KARMA BITES 'ANTI-CHINESE' NAJIB: He may be hit by Malay Tsunami, ex-minister warns

After remarking that BN was hit by a “Chinese tsunami” in 2013, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak may soon be washed away by a “Malay tsunami”, former Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin said.

He said this is because Najib’s belief that Umno warlords are behind him has led him to sign off on unpopular policies which could push the people to turn against him at the polls.

“As someone who goes to mamak stalls morning and evening, meeting all sorts of people, and hearing from reliable sources, I want to tell Najib in all honesty that the rakyat’s confidence in him is at a worrying level.

“This saddens me, I see the possibility of a Malay tsunami in the next general election,” he wrote on his blog.

Zainuddin likened Najib’s bravado to his predecessor Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who had raised fuel prices after winning big at the polls, only to be trounced at the next general election.

“Like Pak Lah, Najib dared to introduce policies which challenge people - the Goods And Service Tax, putting petrol on managed float, trying to raise the minimum full withdrawal age for the Employee Provident Fund (EPF) and forming the non-functioning National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC), which then turned on him [...]

“The slogan 1Malaysia, too, did not find a place in the hearts of the rakyat like (former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s) ‘Malaysia Boleh’, but stoked Malay anger,” he wrote.

Angry with mismanagement

Zainuddin said public anger against the GST is not so much the higher cost of living, but the distrust in the Najib administration’s management of state finances.

“When there is a proposal to raise the EPF full withdrawal age, the talk at the mamak stalls is that the government has no money.

“1Malaysia Development Bhd’s woes have poisoned the people’s thinking to a point of no return,” he added.

He said Najib can use the Rompin and Permatang Pauh by-elections as a gauge of his support, and if BN does worse in these by-election, then he needs to decide his path.

“Is he going to save himself and his wife, or save his party?

“I pray the two by-elections will not signal that the Chinese tsunami will turn into a Malay tsunami, and that Najib can continue in his leadership position.” - M'kini