunami has been triggered that will travel far and wide with negative implications for Najib's ruling Umno party, and for Malaysia as its image of being a moderate, stable and investor-friendly nation shatters.

The Najib-Rosmah move comes at a time when all eyes are on Asia, where many nations are expected to suffer severe economic backlash from the US decision to reduce economic stimulus effective January 2014.

In North Korea, young dictator Kim Jong-un had startled the world, putting the US, the region and leaders in the South on red alert, with a string of ruthless killings.

Kim, 30, who inherited his position from his late father in 2011, seems keen to show his stripes ordering scores of executions that included sending a former girlfriend, her entire family and even his own uncle to face the firing squad.

For North Koreans who had prayed for a breath of fresh hope and a glimpse of how their long-awaited change will be like, sad to say it is not to be. Instead, another Reign of Terror has begun.

Black Days are here

In Malaysia, it look like it is Najib and Rosmah's turn to catch the international spotlight.

Like North Korea's Kim, and perhaps emboldened by Najib's success during the recent Umno election, the Malaysian 'first' couple seem eager to consolidate their hold on power and they don't seem to mind using 'all ways and means'.

Even if this means they may have to take Malaysia backwards into a regime of autocracy where surreal and topsy-turvy propaganda are used to camouflage and force onto the people their political and business wishes.

Critics now fear the worst, pointing to the suspension of The Heat as an ominous signal that Malaysia was entering its own Reign of Terror.

"It is horrid. Najib is the anti-thesis to the perfect democrat," Nurul told Malaysia Chronicle.

"Black days are upon us thank to Najib's U-turn post general election. Black days of increased costs of living, stressful lifestyles and a clampdown on a free media and any dissent against the government's continuing extravagant ways."

Climate of fear will chase away investors

A new publication, The Heat, was suspended "indefinitely" by the Home Ministry, which in the growing fashion of Malaysia's government departments has refused to offer any public explanation. Home Minister Zahid Hamidi has yet to comment.

The Heat's officials too have declined comment but it is believed the suspension was due to the article titled "All eyes on big-spending PM Najib" in its Nov 23 to 29 issue.

"The Heat has ceased publication in compliance with a suspension order served by the Home Ministry. The news weekly will not be published on Dec 21 as scheduled," said sister publication The Ant Daily on Thursday, adding that staff have been informed and subscribers would be given refunds.

The weekly is believed to be controlled by Clement Hii, a prominent businessman who also holds large stakes in public-listed college group SEG International Bhd.

A former executive deputy chairman of the Star Publications, Hii keeps a very low-profile and has not made any comment.

But another media tycoon Tong Kooi Ong recently voiced his unhappiness at the murkiness in the Malaysian system, where free and fair competition is often suppressed at the whims of top government leaders citing 'affirmative action' policies as their alleged grounds for intervention.

"It will be very interesting to see how the business community and the overall market reacts to this anti-democratic action of the BN government. I think most will be very disappointed and view this high-handed approach very negatively. It goes against all of Najib's liberalisation promises and the world must now realize what PM Najib says is contrary to what he actually does," Opposition MP for Kelana Jaya Wong Chen told Malaysia Chronicle.

Counter-productive? 'The Malays will lap it up'

In Malaysia, the media are not allowed to play role of the '4th pillar' or be the voice of the people or the conscience of the nation. All the mainstream newspapers, radio & TV networks are owned by political parties within the ruling BN coalition.

Many doubt The Heat, a political and socio-economic weekly, could have obtained its publishing permit if not for Hii's links to the MCA, the Chinese component party in the BN.

"Put it this way. This is not a rational decision. It is an impulsive act that shows some people have very big egos and are very sensitive over certain matters. But this can be counter-productive. After all, The Heat is very new and has very limited reach but after this suspension, everyone in the Klang Valley will hear about how Najib and Rosmah tried to ban news that they were living life to the hilt on public funds," said a political analyst.

It is not difficult to predict how Najib and his supporters will respond to the latest media clampdown.

"They will use their usual cocktail of racist propaganda. First, they will accuse the Chinese of trying to smear Malaysia's reputation. Then they will rally the Malays behind them by warning how greedy the Chinese tycoons are becoming to the extent of demanding publication permits for newspapers which cannot be trusted and in the end, will only write bad things about the government. Sadly, the Malays will lap it up, they will," said the analyst.

The new boss in Umno and Malaysia

Since the 60-year-old Najib came to power in April 2009, both he and Rosmah have often been criticized for their expensive habits. Their million ringgit utility bill has become a favorite topic of conversation, as has Rosmah's legendary shopping sprees.

The Cabinet's green light for her to use the government's private jet even when attending private functions have stirred widespread public unease as the extravagance comes at a time when her husband is urging the people to tighten their belt.

So far, petrol prices have been hiked twice and on the cards are assessment rate hikes, toll hikes, electricity rate hikes and a slew of subsidy cuts plus a dreaded Goods and Services Tax.

It is telling that Najib's approval rating fell by a shocking 20% in December dropping 10 percentage points to 52% from 62% in September 2013.

He managed to hang onto the federal government at the May 5 general election but analysts have said this was due mainly to gerrymandering. It was the Umno-BN's worst performance but Najib managed to survive factional infighting to retain his post as the Umno president.  He was also able to bring most of his 'men' into positions of power in Umno.

Nonetheless, rival factions within the party such as those led by former premier Mahathir Mohamad, are unhappy and looking for ways to topple him.

Against such pressure, Najib and his spouse may have felt compelled to tighten their grip on power and show who's boss in both Umno and Malaysia.

Hence, the swift but misguided move to stamp out negative news about themselves, and at at the same time send down the wire the unmistakable message that they were ready to wield the 'big stick'.  The question is, will anyone really be frightened and why?

"It is proof that he has not heeded the people's demand for change and continues to be a typical autocrat," Nik Nazmi, assemblyman for Seri Setia, told Malaysia Chronicle. - Malaysia Chronicle