Image Building: Unsolicited Views from a Pretentious Image Consultant.

1. In 2019, frank dikotter wrote a book titled dictators. In the book, he outlined the steps taken to build a cult of personality.

2. The steps taken will usually and eventually lead to the creation of dictators.

3. The steps, if I may simplify, are as follows.
A. Wielding the big stick.
B. Image building.
C. Religious validation.

4. I disagree on 2 things. These steps are not intrinsicaly bad. Used positively, they can create a PM with unfettered powers to do the various reforms we badly need.
They do not necessarily lead to dictatorship if there are safeguards.

5. It all began, when the PM issued a headmasterly warning. That he will sack ministers and related personnel if they are corrupt.

6. That statement was a double-edged sword. It instils fear in ministers and public servants. But it gains appreciation, approval and approbation from the people.

7. But the statement is also ambiguous. It is unclear. Why wait until the damage has been done? Corruption has happened?

8. Authorized sprm or relevant bodies to investigate the person of interest's and his immediate family's account.

9. If the account has an extraordinary amount of money, ask him to explain. If he can't, that's prima facie evidence that he stole the money.

10. Don't just sack him. He must go to court. If convicted he must be jailed. The stolen money, every bit of it must be returned. All assets, chattels and moveable assets bought with the stolen money must be seized and returned

11. To carry out the order, we need an honest sprm.perhaps sprm now needs reforming, beginning with the head.

12. All these can be carried out, if we have a legally unfettered leader. The steps mentioned by dikotter, need not necessarily lead to the creation of a dictator. They are necessary to give unfettered powers to the pm.

13. There's a very thin line that divides a potential dictator and a powerful PM. That's why he needs to surround himself with the honest, the ablest and the most un-intimidated ministers to provide the political ballast to keep him on an even keel.

14. That's why I disagreed with the PM, when he included the kleptocratic people and the losers in the election into the cabinet.

15. In one passage, dikotter wrote that Louis 14 was a master at theatre. A great actor. All politicians need an image. The PM too.

16. The PM has assiduously created an image that he's one with the people. The refusal to take a salary, refusal of a Merc, the publicised Friday prayers and the folksy dressing. All designed to identify with the common people.

17. He may be someone acting. In real life he maybe some who likes playboy shades, driven around in a 7 series and likes LV loafers. He is an axe with an iron and wooden components. The iron component cuts and hurts you, but the wooden component got you convinced, he's one of you.

18. People may regard it as farcical and flatulent, but that image endears the PM to the people.

19. People are tired with the lordly image of previous PMs with unacceptable wealth. Anwar represent a breath of fresh air

20. In building up that image, the PM has help from various groups. Photographers, blog writers, cyber army and propaganda minister.

21. Sufficient to elicit smarmy exclamations from puerile websites shouting:-

22. Hooray, yahoo, ya Allah, amithoba,skanda, Vishnu, subrahmanya etc.

23. The last 3 I mentioned, are multi-headed Hindu gods. Therein lies the talent of the PM. The ability to talk different things to a different set of people. Hence, the multi heads.

24. Rather than being looked as something destructive and detrimental, the multi-headed persona is a political asset. It enhances his political longevity.

25. Thus, he's able to talk A to the Malay rednecks ,B to the Chinese, C to the indians, D towa others. To religious people, he's also a holy man.


26. Of course, the PM has to have his own talent. Chief of which is acting. Mussolini for example, regarded himself as Italy's greatest actor. Hitler, as mentioned by dikotter, regarded himself as Europe's greatest performer.

27. The PM can regard himself as MGR, Gemini ganesan, sivaji ganesan or Rajinikanth. Take your pick.

28. People around him must also act. They must exercise self-censorship, feigned obedience, smile on order, shout reformasi on cue etc. All designed to give an illusion of undivided support to the PM.

29. We have given such devotional support to people like Ali babavum Najib, abah cow, why can't we give to PM Anwar? He plans it better. He's got the smarts.

30. Finally, to give the money impression that he is genuinely love, he needs some religious validation. This, he recently, accomplished when he organized a congregation of Muslim ulamaks. Anwar is now a holy man.

31. It seems that Anwar has got all the components not to become a dictator, but a real powerful PM. He can now set about to execute his robust policies.

32. One, he has already done. That's the termination of all political appointees aka leeches in gls, glics, statutory bodies and the like. It is estimated the number can be as high as 17,000.

33. Other than serving as chairmen, directors and board members, they really are dead weights and totem poles.

34. Terminating these suckers, could save us rmbillions. That is part of the anti wastage election slogan PH promises us.

33. He must now tackle the bigger problems of corruption and abuse of power. People have not forgotten that during the 22 months in power, there were no arrests and high profile corruption cases tried. Amuse us with some Earth shaking arrests and trials.

34. The image, Anwar carves, is designed to make him a leader with legally unfettered powers. Do the next part.

35. Grudgingly, I have to say Anwar Ibrahim is our shrewdest PM after all.