Rate Najib’s performance a year after general election, says ex-NST chief editor

Malaysians should rate the performance of the prime minister and his government as Datuk Seri Najib Razak celebrates his first year in office after winning his personal mandate, former New Straits Times group chief editor Datuk A. Kadir Jasin (pic) said.

In his latest blog posting, Kadir said readers and commentators should debate, present their views and deliberate the situation in Malaysia now because May 5 would mark a full year since the general election.

"I am sure many readers and debators still remember the buzz over key performance indexes (KPI), National Key Result Areas (NKRA), inclusiveness, transformation, 'people first, performance now' and many other slogans and mottos.

"They can give their ratings to Najib using those as yardsticks," he wrote in his blog.

Kadir said it was up to the people to analyse and arrive at their own conclusions about Najib's achievements since becoming prime minister in 2009, especially after the general election last year when he secured his first personal mandate to lead the country.

"I leave it to their wisdom and commitment to draw their own conclusions.

"It is up to them to say whether they are satisfied with Najib's performance or otherwise, as well as what has happened to the nation since he became the prime minister over five years ago," he said.

Since the general election last year, Malaysia has been hit by a number of controversial issues affecting the people including hudud, the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax, rationalisation of subsidies, and price increases in fuel, electricity and essential goods.

The nation was also severely affected by the shocking disappearance of Malaysia Airlines' flight MH370 with 239 people on board on March 8.