Najib turns to poem on final day of campaign

In some 30 lines, he appeals to voters to reject the politics of hate, along the way poking opposition leaders including Dr Mahathir.

VIDEO INSIDE

PETALING JAYA: The age-old Malay poetic rivalry is now being laid out in the current election campaign – although not as friendly – as the clock ticks down to polling day tomorrow.

In about 30 lines, Prime Minister Najib Razak appealed to voters in a “sajak” (poem) to embrace his administration and reject the opposition, interspersed with jibes on opposition leaders, with the main target being none other than his number one rival this elections, Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

“We are now at the crossroads, people choose to decide the future, to move forward or be caught in politics of sedition,” Najib reads in the video clip of the poem titled “Izinkan Laluan” (Excuse Me).

It is believed to be a response to the many clips featuring Mahathir, including an emotional poem by him titled “Aku Akan Pergi Tak Lama Lagi” (I’ll be gone soon), which has been making the rounds on social media and WhatsApp.

In Najib’s clip, viewers are taken through dramatic events in contemporary Malaysian history, from the time of the Kampung Memali killings of 1985, to the reformasi protests of the late 1990s in Kuala Lumpur and violent moments during a Bersih protest in the city not long ago.

Most of the events took place during Mahathir’s 22-year administration, suggesting to viewers that chaos was the order of the day under the former prime minister.

“Let us leave the decades of political crisis, so that it does not become our heritage, Malaysia’s future is now at stake.

“I pray that whatever the outcome, that Malaysia chooses with due consideration, rejecting the drama that is covered with sedition and tears,” the poem concludes, showing a tearful PKR president, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail. -FMT