Telling a compelling story- who?

What kind of impression do you get on Dato Najib in his pursuit of 1 Malaysia? One gets the impression that he is hoping that the idea will percolate into the minds of the rakyat on account of his personality. Two, he is hoping the idea will take root voluntarily and naturally. Three, he hopes the idea can be imposed from above. Hence the selling of the concept through crude propagandistic methods.

There is indeed widespread selling of the concept. We hear songs endless times on 1 Malaysia over the government's media complex. We hear of the concept in the manner of social greetings.1 Malaysia is everywhere. The government's media complex headed by the bridge burning minister of Information is working overtime at considerable costs of course to push through the idea. We wonder how much this government pays Discovery Channel to air more than 150 programs telling the 1 Malaysia story.

What we get is probably young boys and girls singing along the 1 Malaysia tune but we are not sure whether the idea has taken root internally. The whole idea rests on a big hope.

Otherwise it will remain just a concept probably hatched during one of the boisterous happy hours session when the mind is light.

We know the 1 Malaysia idea has taken root when UMNO people at divisional and branch levels are talking about it, enthusing about the idea. Which they are not. We know it has taken root, when the MCA Chinese at their division levels are talking about it. Which is not happening.

Otherwise it will be 2 people talking about it- the PM and the Minister of Information and the PR consulting firms and the Jingles Production Houses. The contractors asked to do the hundreds of billboards across the country are also happy people. They make money while able to say, this is another of the stupid ideas by the BN leadership.

He will remain just that- hopeful. One, his approval rating is no measure of unqualified acceptance. Given the rakyat's rising awareness of current political developments, it will probably cut down his personal rating down to size. There are so many questionable things going around in Malaysia that negate his carefully cultivated sincere image. Corruption scandals is one. Manipulated tender process is another.

People are talking as to why the double tracking Gemas-JB project which was approved by cabinet to be given to China Railways is going to go to China Harbours? China Harbours is a company specializing in building harbours. Logically a company that specializes in building rail lines would be chosen. China Harbours is the company that constructed the Penang 2^nd Bridge at a cost that runs into billions. Who appointed the PMC to re-assess China Railways? Why was the Chinese Ambassador who oversaw the deal between China Harbours and the Malaysian government recalled to China? The market is rife with talks that the person instrumental in awarding the double tracking job is Nor Mohd Yackob.

The 1 Malaysia concept is premised on the ability of the government and the people's readiness to generate a lot of feel good feelings. Right now, the people have the person of Najib to make them feel on high. TV image, good looks, good skin and red lips. Are these sufficient? The party of which he is leader is suffering from image and credibility issues.

What is the basis for forming and generating such goodwill? We can't do it on the basis of whimsical social urges and because of political expediencies. Or the warm feelings that we have towards the PM. The people want much more than that. They want such things like the rule of law- a sort of guarantee that social frictions can be solved according to the law. Necessary in my mind, because a rule of law would place every individual rakyat on equal footing in relation to each other. They want outstanding economic issues to be sorted out in order to come together. Malays will be suspicious as they still lagged behind economically. Non Malays are also suspicious that Malay question will be used as leverage to push for further big government. Non Malays are suspicious at whatever the government does anyway. Simply because its looked upon as a Malay government.

Two, the UMNO masses aren't buying his concept. So its left to a group of some desperate UMNO leaders who are speaking for Najib. But they are talking beyond their credibility and do so nervously. Most of those speaking are themselves besmirched with skeletons in their cupboards such that when they talked, it will only invite ridicule and revulsion from the public. Who wants to listen to the UMNO secgen who's up to his neck with business deals with Vincent Tan? Of course he wants to talk of 1 Malaysia. Who wants to listen to Nazri Aziz who is very unpopular among UMNO masses and who is known to have accumulated wealth beyond his paycheck?

PM Najib, the UMNO president is doing exactly what Dato Onn Jaafar did with his IMP- or Parti Negara. Not by dismantling race based parties such as UMNO, MCA or MIC but with an idea that is alien to his party members. Except for a few pretending they are all for 1 Malaysia, the rest of the UMNO mass, are spiritually with Malayness of things.

You see the contradiction here. The 1 Malaysia concept is sponsored by a leader of the largest race-centric party. If such a leader of such a party is capable of coming out with such an idea, it goes to show, the same race –centric party isn't sticky on its own race identity. It shows that UMNO is indeed potentially capable of providing national leadership as opposed to parochial supremacist agendas.

Provided of course the party followers and its leadership are all in tune with the President. The problem arises when the party president is in disconnect with the rest of UMNO people. By sticking to this concept, he is hastening his own irrelevance.

I am not arguing against 1 Malaysia as an idea. I don't find such an idea abhorrent. I am pointing out the problem the party president may have with his own party men. The problem originates from a failure to communicate and allow the idea to be carried through the rank and file, by his foot soldiers. He fails to make 1 Malaysia a shared ideal between himself and the UMNO rest. For failing to let the idea permeate down the rank and file, the party president and his think thank are at fault.

I see some people making light of the support given to Perkasa by DR Mahathir by saying the old man hasn't got power anymore or that at 84 age is catching up. Mahathir doesn't need 10 years. All it needs is only 2 years for Dr Mahathir to apply pressure to unseat Najib if he wants to. Because in 2 years, its elections time. There's nothing Nazri can do about it.

Pak Lah with a 92% support couldn't handle a 'has been' old man, we are supposed to believe that Najib with a lower general support can ignore an old 'has been'? the only reason why Nazri Aziz isn't a has been is because he is luckier than others. Don't get cocky you are not a has been.

Maybe Najib's people, dulled in the senses by intoxicating power are misreading the situation. The attractiveness of the ideas propounded by Perkasa and the continued adulation of DR Mahathir is simply saying that Malaysia needs a leader in the mould of Dr. Mahathir.