IS “GORBY MALAYSIA” ANOTHER DESPERATE INITIATION OF KALIMULAH AND GANG

I wrote this in response to the article in Malaysia Today & Malaysian Insider entitled “Abdullah being compared to ex-Soviet leader Gorbachev” which I am of the opinion was written in bad taste.

Rightly put by Ajib: “Gorbachev caught the imagination of Soviets with his policy of glasnost and perestroika while Abdullah’s only claim is that he opened up democratic spaces in the country and allowed dissent to flourish”.

I am most suspicious of PM’s intention of opening up of the democratic process besides allowing dissent. There should be more to it as elaborated subsequently.

If there is any spec of similarity between the two, it could be either co-incidence or just forced through. I would believe democratic process PM initiated would not go far as the public expect.

Hishammuddin Rais, the promoter of the Gorby Malaysia, credited Abdullah for the changed political environment in Malaysia and likens him to Gorbachev, inherited a country that was repressive and autocratic in nature.

I and I am sure many Malaysians don’t share his negative perceptions of inheriting repressiveness and autocracy; of course there are those who are unhappy with the statesmanship of TDM especially who are natural communist socialists, those whose battlecry is Malaysian Malaysia or advocates for the two party system, oppositions, opportunists, desperados, those held under ISA etc. Perhaps after enjoying such a long period of peace, stability and prosperity, these Malaysians have forgotten TDM’s type of leadership and positive contributions to the country. Thus when the PM pursues his opening up of the democratic process, this bunch of zealots not only praises him but demanded the sky (as the Malays saying bagi kaki nak betis, bagi betis nak peha, bagi peha nak??? Yak!!!)

Johan Saravanamuttu of Singapore’s ISEAS, according to Ajib says that PM is not unlike that of Gorbachev with arguably different nuances and in a somewhat different political context. PM’s reform agenda was an egregious failure accounting for the current development when Malaysians took matters into their own hands and voted out his government in several States as well in reducing the majority in parliament short of 8 seats of a 2/3 majority .

To me and many of my friends and members of my family and associates, PM deserved that worst performance by UMNO/ BN in history but NOT the country – it’s unfortunate that the country is simply being led by a most incompetent leader and the consequences will be terrible if he persists to stay in office.

The forces in the external environment now are most precarious to the country; the prices of basic necessities such as rice and flour are on the rise due to world shortages, oil prices has jumped sky high, the world’s biggest economy namely the United States is already into recession albeit acute financial crisis.

The local environment is also precarious while freedom and democracy is being promoted and prioritized at the expense of greater security and stability. For those who disagree, just look why and where has the foreign funds gone to? National Productivity is expected to be adversely affected as opposition control states battle the federal government on allocation of much needed funds. The Government cannot continue subsidizing the increase in prices of these commodities and as inflation looms, the ringgit we have gets to buy less. This is not a gambit to cause fear but reality speaks for itself. Thus the Nation suffers further from the expected downspin in economic activities.

Ajib further reports: PM’s reform agenda may not jive with what Umno wants. Some government officials appreciate this dilemma but say that Abdullah has little choice. He can either be remembered as the country’s worst prime minister or someone who went down trying to do the right thing.

Doing the right thing is indeed very relative. Seldom do people share the same views on how or what things should be done. However a majority view would normally indicate the preferred choice. Scrutinizing the above Para, if PM’s reform agenda is not accepted by UMNO, then PM is not heeding the wishes of his party as the will of the elected majority. Thus, pushing through his (democratic) reforms or in other words being like Gorby, as the perception is currently being carefully connoted, does not make sense. An astute leader would listen to the will of the majority but PM doesn’t (consistently) care too hoots about the voices of the electorates ie the appointed UMNO members in his Council. On one hand PM promotes big time democracy and on other he doesn’t seem to practise it.

Then the next natural question is who then does PM listen to and rely on for advice since we all know that he’s a non-performer by precedence. The answer on everyone’s lips is the 4^th Floor boys. The bulk of those 4^th Floor boys as I understand are not elected members and includes his dear SIL and S. So if indeed the perception is he is indeed the worst PM in our history (that’s nothing wrong being the worst since someone has to fill that slot on the assumption he’s tried his best), why then should PM go down trying to do something which is against the will of majority of his Council.

We are familiar about the 1^st Family’s clear intentions of removing TDM’s legacy and to replace with his. This intention is again suspect as it has the consequence of removing the disruptive elements of his Council particularly those loyal to the ex-PM and replacing with his own loyal (‘yes men’) subjects. As such, a deception strategy was initiated to tone down the voices of dissent inside and outside his party under the pretext of populist reforms. Thus a 20 year old case was brought up purposely to assure that the Bar Council and the Opposition would have a field day on the perceived faults of a common subject – our true statesman TDM. A big fanfare was also organized to maximize the public exposure with maximum coverage in main stream media and beautifully played out as lovely as possible.

I would seriously perceive this attempt to compare PM to Gorby as a ‘cerita dogeng’ in conjunction or part of a concerted and desperate attempt of mass deception and disinformation connived by 4^th Floor boys in building up PM’s battered image. It bears the hallmarks of the immature and foolhardy designs of those ‘dungus’ from ex- Singapore NST vis-à-vis the God Kali and BP. Perhaps this bunch of nincompoops imagine that boasting one’s image can be achieved as easy as freshening the face by using the latest mascara, glossy lipsticks, facial powder and hair gel and oh yes not forgetting the best of botox.

The end game for the opening spaces of the democratic process: to put some side show in protracting PM’s stay in office as attainable as possible so that the members of 1^st family can continue the unbelievable namely ABSOLUTE PLUNDERING hoping that all those interested parties of the uncompleted reforms would stay contented and close their eyes for the time being before the next election. So by the time of the GE 13, PM would have left the country’s administration in an enormous mess, a scenario perfect for his SIL and the 1^st family who would be by then more than filthy rich.

However let history decide on the course of events and how PM would eventually be perceived. Let us not be fooled or coy by such foolish comparison being part of a “games people play”.

END