Najib and His Carrot
Congratulation to our sixth Prime Minister who was installed early yesterday.
I am quite curious why Najib was sworn in before the Agong in such a haste, when everyone is busy campaigning in the three important by-elections, or just trying to avoid being laid-off. The installation was without the fuss and pageantry such an event deserved. It seemed to be like a “let’s get done with it” sort of event.
But well, we have a new Prime Minister in Najib Tun Razak – good luck Malaysia.
The new PM’s first national address, live telecasted over tv last evening came to many as a surprise. Besides the usual formality, he announced the lifting of the ban on Harakah and Suara Keadilan, PAS and PKR’s party newspaper. And he announced the immediate release of 13 (out of 60 or so) ISA detainees and an immediate review of the infamous Internal Security Act.
It was a happy news, but the odd thing is, a quick look on facebook showed cynicism instead of celebration. It’s a “carrot before stick”, said a blogger friend. Others call it a sandiwara, a show, a trump card for winning the by-elections, someone even say, a foreplay, a little pleasure before the pain.
The thing is, the last weeks before he was sworn in, Najib has shown that he could be a real pain. There were evidence that the incoming leadership of our country could gear towards a police state – there were unprecedented police firing tear gas at Opposition party’s ceramah, the banning of Harakah and Suara Keadilan, the banning of speaking on Altan…the Mongolian woman who was found murdered in our backyard and the prohibition to speak about Sultan Azlan Shah and the Perak coup by Barisan Nasional, presumably orchaestraed by Najib.
So, our new PM cannot blame the people for being pessimistic. Why ban when it should not be banned in the first place?
I do hope that Najib’s announcement is a sincere effort on his part to rectify the wrongs done so far and not a shadow-play to divert the Rakyat from real reforms. Perhaps a good start would be to have all the ISA detainees being brought to trial in the courts, not just release 13 as a peace exchange. PM, we deserve more than cosmetic make-over; own up the mistakes of Barisan Nasional and Change, for real.
I am a true-blood Penang "kia" (son of Penang) who love everything about my beautiful home-state, well, almost everything. :)
Formerly I served as the Special Assistant to the Penang State Executive Councillor (State-level ministerial post) in charge of Youth and Sports. I am now pursuing an MA in Philosophy at a local university.
I am also the Executive Secretary of the Network of Social Democracy in Asia (www.socdem.asia) and sit on the committee of the State-sponsored Good Governance and Gender Equality Society (3Gs). Since 2007, I also served in various capacities in the office of the Hon' Madam Chong Eng, a leading Malaysian woman Parliamentarian.
Politically, I had the privilege to help manage four successful political campaigns since 2007 and was involved in planning, campaigning and monitoring of eight state and federal level elections in Malaysia.
I am engaged with the love of my life, Jorin. Both of us worship at the Bukit Mertajam Gospel Centre.
April 6th, 2009 at 9:01 am
Hey ho… that’s right.
It sounds more like how the shops jack up the prices before announcing a 50% discount.
It’s just putting things back to where they were in the first place. No real reforms yet.
We’ll just have to continue watching the next episodes…