Yes Prime Minister- A deft Political Move.

Before I move on to offer my views on DS Najib's cabinet appointment, I need to touch on a subject matter which is undoubtedly uppermost on people's mind. Naturaly people will ask, how come KJ's name wasn't there, but the name of one of the 2 people he beat at the Ketua Pemuda post, is. What gives?

I am not going to fault anyone who chose to believe that KJ's exclusion is to allow him to concentrate on reinvigorating the Pemuda. Dato Najib has even made the inclusion of the young to be a part of his team to transform Malaysia with new ideas and so forth. Being part of a transforming team, as any politician will say, does not necessarily mean to be physically part of. I am sure such conciliatory gesture by way of acknowledging the young and desirous of their participation is made with good intentions.

We can of course sugarcoat our reasons of this exclusion by saying that Pemuda needs to concentrate and focus on getting the young in Malaysia committed to BN/UMNO's cause. After all in 5 years time, the numbers queuing up in saluran 3, 4, and 5 will probably outnumber those in saluran 1 and 2. Some may become part of saluran 1 and 2. Unless Pemuda under a focused leader does something to commit the younger voters now, our negligence here will translate into a bigger loss later at the next GE.

Although not untrue, I feel the logic that comes with such an explanation, as being very very strained. But then, we are only distant observers. Even the Ketua Pemuda used this line of explanation and therefore it should be true. Personally, I have to reluctantly accept that. You have a position, have won it; you have guts of iron, mind of steel, where do you apply them? With these credentials, you must have application. Of course you can apply such leadership talent by leading your team to play futsal, learn to speak and write English, learn how to debate and so forth. At the end of the day, would it be extreme if I were to say, that would be like a thoroughbred horse pulling a milk cart?

My own assessment is as follows. The exclusion of KJ at the moment as well as the non inclusion of Najib's long time friend and Mr. smooth operator, Mr Boombastic aka Mr Fantastic aka Mr Raba Raba (sung to the tune of Shaggy's signature song) JJ, is underscored by the same shrewdest rationale. Surely people reasoned out, Najib will not leave out JJ, a long time confidante and a fellow Pekanite who hails from Kampung Mat Dulang in Pekan? There isn't anyone with a 'hands on' approach in doing things like JJ. After all JJ has been masterminding some of the most street savvy and deft political moves on behalf of DS Najib in the past.

Well, I see this (excluding KJ and to a lesser extent JJ) as a very sound tactical move by the very confident looking PM. I will bet my bottom Dollar, these two will not be out for long.

For the moment KJ is an additional liability as does JJ that could damage and frustrate DS Najib's effort to build up its (the cabinet's) credibility image before becoming irreparably damaged. DS Najib does not want that. At the moment, this is the most important characteristic that needs to be visually manifested. Credibility. It's the cabinet's VM- Visual Manifestation.

Whether DS Najib likes it or not, the biggest dent in the credibility of his cabinet involves him personally. That could hold up the cabinet in a defensive mode for quite some time. Much time, resources and efforts would have to be invested in parrying off the political assaults. In order to optimize resources (after all efficient performance is one pillar of his leadership theme) it would be a sound tactical move to contain the credibility problem.

That can be achieved if assaults on the cabinet's credibility are restricted. Hence if attacks on the credibility problem are confined to defending his alone, the problem can be overcome. I believe the attacks on his personal credibility can be easily managed and contained. Directed at him alone, makes the problem manageable and controllable. This is what he wants to do at the moment: to reduce the problem to a very minimum.

But DS Najib cannot afford to overextend the cabinet's ability at damage control if the assaults at its credibility are too overwhelming. At him alone Dato Najib may be facing 1000 poison darts but together with an unproven KJ, he may be facing another 1000 poison arrows. That would make even the most accomplished Shaolin master physically challenged to tai chi them.

That would be so, if a person like KJ is included and to a further extent if JJ is similarly treated. That would then lead to excessive time and resources being diverted instead of concentrating on real substantive work. Hence by excluding people like KJ reduces the credibility problem to the minimum.

Excluding a person like KJ at the moment is a very deft political move aimed at containing a credibility program. Dato Najib is going to be an exciting PM and may prove to be as accomplished as TDM.

The next question then is: isn't what you are saying an admission that KJ is guilty of political corruption as many insisted him to be despite being given a less than 100% clean certificate of eligibility? But it is a certificate of eligibility nonetheless.

Readers will remember that in my last article I did write about KJ winning the ketua Pemuda post despite the rumpus and continuing McCarthyite witch-hunt that is still going on. After winning the ketua Pemuda post, as if in concert and suggestive of a conspiracy at work, there were no less than 100 reports made against KJ on money politics and other forms of abuses. These are yet to be proven and Dato Najib can't induct a person with this amount of stigma.

So I suspect when Dato Najib summoned KJ on the later part of Tuesday evening, it was to explain that it was impossible to include KJ without having being cleared of these allegations. I am optimistic however, that Dato Najib may have told KJ that once these are cleared, KJ would be in. Dato Najib knows the leader of the Pemuda must have application.

Dato Najib may yet prove to TDM and the other doubters, he is not a pushover.