by Dean Johns
Malaysiakini
Dec 29, 10
It seems to me that the more persistently Najib Abdul Razak propounds his “1Malaysia. People first. Performance now” slogan, and the more desperately he defends it, the more damage he does to himself and Barisan Nasional. So naturally I’m 1 big supporter of the thing.
For a start, the “1Malaysia” part of it is so blatantly false that all it does is remind the hearer or reader of BN’s long-term strategy of dividing the nation’s races and religions, the better to try and ensure its eternal rule.
And this is not just an allegation, but an absolute fact. As evidenced by the BN government’s stacking of the civil services with employees of one particular race, through the wildly unequal allocation of government scholarships and contracts, to its supporting the concept of ketuanan Melayu through official economic policies, racist pressure-groups like Perkasa and publications like Utusan Malaysia.
Thus the “1Malaysia” phrase itself is such an outright and obvious lie that the long-running controversy over its originality appears virtually irrelevant. Yet Najib persists in claiming authorship as though his political survival depended on it. Which I fondly hope it does, given that the version of the concept with which I’m most familiar, “One Nation”, was the name of the notorious Pauline Hanson’s Australian political party, which long ago self-destructed.
Similarly, as far as I’m aware, other previous 1/One/Satu-style names and slogans proven by no means notably successful in Singapore, Indonesia or anywhere else they’ve been created. And as for “One Israel”, who knows whether it was dreamed-up by Najib’s friends at Apco Worldwide, as Anwar Ibrahim alleges and Apco deny, and who the hell cares?
Staking his credibility
Besides Najib, of course, who appears to be staking his non-existent credibility on the claim that he originated the thing. Recently, declaring that he felt “slighted” by the “big lie” that the “1Malaysia” concept had been plagiarised from another country, he claimed that “It is my own creation. Other countries may have a one this and a one that but nowhere in this world is there a 1Malaysia. People First. Performance Now.”
As many commentators on this statement have remarked, it would have been very odd indeed if any another country had thought to call itself “1Malaysia”, as Malaysia wouldn’t have been its name, and thus the expression would have been even more false than Najib’s version of it is.
Having read over the previous paragraph several times, I’m not entirely sure it makes sense. But never mind. Nothing about Najib’s slogan makes sense, including his recent remark in its defence to the effect that his government moves forward “on the basis of reality and not any dream”.
“A responsible government needs responsible policies,” he reportedly added, “not promises that are not founded on reality.”
Unfortunately for the case he was attempting to make, “not founded on reality” applies not only, as we’ve seen, to the “1Malaysia” section of his slogan, but even more so, if possible, to its “People First. Performance now.” segments.
Far from convincing anyone that Najib himself or the BN government has the slightest intention of performing on behalf of the people, now or ever, it raises countless challenging questions.
Like what has Najib or BN done, lately or ever, to protect the people of Malaysia from the appalling road toll or the police inaction and corruption that enable vehicular slaughter on such a scale? What have Najib or his government done to stem the slaughter of ‘suspects’ by this same police force? Or to stem the tide of cronyism and corruption that costs the people billions a year in lost and stolen revenue?
What have Najib and his government done, or what do they intend to do to restore the peoples’ rights to transparency, truth and justice that have been so comprehensively eroded over decades of rule by the BN regime?
Absolutely nothing. So that, with the single, solitary exception of the word “Malaysia”, which is undeniably the name of the country, every single additional element of Najib’s slogan is utterly and obviously false.
However, such glaringly obvious falsehood doesn’t prevent BN’s indefatigably sycophantic ‘news’ agency, Bernama and the rest of the so-called ‘mainstream’ media from reporting it as if it was gospel truth.
Illustration of ‘lies, damn lies and statistics’
Just the other day, for example, Bernama quoted Information, Communication and Culture Minister Rais Yatim as claiming that the 1Malaysia concept “is regarded as good” by 84 percent of respondents to a recent survey.
And in an equally impressive illustration of the well-known expression “lies, damn lies and statistics”, the BN-complicit media recently reported that the ridiculous slogan’s self-procaimed author himself enjoys 69 percent support.
Citing a clearly highly dubious phone poll by the Merdeka Centre for Opinion Research, Star announced that “broken down into ethnic groups, the survey found 74 percent of Malays, 54 percent of Chinese and 85 percent of Indian respondents were satisfied with the prime minister’s performance, seen as a major boost for Najib as he mulls an early general election next year.”
The fact that these findings were “broken down into ethnic groups” seems to me further give the lie to the fake unity-promoting purpose of “1Malaysia”. But even more significant is the core message these fanciful findings are intended to convey, which is that well over half of the Malaysian people of all races are such idiots as to imagine that Najib’s performance as prime minister is satisfactory.
When in fact, as every Malaysian with even half a brain knows, his only achievement in almost two years as premier is the creation of the world’s most cynical, self-destructive slogan.
A slogan whose obvious falsehood appears to be working so powerfully in his disfavour that, along with memories of the still unsolved murder of 1Mongolian, it could well prove political suicide for Najib personally, and a fitting epitaph for 50+ years of the BN regime.
DEAN JOHNS, after many years in Asia, currently lives with his Malaysian-born wife and daughter in Sydney, where he mentors creative writing groups. Already published in Kuala Lumpur is a third book of his columns for Malaysiakini, following earlier collections ‘Mad about Malaysia’ and ‘Even Madder about Malaysia’.
Yes if all the surveys are true…it means Malaysians are getting dumber and dumber.
Let it be. We know him too well.
The fact that he declared to protect PutraJaya with his life…contradicts all the surveys too.
Najib knows that too well.
He has no options…but keep lying.
All the contradictions and lies explained clearly by Dean Johns.
Lets see…he gets as many foreigners to rebuttal
so many that have spoken against him.
Are Malaysians becoming more and more selfish and idiotic?
Lets see at 13th GE.
So long as the NEP is not repealed, Najib’s 1Malaysia will remain an elusive dream which can never come to reality.
Taxidriver setuju dengan Mr. Dean Johns. Author of 1Malaysia is a liar, damn liar, shameless liar and leader of a ‘ bongkang ‘ party run by corrupt leaders. The ghost of 1Mongolian woman will haunt the 1Malaysia author everyday.
Sure 1Malaysia is his. I believe his speech at the BN convention like: “crossroads of history on the verge of the promised future, radiant future, manifest destiny, and the supreme moment” are also his. A real nincompoop is someone who thinks others are nincompoops.
I like the sound of it:
“One nation” self-destructed. C-4’ed.
1Malaysia self-imploded. C-4’ed.
When it started claimed equality.
At the final, it is no equality.,
It is a sign to fool non-malay support and make them think that they vote for equality but it is just a lie to fool them.
LIE…LIE…LIE
1Malaysia = 1Lie
Vote for 1Malaysia = Vote for 1Lie
LIE…LIE…LIE
Do you want liars to be your adminitration of government?
You have the rights to choose.
///Just the other day, for example, Bernama quoted Information, Communication and Culture Minister Rais Yatim as claiming that the 1Malaysia concept “is regarded as good” by 84 percent of respondents to a recent survey.///
That number 84% is obviously a lie. But the minister had to ball-carry Najib hopint that the AG will not take action against one elderly minister who raped his Indonesian maid.
Even if the 1Malaysia is changed to Malaysian Malaysia those who voted against BN would not support BN simply because BN cannot be trusted. BN won perhaps less than 50% of those voted, and declared winner because of postal votes which nobody knew how many were involved to make tem to majority vote. Rais Yatim must have been really desperate to lie and seen to be lying by quoting 84%.
1Malaysia is not a concept since Najib has not said that it means everybody is the same, and the country treats the people as one, rather than reserving it for one people, one race and one religion. It is just a slogan like 1Utama which means that you get to buy everything in one place. Indeed 1Utama started lone before 1Malaysia; did Najib not plagiarize?
The Chief Secretary saw it fit to promote a C-grade Chief of state religious department to become A-grade State Secretary of Selangor. That action prevents other A-grade officers from receiving a change of appointment, or B-grade officers receiving a well earned promotion. If the appointee was good enough for A-grade assignment, he should have been promoted to be in the B-grade, long before the vacancy in Selangor exists. Clearly the action of the Chief secretary affects the morale of officers within the civil services, and the assignment is a subterfuge to sabotage administration the Selangor. Either KSN Sidek is not fit to be in his position which would present more questions why he had been promoted to his present position and remaining there for so long, or he has taken instruction from Najib. If Najib chose to sabotage the administration in Selangor just because BN is in the opposition then he is not fit to be a PM of the country who cares not for the well being of a nation.
It seems that the Sultan of Selangor showed no objection to the appointment of the former religious officer as the State Secretary. That does not say that the Ruler had accepted him since the appointee did not report to the Sultan. MB Khalid should ask to new man to take full-pay leave.
Just look at one of his “Satu Malaysia” advertisement on TV everynight.
Each time I hear him yelling the word “Satu”, I feel some chilling all over me.
Worse than seeing a ghost!
Here is Najib’s 1Malaysia:
‘Paranoid’ aides told church to remove crosses for Najib visit
@@http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/paranoid-aides-told-church-to-remove-crosses-for-najib-visit/
///‘Paranoid’ aides told church to remove crosses for Najib visit///
vampires are afraid of crosses. They will burn the hell out of these vampires.
I am sure that some time in his school life or university life, Najib would have been exposed to the gospel and mingled with Christians or even gone to church. Why be such a hypocrite now? Najib’s aides should just shut up and leave him alone.
It would be a great idea to let Najib walk into a church and participate in a church communion, sitting quietly and observing the celebration of the death and resurrection of Christ. Maybe by coming under the sound of the gospel the Holy Spirit might convict him of his sins! (Really, ‘all men are sinners and fall short of the glory of God’).
That would be more like 1Malaysia. Of course, even then Najib can play-act his way through. But, at least, the spirit of 1Malaysia would be seen.
PR’s slogan for 13GE– “Sapu Malaysia”! Sweep all the states and form the federal govt. Send Jib to Ulan Batur for trial
Najib1 Malusia slogan infact seditious thus even helping these morons to corrupt , rob smarter and silently….therefore its a Not Genuine intitated intention….its a Faked Slogan copied form 1Israel.
It will assist BN in gaining support …
BUT PR Must defence this ingenuity nonsense crap looking at it to create further disharmony and disunity among Malaysians of all races.
It should “”Malaysia Our Home Our Nation and Our Future””.
Actually there is a way for OPPOSITION to fight their 1Malaysia.
What will it be?
Answer is………..
Malaysian1st or Malaysian1
MALAYSIAN1ST or MALAYSIAN1
stated it clearly Malaysian are first it is better their slogan.
2 counter dis 1M’sia bullSh!t fr NR, just circulate dis article
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/151988