Barack Obama VS Najib Tun Razak

Prior to the 44th US presidential inauguration on Jan 20, President-elect Barack Obama boarded a train on Saturday with the route from the nation’s birth place, Philadelphia, to the nation’s capital, Washington DC. We heard the crowds cheering along the way of the train route.

It was just a totally different scenario as what we observed in Malaysia. We saw the deputy president of UMNO, Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam “kena boo” by opposition party supporters during his visit to Kuala Terengganu on polling day.

Oops, not a good day to start for datuk, and definitely not a good day to end.

When asked about the incident, Mohd Ali claimed that he was “kecewa dengan tindakan penyokong pembangkang yang terlalu ramai berkumpul di kawasan pusat pengundi sekolah berkenaan.” (Malaysiakini, “Ali Rustam kena ‘boo’ di KT”, Jan 17, 2009)

Well, sounds like he was okay with having UMNO’s  supporters in the area – double standards?

I wondered if he would be even more disappointed if a shoe got thrown at him, or worse more than one shoe?

Let’s get back to the topic. What I want to say is that we have seen Malaysians throughout the country calling for change. It’s a fundamental change that they are zealous about, not just some “reformed”, “independent”, “anti-corruption” commissions, e.g. Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC), and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) bills, that were alleged by our premier to “bring back confidence of the public in the judiciary” and to “increase competitiveness and attract more foreign investors.” (Themalaysianinsider, “PM declares victory for his reforms”, Dec 17, 2008)

Regardless of the ability of the two bills to restore national and international confidence in the integrity, impartiality, and independence of the key institutes in Malaysia, there are some root causes that our premier had failed to acknowledge.

Such as cronyism within BN, draconian laws to silence lawful dissent, power abuse of national resources, failure of handling governmental contracts, unprofessional and laughable misconducts in the parliament, a corrupted judicial and police system, a not-so-free media, etc., all which have been widely criticized by the public regarding the incumbent administration.

Former premier Dr Mahathir responded that the failure of UMNO in the KT by-election was a vote of no confidence in the leadership of Abdullah Badawi, and Najib was not to be blamed for the loss. (Malaysiakini, “Vote of no confidence against Pak Lah”, Jan 18, 2009)

But listen to what Dr Mahathir said about the deputy PM in the previous interview, “He (Najib) always merely says ‘I support’, ‘I am very touched’. He never says anything about the people’s wishes.” (Thestar, Dr M: Muhyiddin can beat Najib, July 16, 2008)

However, the former de facto law minister, Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, fired Mahathir when he said “You (Mahathir) have destroyed the fabric of our lives as a democracy. Have you not done enough?” (Themalaysianinsider, “Zaid: Mahathir is back in power with Najib”, Oct 11, 2008)

“Why would someone trained and schooled by Dr Mahathir introduce reforms? Have you heard Najib speak of reforms?… You had 23 years of Dr Mahathir, so let’s say Najib lasts for 10 years as PM with Mahathir behind him. That means a total of 33 years under Dr Mahathir,” said Zaid during the same interview.

On the next day, Mahathir revealed his true motive.

“If asked, I would be willing to serve for free (for the panel of advisers for Najib).” (Thestar, “Dr M still speaking his mind”, Oct 12, 2008)

Umno veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah responded on the loss of UMNO in the KT by-election by saying: “A party leadership in denial is unlikely to form a government with the realism and guts to face an economic meltdown that it also denies is happening. We are in uncharted waters with no one at the wheel.” (Malaysiakini, “Third humiliation in 10 months”, Jan 18, 2009)

What we know for sure is that majority of Malaysians have rejected not just UMNO but Barisan National based on the three “humiliations” in a row. The current ruling coalition has failed to meet the needs of the rakyat, and worst, have failed to unite the nation. That’s why we see multiple campaigns by the public to call for change. And that’s why we see tremendous crowds wherever a ceramah is held by the opposition leaders. But sadly, the ignorant yet arrogant incumbent administration still doesn’t wake up!

Sure enough, the rakyat would not expect change to reach upon Malaysia’s shores with Najib taking over the number one post in a couple months.

Allow me to borrow a line from Barack Obama. “Let’s make sure this election is not the end we do to change America (Malaysia), but just the beginning.”

We have seen Barack Obama’s popularity grows as the inauguration nears. Would we see the same for Najib? Would we expect a vote of no confidence in Najib’s administration?

Every nation has her own problems, but there is hope if someone is able to unite the nation.

For more comments posted in malaysiatoday.org, please go to http://mt.m2day.org/2008/content/view/17070/84/

Related posts:

1. Pak Lah, it’s not too late till you give up!
2. How would BN defend her actions on the Judgment Day?
3. Dark history is repeating itself in Malaysia
4. Utusan ruins Najib’s One Malaysia’s concept
5. Celebration of a True Malaysia Day