Nimble Chess Moves

There have been many uncomplimentary comments when I started to say good things about Dato Najib. I think they became more pronounced too when I started to become mildly critical of Dr Mahathir. The comments from foul-mouthed and carcass-smelling breathed bloggers (you know who you are) are hurtful yes, but are also easily forgettable. They would rather you remain stubborn and stupid even though facts change. I suspect many of them are people who have been accustomed of saying things without censor and suddenly find themselves in unfamiliar territory in a medium, where others can talk back.

I have been critical of Dato Najib in the past and have said nasty things of him. But hey, I have even gone one step further and told him about what I wrote to him in person. If something merits unflattering comments I am not going to shy away from doing that. But if some of his actions and policies are worth defending, then I will be willing to do it. I have criticised his leadership substance in the past but I will be stupid not to recognise that he, like anyone with intelligence can change for the better. I also recognise that when leadership is entrusted upon you, you can rise up to the occasion.

On the same note, I have been a staunch supporter of Tun Dr Mahathir and regard him as our best PM thus far. It would be foolish though to take my support as an absolute an unqualified carte blanche. I have stated my stand and this stand of mine does not require approval from those foul-mouthed bloggers and intellectual gnomes – which is that I honour TDM by debating his ideas on certain issues. Take for example, his comments on the cabinet and on the new leadership. If he has the right to comment, we will have to acknowledge that others can also comment on his comments. You would be prostituting yourself if you lie flat on your back and take everything without question.

Thus when Dato Najib does something right, he deserves compliments. Dato Najib is becoming more believable. I will say this- the more he disengages from TDM's mould, the better. He must chart his own course. He has served under 3 PM and has lived under the same roof with one. Now that he has become one himself, his achievement should equal the record claimed by the not bashful Rais Yatim in having served 5 PMs.

He has created a cabinet confounding many and leaving not a few dumbfounded. He has created a cabinet of 28 people. 40 were appointed as deputy ministers. It is a cabinet only marginally smaller that Pak Lah's cabinet. Hence, there were no major disruptions. A semblance of continuity is more important than playing to the gallery and yielding to calls to have a reduced cabinet.

Even the reasons for the inclusion of a few losers in Team Najib will be appreciated later. There were several who had lost in the last general elections. The list included the Koh Tsu Koon,Shahrizat Jalil, Awang Adek Husin. Losers in the recently concluded UMNO elections were also included. The inclusion of Mukhriz Mahathir has been hailed as a triumph of sorts.

One can only suspect, their losses are less important than their usefulness.

Correspondingly the exclusion presently of a few people from Team Najib will also be justified. The two notable absentees from Team Najib now are KJ and JJ. As I said earlier, I am sure the PM has something in store for the hardest working former minister-wasn't he the one who traverses the earth and space? Plus, he is the quintessential 'hands on' ex minister. As for KJ who knows what will unravel?

One can only suspect, their victories are less important than current political expediency.

It is also not a cabinet patterned after what Dr Mahathir wants. The inclusion of too many who are not exactly fans of TDM easily weakens such presumption. Dr Mahathir can rant and rave however much he wants. It is Najib's own team.

The inclusion of Mukhriz in the team cannot be used as proof that this is Mahajib's team. How much can Mukhriz achieve? Even he understands the concept of leadership hierarchy. He has a boss. His boss has a bigger boss. The ultimate boss is Najib Tun Razak. The boss is always right.

Today the PM has announced two very important actions which the government will take. First, the government will carry out a comprehensive review of the toll system in the country. The PM has conceded that exposure of the rakyat to triennial hike of toll rates is no longer tenable. Tolls are much disliked by the people. If the PM upholds his tenet of people first, he has to take steps that endear the government to the rakyat.

The PM has also announced his government's commitment to undertake a review of electricity tariffs. If TNB has excess capacity well above the critical reserve, why should it be forced to buy from IPPs? A review on the contracts between TNB and several IPPs may lead to reduction in tariff rates. They are burdensome on both the rakyat and anathema to a government geared for efficient performance and placing the people's interest first.

Both should be well received by the rakyat.

How do these make the PM becoming believable by each passing day? A conversation with Dato Najib a few days before he became the PM is worth recalling. He spoke of his reservations on certain projects undertaken by the government. Among those he mentioned were about highway tolls and IPP. He appeared to concede that these were costly mistakes. Most were made during Tun Mahathir's time.

I did not think much about that then because I thought he was speaking en passant. Moreover who would ever dare make a move against many of such projects initiated during the great TDM's time?

Coincidentally en passant is a move on the chess board, where a pawn is captured because it has been moved carelessly. Has Dato Najib begun to reveal that he is indeed a formidable chess player on the political board? By bracing himself to tackle issues made during TDM's tenure, he may prove himself to be not a spineless leader after all.