Carrot and stick, and other imaginary monsters in Malaysia

COMMENTARY BY THE MALAYSIAN INSIDER
12 October 2014

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is confused. He and Barisan Nasional (BN) seem to believe that the wealth, resources and talent in Malaysia belong to them and they can dispense with it at their will.

He doesn’t understand that a political party has to win over people with policies, integrity, consistency, fairness, etc. Bribes do not work. Threats almost always fail.

But yet Najib persists with the carrot-and-stick approach. Before GE13, the BN chairman believed that throwing goodies the way of the Chinese would endear him to the community and by extension, they would support him in the polls.

That strategy failed miserably.

So on the back of being rebuffed at the 2013 elections, Najib has brought out the veiled threats.

Speaking at the MCA annual assembly today, he said the Chinese could not make demands on his government if they continued to support Pakatan Rakyat (PR).

First, his government owns the support of only 47% of the voters. Nearly 52% of Malaysians voted for PR and these include many Chinese, and a sizeable number of Malays, Indians, Kadazans and other indigenous people.

So instead of using a hectoring tone, it would probably be advisable for Najib to show some humility.

Understand that threats and goodies don’t work. Malaysians want real leadership and policies that reflect the multiracial and multi-religious nature of Malaysia.

They want a proper distribution of wealth and not the widening income gap between the have and have-nots.

They want a PM who does not allow the Federal Constitution to be trampled on or for laws to be used in a cavalier manner. They want a ruling party that is fair, just and moderate, not a collection of self-seeking glory hunters.

Rule justly, walk humbly and Malaysians will gravitate to you like bees to honey. There is no need for threats.

Datuk Ibrahim Ali and his counterpart at Isma are dangerous characters – and not because they have a tendency to shoot from the hip but because they keep repeating a lie.

And the great big LIE is that non-Malays want to rip up the social contract. Has anybody made that demand?

What has been demanded is an end to cronyism and nepotism. What has been demanded is an end to inflated contracts and the skewed implementation of the New Economic Policy (NEP).

But Ibrahim and Isma are trying to create a siege mentality among some Malays, they want to nurture the fear factor. And in doing so, they are driving a wedge between Malaysians.

Are they more dangerous or the likes of Azmi Sharom and Dr Abdul Aziz Bari, who now face sedition charges?

They need to stop creating imaginary creatures that will scare the Malays. After more than 50 years of becoming Malaysia, why do we still have politicians who use bogeymen and imaginary threats?

The simple answer is this. They want to be the heroes, the patrons and the true defender for others to seek help and leadership.

After all, if the flock runs away, what use is the shepherd? – October 12, 2014.