Snap election is a march of folly

 

I think Dato Najib has better watch out for overzealous news carriers saying that it's time for general elections. The recent victories in Galas and Batu Sapi are no indicators of a changing tide in people's affection. Galas was won on account of Tengku Razaleigh. Batu Sapi's victory leaves a sour aftertaste. Shafie Afdal worked hard to deliver victory at Batu Sapi. Good for him, though not necessarily for BN.

People are looking out for success stories. Where are they? Success at carrying out an Islamic Fashion show in Monaco doesn't conjure a feel good approval. People know, that show was just a machination by Reza Shah to earn some money. Those people attending the BAKTI bash the other day are also not impressed by the attendance of Shahrukh Khan and a bevy of Bollywood beauties gracing the event.

While they view as salutary the concern of HRH the Sultan of Selangor over the RM300, 000 dinner party by Yayasan Selangor, people are also eager to know how much the spenders spent on the Islamic Fashion Show in Monaco or the same event at St Regis New York. Can Messrs. Jamie Fox, Robert Deniro or Charlize Theron provide any semblance of accreditation that Islamic fashion has arrived? These elaborate PR exercises are too far removed from the exacting demands of life and reality in Malaysia.

What are people looking for? People want to see a purge of UMNO leadership. UMNO is a byword for arrogance and detachment from reality. UMNO is the political version of jom heboh and rah rah get together. Staying in power isn't the result of only UMNO people voting in. it's the people. You go around, there is still this easy to utter expletives against UMNO. To me this signifies a general attitude that is worrying.

What are people actually looking out for? First of all they want to see a new UMNO leadership composed of people, young or old who are committed to the greater good of society. They simply want good men at the helm. Dedicated, purposeful, determined and more or less clean. The last requirement usually insisting on a saintly quality is much overrated. The saintly person gets credit for himself and earns spiritual points. A saintly but incompetent leader while a credit for himself is a disservice for the greater good. It's not like entering priesthood.

People will definitely be looking at the state of the economy. With the appreciation of our currency, our exports will become relatively more expensive and we can expect export earnings to shrink. In major towns, the price of homes is getting more expensive by the day. In Selangor Malays are selling their houses in Taman Tun because of better price. With this demographic shift, UMNO/BN can forget about regaining Selangor.

The main scourge of this country is still corruption at almost every level of government and among political leaders.

I am reminded of the story of Voltaire which I have told before. He disembarked in Portsmouth and was greeted by an execution of a British admiral. Upon inquiry he was told that was the penalty for the inability of the admiral in killing French navy men. On the necessity of doing the macabre, he was told that every once in a while, the British finds it necessary to kill one or two admirals so that others will work harder.

South Africa's former police chief and ex-president of Interpol Jackie Selebi was convicted of corruption for accepting bribes from organized crime. The trial laid out his startling links with the criminal underworld, in particular with convicted drug smuggler Glenn Agliotti who was accused of giving him cash and luxury gifts. Would this kind of thing happen in Malaysia? In Hong Kong, the ICAC will check the bank accounts of top government officers including former top cop to see whether they have accumulated money beyond their salaries. Will that happen in Malaysia?

The best thing that can shore up PM Najib's credibility and seriousness is to arrest 2 or 3 ministers. This  should be our Voltaire moment.

Please don't make a decision based on the perceived weakness of the PKR and PR. Those PKR people are just going through a phase of bloodletting. They will regroup and reunite. Don't use Zaid Ibrahim as a yardstick. If he forms another political party, he will fade into oblivion. His only chance to stand as candidate would probably be as PAS candidate. Zaid Ibrahim made the mistake of forgetting that PKR was formed in the first place, having as one of its core mission, seeking justice for Anwar. It's in their DNA and Zaid just can't wish this will go away.

Decide on the basis of our own strength. This involves an honest evaluation of the readiness of the combat troops on the ground; the acceptance of the people of UMNO and BN and putting up winnable candidates.

The government in addition must earn the respect from the public. It must show some success stories.

The public is weary of empty promises. They now want action. The clamoring are in line with the PM's commitment to uphold the rule of law and imposing zero tolerance on corruption. It would appear every avenue of government spending is seen as a chance to skim the fat.

The purchase of laptop computers which can be gotten at maybe RM 200 from China are sold at RM 1000 apiece. A friend of mind has a more practical idea of refurbishing old laptops with new innards to make them current. These can be sold at a very much cheaper price than importing new.

A project such as building the new LCCT2 will incur cost overruns. Those people doing the costing and the quantity surveyors must have been boozed out of their heads to undercost the project the first time around. The purchase of capital items seems to be always overpriced because it incorporates the tea money meant for retiring KSUs and so forth. A former KSU of Home Affairs sits on the board of the Lotus group of restaurants and you wonder how on earth Lotus restaurants get unlimited supply of foreign workers.

So, please Mr. Prime Minister be your own counsel. You have been at this game since 1976. You are better at reading the tea leaves than others.