In the first part, we analysed Najib’s 1Malaysia concept in practice. We now analyse the other components of Najib’s slogan ‘…People First, Performance Now…’: this component is meant to signal that Najib’s administration will prioritise the needs of the people first and enhance government delivery systems.
How has Najib put the people first?
From the perspective of democratic practices, Najib has shown utter contempt for Malaysians who voted for the opposition. He is credited with overthrowing the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) led Perak state government and has taken a strategy to encourage defections of PR legislators to gain BN’s super majority in Parliament. His administration’s treatment of PR led states and legislators as enemies of the state and not the peoples democratically elected representatives demonstrates total disrespect for democratic practices.
The state of Kelantan — almost all Malay-Muslim — has seen its share of payments for oil revenues withheld by the government for more than a decade. Najib’s administration has continued this policy depriving some of the poorest people in Malaysia of their rightful share. Najib’s decision to withhold cash payments — in spite of the Petroleum Development Agreement (PDA) which clearly stipulates the cash payments — not only makes a mockery of his claim to put people first, but further erodes the federal – state relationship and diminishes the stature of Malaysia’s state oil agency, PETRONAS, in the international community for its inability to honour a legal contract.
In another unprecedented demonstration, the Orang Asli or Asal — the real and undisputed indigenous people of Peninsular Malaysia — demonstrated at Putrajaya demanding the government review amendment to the National Land Act (NLA). The amendments to the NLA would have effectively limited the rights of Orang Asli to a nominal acreage of their ancestral land and condemned them to a life of poverty. More importantly, Najib did not see it fit to receive the memorandum from the Orang Asli personally. So much for putting people first.
In yet another unprecedented move, several prominent politicians and social activists from Sabah and Sarawak are contemplating pulling out from Malaysia citing the systematic plunder and looting of these resource rich states, leaving the natives with the highest rates of poverty in the whole of Malaysia. Interestingly, they are working closely with HINDRAF chair, P. Waytha Moorthy and held a historic joint briefing at the UK Parliament on abuses against minorities and natives in Malaysia. HINDRAF itself has now reconstituted as the Human Rights Party. Their annual reports on the conditions of Malaysians of Indian heritage also demonstrate that Najib’s ‘…People first…’ mantra remains only a mantra.
The height of Najib’s contempt or ignorance for the Rakyat is the attempt to introduce the Goods and Services Tax (GST). Despite the consensus against the GST from Malaysians, Najib insisted — mainly to fill dwindling government coffers — as Malaysia suffers from the worst fiscal deficit in 27 years. Najib eventually crumbled to popular pressure and has postponed the second and final reading of the proposed GST bill. While the flip-flop in policy was received badly in the investment circles, Najib’s inability to assess the ‘Rakyat’s’ demands indicate the ‘…People First…’ concept is but a concept.
The Government Transformation Plan (GTP) is supposed to improve government delivery with performance targets and deadlines in six National Key Result Areas (NKRAs): Reducing crime, fighting corruption, improving student outcomes, raising living standards of low-income households, improving rural basic infrastructure and improving urban public transport. Each Minister responsible for the respective NKRAS is to present the ‘report card’ of their achievements. These are long term challenges and Malaysians await the results. However, already there are concerns on how the relevant Minister’s are going to meet their targets. Some have resorted to taking unsustainable measures to meet their objectives. The biggest issue still is transparency as there is no public oversight of the GTP.
Finally, the biggest demonstration that the Rakyat does not come first, is the conceptualisation and development of the New Economic Model (NEM). The NEM is supposed to be Najib’s crowning glory. It was developed without getting inputs from Malaysians – except for the powerbrokers: the business and professional groups, ruling coalition members and the ultra Malay rights groups. The Rakyat and the opposition were totally sidelined. Najib even went to the extent of announcing the policy at an investor conference (watch here), instead of Parliament – demonstrating clearly, who was important to Najib. Najib noted that the ‘rakyat’ can now give their feedback – after his announcement of the policy on March 30, 2010. The NEM were heavy on pronouncements but light on details and not clear on how the Rakyat would benefit (read here, here and here).
Malaysians cannot clearly see how Najib puts the ‘‘…People first…’ and have trouble actually identifying how efficiency has increased in the public sector.
Read the conclusion here.
Najib can’t even grasp the meaning of 1Malaysia, how can he ever put people first?
When his deputy proudly declares he’s Malay first and only Malaysian at heart, Najib defended that statement. Didn’t Najib read his 1Malaysia manifesto from page 1 to the last page?? Didn’t it say we are all Malaysians first, equal in all ways irregardless of the skin colour?? Ah, but Najib didn’t actually conceptionalised all this values, it was paid for by the rakyat and dreamed up nicely by a PR firm called APCO. All Najib ever do is read the speeches, without ever needing to understand the meaning. Isn’t it funny that he actually announced the eagerly awaited important policy called NEM, that affects our lives, in a distant land called HK? Ah, but it’s only for show, nice, big words to impress the overseas Press, not anything substantial nor does he intend to make it into something beneficial for all of us. The bottom line is whatever he announces does not translate into anything that tranforms the way the goverment or UMNO do their business. Contracts are still awarded to their agents, many fronted by the sons of politicians, some as young as mid-twenties. No offence, but how much experience & wisdom do these guys have to win multi-million dollar contracts?? Ah, never mind, daddy wil teach them how to manage the creative accounting!!
Yes, the goverment of today certainly has less money than Mahathir did 15 years ago. But if they plug all the wastage (ie pilfering), from the top to the bottom, we can certainly manage the country and have a few sens to spare! The GST will not help, as money is still wasted every year (just look up the AG’s report every year, it’s almost the same, computers costing a few thousand bought for 40-50 thousand instead, year-in, year-out!). In short, Najib will never be able to deliver, coz he doesn’t have the intention or will to. He’s only interested to play up his image (yes, nearly 30 million spent just on PR alone!!).
Meanwhile, his deputy has already made 3 moves against him. The latest in insulting the interfaith committee. The small people will now just get together to have tea (or maybe coffee!), nothing they say will be of any influence to the UMNO goverment. That’s all according to the Deputy PM selected by UMNO, who’ll probabaly be the PM sooner rather than later!
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Appreciate your comments My2sen,
My concern is that despite his failings on key reforms, the Merdeka Centre poll indicates that his popularity is increasing.
I would put it to the ‘goodies’ that he has been dishing out and a significant number of Malaysians who still rely on leaders to deliver on “bread and butter” issues.
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I wouldn’t put too much faith in the Merdeka Centre Poll. With a selective audience in a limited sample size, one can get any statistic. As for Najibs 1Malaysia and GTP initiative, one gets the feeling that its either all talk or he’s has less control over his supporters than Mahathir did. We will never know. If you look at the contradictions that has been spewing out from the DPM and others, you will wonder if they actually understand the concept or simply sabotaging the plan.
Either way, it will take real political will and strenght to pull this off, even if Najib really mean to do good.
From my perspective, Malaysia still has at least 10 years of the “good life” left, with its natural resources. After that, its anybody’s guess.
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Hi Neptunian,
Merdeka Centre, despite its shortcomings, in my humble opinion is Malaysia’s best social-political survey firm. I do agree that their sample size is very small (normally about a thousand) to make any substantive conclusion. Nevertheless, it is still an indicator.
My own sources tell me that Najib has been literally buying out leaders/representatives from the various communities and special interests groups. (More on that in my forthcoming concluding part). Hence, the increased ratings. Also, he started from a very low point (below 50% approval rating when he became PM).
I agree with you on your other points.
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Greg,
On a brighter note, some divisions of the Govt are actually taking the GTP seriously – at least on the surface. I am about to test that apparent change of mindset at the Ministry of Science and Technology very soon. I will let you know the result.
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Thanks Neptunian,
Look forward to your findings.
Recently Idris Jala was on a local radio station describing progress in GTP. (Listen hear)
While I do think that this is a step forward – albeit an incremental one – my concern remains that nothing substantial has been done.
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[…] Read Najib’s first year in office, Part II here […]
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