Mariam Mokhtar on Najib and Crisis Leadership

by Mariam Mokhtar@www.malaysiakini.com

Posing with Obama in Hawaii

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has more than just the rising flood waters to worry about. He probably returned home  to stop being swamped by the efforts of Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who said that Najib need not abandon his holiday to deal with the flooding.

Few people believe Najib’s declaration that he has genuine concern for the welfare of the flood victims. Did he return for the rakyat, or to save his own skin? We will probably never learn the true reason. The truth is always suppressed by UMNO Baru.

Partners or Rivals for Power?

On Christmas Day, Muhyiddin said, “The PM is overseas, but I’m in charge here. I am running the country”. His comment is insignificant if taken as a single remark, because a deputy should take control, when his boss is away.

However, when other things are taken into consideration, it is an indication of the level of animosity between the two men and the swirling discontent within UMNO Baru.

When one includes the recent barrage of verbal assaults and criticisms of Najib, 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and his administration, it looks like a repeat of the drama at the time of the KL112 rally, dubbed the People’s Uprising Rally, two years ago.

At that time, in January 2013, one political pundit claimed that Najib, who was on a family holiday in Europe, had to rush back to Malaysia immediately after his audience with the Pope at the Vatican.

It was alleged that Muhyiddin had conspired, with other UMNO Baru warlords in Malaysia to act against his boss. Then, as now, the criticisms against Najib have been loud and unrestrained. Najib has much to worry about.

Najib needs Obama

With critics lambasting Najib, for abandoning the country while it suffered from the worst flooding in decades, Muhyiddin poked fun at Najib, when he said, “The PM has worked very hard. Be fair to him…”

Muhyiddin also said, “If I can’t do the job then I will call him to come back”. So, poor Najib had to return. Perhaps, Najib should consider sacking Muhyiddin, who has made a hash of everything he has touched.

Intense rivalry between PM and DPM

There is no doubt that there is intense rivalry between the two, but Najib was being insincere when he claimed that he was glad to be with the flood victims. It had taken public humiliation, on the social media, to drag him away from Hawaii, and  his golfing buddy, the President of the United States.

Najib said that he did not mind foregoing his family vacation, in America, to deal with the flooding at home. Few of us are moved by this trite comment. We know from experience that Najib is always abroad when the nation is in crisis. He may as well form a government in exile, judging by the number of times he has issued comments from abroad.

A country needs its leader to assume control in times of disaster. Najib should also realise that his bloated Prime Minister’s Department (PMD) acts like a lumbering container ship, rather than a sleek vessel. Instructions take a long time to filter to the bottom.

With factions existing in many Malaysian institutions, the heads of department of the 45,000 civil servants in the PMD, may not want to make decisions, nor be held accountable for their actions.

The UMNO Baru cybertroopers will never understand that it is pointless asking where the opposition leaders are. The opposition does not have the authority to deploy the army to help the relief effort. They cannot tell the Treasury to allocate funds for food or medical equipment. UMNO Baru controls Putrajaya and is in charge of the resources of the nation.

Floods not a one-off incident

On his return, Najib headed straight to Kota Baru, in Kelantan, and instructed cabinet members who were on holiday to return and help manage the situation.

Does Najib have to “order” them to return? Are these men and women so irresponsible and immature that they have to be told what to do? They probably own smartphones and the latest electronic gadgetry to inform them of what is happening in Malaysia. Must they be summoned like errant school children?

A leader should set a good example and this experience should tell Najib that when he absconded to Hawaii, his minsters decided to emulate him, and also go on holiday.

The floods are not a one-off incident. They are an annual occurrence. The signs that this year was going to be worse than previous years have been evident. Why ignore them?

If I had a ringgit for every insult our politicians hurl at the Malaysian rakyat, I would be a millionaire. If I were given a sen for all the lies they tell us, I would be a billionaire.

There are three mysterious allegations that Najib may want to clear up: Did he go on a private vacation using a government jet? Why did he not take the direct route home, instead of stopping off in Indianapolis? How many planes were used to fly him to Hawaii and back?

The floods are an annual occurrence, exacerbated by illegal logging, deforestation and the destruction of the mangrove swamps. The problems are not helped by development on the flood plains.

Najib should plan flood mitigation measures to prevent a recurrence of this disaster. A tiny proportion of the illegal outflow of money, from this country, would pay for dredging and widening of rivers and many other methods of water control.

So, why has Najib not mentioned anything about flood mitigation measures? He should consult Ahmad Maslan, the expert geographer and Deputy Finance Minister.