Conversations with a street politician

A friend was conversing with an UMNO youth leader. The UMNO youth leader asked this friend, how fare UMNO at present? More specifically he was asking this friend, what he thought of Dato Najib.

The friend, no philosopher in the tradition of Plato, but a person hardened by the school of hard knocks, retorted with a question. What does this youth leader himself thinks of Najib? The youth leader, wasted no time in telling, he prays Najib will ascend the coveted position of the UMNO president. If Najib becomes the president, he will have a better future. Then he goes on telling my friend , then all my friends’ friends will be better off, taken care of by him. The youth leader fancies himself as an emissary of Najib.

Meanwhile, the same friend met our illustrious Dato Seri Dr JJ, in Kratong. It was one week earlier. JJ was resting at his usual place whenever he’s in his constituency. JJ was telling this friend that his fortunes will rise when Najib becomes the PM. Huh? The friend detected a shift in JJ’s phrase. There was a change in the tone. A few weeks earlier, JJ was saying WHEN Najib becomes the PM. So WHEN has now become IF.

JJ was telling this friend. When Najib comes into power, the friend will once again see JJ in his elements. He will be back to is normal self, a bragger and playing the role of Jebat to Najib’s Tuah. At the moment Jebat JJ has a contract out on him. He swims with the political fishes. He is banished. He is waiting for Najib’s Godot. Yes, Najib can be made to play any role we wished him so. At the moment he is the transvestite Tuah to Dato Seri Abdullah.

After listening to the youth leader, the friend fired back. Brother- you are worshipping a fruit within its wrapper. You know, in the kampung, the folks will usually wrap fruits with paper wrappers to prevent insects and other unwanted pests from devouring the fruits. And brother- continued this seasoned friend, the wrapper hides nothing inside, for the fruit has already gone bad and had fallen to the ground.

The fruit is decaying from inside. It is infested with millions of vermin. The youth leader was ashen faced. How could that be? Because the friend said calmly, the rakyat has lost faith in Najib. If the Oracle Tun Mahathir has lost faith in Najib, that indicates Najib is doomed. The people it seems has an uncomplicated assessment of things politics.

Will JJ have a future? He idolizes Najib too much. Najib will not touch a liability. But then JJ knows Najib better.

The friend asked JJ. Why didn’t he want to become the Pahang MB? Because said JJ, being MB is too much a headache. The friend retorted- could your(JJ) lack of enthusiasm be due to the fact that you were rejected by the palace? JJ did not answer ending the conversation.

Then the friend continued. Had JJ become the Pahang MB, the whole state will be sold. Look at DARA. JJ masterminded a scheme to buy out DARA and formed a consortium. With that, he acquired the entire assets of DARA including land. When he became the TNB chairman, he sold TNB the idea of setting up a UNITEN Campus in Muadzam. From who did TNB buy the land and buildings? From JJ of course. Who were the contractors who carried out the construction? Why they were mostly handpicked by JJ. Who owns the National service camp in Muadzam? The bearded one. He is Blackbeard.

Najib will not touch a damaged good. JJ should know better. He finally realises that he has been put to pasture.