PSI-Political Scene Investigation on Dato Najib.

NAJIB’S TRACK RECORD. AN EXERCISE IN FORENSIC INVESTIGATION.

Dato Najib has invited anyone to look at his track record. I am happy to accept that invitation. Indeed I am looking. Very hard too.

There are a few things that Dato Najib says that must not be accepted without debate. Tut! Tut! Mustn’t disappoint the punters.

a. His unshakeable belief in UMNO tradition

b. The large number of votes as indicator of the rakyat’s confidence in him(his insatiable lust for things large)

c. His track record.(where are thou, O TR?)

Let us go over these one by one.

TRACK RECORD- HIS POLITICAL JOURNEY.

He entered politics in 1976. Not purposefully or intentionally. He was drafted by providence. Not preordained but because it was convenient and practical to offer the progeny of Tun Razak as the natural choice candidate for Pekan.

Tun Razak had just died. The people were greatly aggrieved. None more so than the people in Pekan. My grandparents included. It was a natural heartfelt outpouring of grief that could only be relieved by replacing Tun Razak with his progeny. Where else would the gravy falls if not on the rice- so goes the Malay saying.

No big deal to jump start one’s track record. He got a free ticket to ride from Pekan to parliament. Remember the Beatles’ song?

He's got a ticket to ride

He's got a ticket to ride

He's got a ticket to ride

and he don't care.

Yes, Najib didn’t care then. He was just following the times. Many of us will remember the young Najib then. Long haired, full of youthful exuberance. Sowing his wild oats here and there.

Not many of us can chose who our parents are. Dato Najib had providence on his side. So the beginning is nothing to shout about. He had a lucky break.

If there is one permanent feature about Dato Najib’s track record, it is one that can only be summed up as a free ride all the way. He rode on Tun Hussein’s coattails when the latter was the PM. He was made a deputy minister by Tun Hussein Onn I think.

He did not come from a really prestigious university. Nottingham then was so so. It was more well known because some more prominent and illustrious Malaysians had studied there. Among these were HRH Sultan of Perak, Yang di Pertuan of Negeri Sembilan and if memory serves me right, Tengku Ahmad Rithaudeen. But these personalities were actually more academically superior than happy go lucky Najib, when you compare age for age.

His track record when he was deputy minister would have been easily accomplished by any other person with above average intelligence. If Najib can do it, others certainly can. Perhaps his most meaningful stint as deputy minister was his tenure under the eminently capable finance minster then, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah. Under TR’s guidance, perhaps Najib achieved some redeeming feature to his otherwise lacklustre performance. Providence was kind to him.

He then went on to become the MB of Pahang. His only credentials then and indeed his sole credential was the fact that is he Tun Razak’s elsest son. Again providence stepped in. Pahang was in political turmoil. Dato Rashid Abdul Rahman was chosen to replace Dato Abdul Rahim Abu Bakar who was briefly Pahang’s MB. Rahim Bakar was somewhat of a revolutionary politician with combative and adversarial temperaments. He had this legalistic streak in him. Only if the letter of the law provides so, will he extend you whatever you are asking for. He had problems with the palace. Of course his enemies were exploiting the issue of his problems with the palace.

In came Dato Najib. He was young, good looking and handsome. It was said that members of the Pahang royalty would drool whenever Najib goes to the palace. He would send hearts fluttering. He was a descendant of Tun Razak, a member of the Pahang aristocracy. He was made a Dato Shahbandar. Long time ago, in fuedaland, the shahbandar was the local enforcer entrusted to ‘pau’ traders.

He was the nephew of Tun Hussein, was acceptable by the Palace, in the good books of the royal princesses of Pahang. What more do you want?. Ignore his just average ministerial accomplishments. Forget his academic credentials. He can be a useful tool. More importantly, Pahang needed an acceptable figure.

Dato Rashid Rahman had no objections. After all he has made hay while the sun shone. Indeed he has. Pahang then was the cradle of the BALAK civilization. Politically, Dato Rashid was only a stop gap solution. Better him than other buccaneering politicians. In any case, Najib belonged to the same Langgar clan who are considered to be the natural leader for Pekan. Again, providence assisted Najib.

Haiyya…ME TRANSMITTE SURSUM, CALEDONI!- beam me up Scotty! There’s no sign of intelligence here!

TBC( To be Continued, in the same spirit of TRO-To Rule Out)..