In Defense of Rashid Yusof

There was this one particularly interesting comment. It was made by a person using the name of Fatimah Zuhri. We shall assume the person is a lady. It is not uncommon for bloggers to assume a female name. Famous English writers did the same during their careers.

The comment was as follows:-

Fatimah Zuhri said...

Sak,

Forgot to add something to my earlier comment :

1. The 'hit' againts Muhkriz was unnecessary.

2. We need unity. A lot of people have accepted KJ as the KP UMNO although they do not like it.

3. There is no reason for us to continue fighting petty fights like this.

Cheers mate

 

 

24 April 2009 13:52

 

I will treat this comment as representative of one that seeks rapprochement. There is a genuine wish to end quarrels among us. I fully support it.  But I also believed it must also be a fair call. If we are asked to stop, the asking party must also do the same. It is fair and decent.

This means an end to recrimination and persecution of those who supported KJ. KJ is the ketua Pemuda. Whether one loves or hates this fact, one must live with it. Does the presence of KJ strike terror and fear among people in UMNO? Does it cause that to the extent that one is compelled to decimate all traces of KJ’s influence?

I find it bad sport for supporters of Mukhriz to continue venting out their frustrations to the fact that poor Mukhriz lost, onto KJ’s supporters. Like KJ, he too can be said not to be liked by many more people. That was why he lost in the Pemuda Race. This is simple logic despite everyone knowing that he too is not blameless when it comes to paying delegates. If KJ was alleged to carpet bomb, Mukhriz did a red tide on delegates. By red tide we mean, a gradual accumulation of algae (read fungus) that eventually discolour the water destroying marine life.

 

But it seems the animosity towards supporters of KJ is not over. It continues to be dished out to those associated with him. Such action gives a new meaning to the term guilty by association. The latest victim is the recently appointed press secretary to the DPM. His name is Encik RashidYusof.

Who is RashidYusof?

Encik Rashid Yusof is an ex journalist. He started with NST as a stringer in one of the northern states. He is a graduate in journalism from ITM. It is now UITM. He has also been a press secretary to Tun Daim Zainudin. TDZ is the closest confidante to Dr Mahathir. Encik Rashid thus has the distinction of being PS to TDZ who was arguably the alter ego of TDM.

But that part of his past is forgotten. It is association with the dreaded KJ that is bandied around as a security threat. Another blogger regards Rashid Yusuf as a Trojan horse sauntering for KJ. It seems KJ’s shadow looms extensively. Maybe it is an apparition that seems to spook everyone. 

Some people are gunning out for Rashid. If you work hard enough, you can surely  find people wiling enough to give  anecdotal testimonies that this bloke Rashid is not good. He is not professional. Isn’t there anyone else? We all know these are all remarks arising from envy and professional jealousies. Of course there are 1001 people, but the DPM has chosen Rashid. If irrational envy is the motivation, we could be asking the same about- isn’t there anyone else rather than the PS to the PM who cannot even respond with a decent answer to the accusation once made by the now elusive RPK? The fact is the PM trusted and finds him useful. That is more important than my personal estimation or others’ unsolicited feelings.

At one point, Rashid irked some people at The Star. He had the audacity to say the STAR is championing Chinese Triumphalism. The Joan of Arc at the Star, Jocelyn Tan spearheaded their attacks on Rashid calling him unprofessional and perhaps even a racist bugger. Someone revealed that Miss Tan has sent an SMS to the DPM questioning whether the appointment of Rashid was appropriate. When does J Tan arrogate upon herself the role of a one person congressional hearing committee, cross examining appointments made by top leadership of this country?

The facts are: the DPM likes and feels he can trust Rashid to do a good job. That’s more important than rumblings about RY being a Trojan horse, security threat (to who?) or unprofessional. It would be stupid of me on the other hand not to exploit the talents of someone who is credited in making KJ victorious. It would also be stupid of me to appoint a dumkoff!

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On Overspending and Self Deception.

 

Is the PM overspending his political ammunitions? His advisors must counsel him from moving too fast in too short a time. He does not need to be caught in Robert Frost's Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening's:-

But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

The PM marches to the beat of his drums. He has so far shown himself as nimble footed. But he must also be surefooted. But if he announces too many before they are even digested, then he will have overspent the arsenals in his munitions store. If he doesn't pace himself, he won't last 20 years as PM.

Take the case of One Malaysia. No one has yet provided a coherent exposition of what the concept of One Malaysia is. The Information minister has done nothing except cajoling people to understand the concept. What is there to understand, if it has not been outlined in detail?

If it's everyone to his own one Malaysia, then we have 26 million versions of One Malaysia. Will this mean the supremacy of the rule of law and democracy? That will mean, no one is accorded any inbuilt privileges. Does it mean the supremacy of Malays over other races? What about the constitutionally guaranteed position of Malays and their interests? These contentious issues must be ironed out. Until it is spelt out clearly, the concept is unnerving to Malays.

Will it mean, under the concept of One Malaysia, the government is committed to equality of opportunities? Seems to me, we have been belabouring ourselves demanding equality in outcomes which to me, is inherently wrong. Will the government then take the bold step is stating explicitly that equality in opportunities does not mean equality in outcome? In other words, the outcome of one's efforts will now depend purely on merits and not on enforced legislation.

As it is, One Malaysia is like the Islam Hadhari concept. Everyone knows Islam as do everyone, Malaysia. But the Hadhari and One are nebulous concepts. The PM can't expect people to interpret liberally what he means unless his ideological putar-alams come out with a clear exposition of what it is. Otherwise the concept will be like Siberia; everyone knows where and what it is, but no one wants to go there.

He has just announced the scrapping off a 30% almost mandatory requirement of Bumiputera participation in certain sub sectors of the service industry. That industry is a big contributor to GDP and perhaps the most accessible to Bumiputeras. Now that is opened up, it means Bumiputeras have to compete with others.

Is relaxation of the rule a sign of things to come?

When he announced the dismantling of the Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Cooperative Development, it was met with general disproval from Malays. It wasn't just a question of the abolition of a ministry, but one that is charged with assisting and developing Malay business community. The scrapping off was seen as de-emphasising of policies specifically aimed at the Malays and is seen as a step disowning Malay interests.

The boldest step yet is the liberalisation of the 30% rule in 27 services sub sectors. Investors do not require the mandatory 30% bumiputera participation anymore. MITI secretary general, Tan Sri Rahman Mamat, said the liberalisation was done in consultation with the players who expressed their readiness to compete in an open market.

Hurrah to that. Ok we will accept that. But just out curiosity who are the players? The big boys who made it good during the unfettered and jolly good days of NEP? Are they the putera bangsawans and UMNO puteras? Mukhriz is at MITI- his string of hotels will certainly benefit because he is ready to compete. He will enjoy a captive market.

The statement by the MITI Secgen must be scrutinised in more detail. While saying that the big boys are ready, he has also stated the liberalisation needed to be done because Malaysia has no choice. So which is it? Was the relaxation undertaken because the Bumiputera services industry players are ready or because MITI has no choice?

Was it a precondition to allow Malaysia in its trade negotiations such as the free trade agreements? That one of the loose ends the ministry needed to tie is this Bumiputera requirement. That if Malaysia does not liberalise, Malaysia cannot enjoy market access?

Eventually, the smaller bumiputera players will be reduced to peripheral participants in supplying the requirements of foreign firms based here. Yes, maybe they will supply trained masseuses, blind and not blind, maybe supply, as one sardonic commentator said- just nasi lemak to bigger industry players.

I hope we are not singing songs of praises forcing ourselves to accept the lie we are ready to compete in the services industry just because baby Mukhriz is there. That is the impression I get from reading some bloggers.

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Bridge over Troubled Water

Many people see a storm brewing over the horizon. It involves the issue surrounding the construction of a bridge over to Singapore. During Dr Mahathir's time he supported the construction of a scenic bridge over to Singapore.

Some say this is another harebrained idea by Dr Mahathir. A contractor was selected and some works on the bridge were in fact already carried out. When Abdullah Badawi took over as PM, the bridge project was cancelled.

The government paid the contractor concerned for the 'some works' completed. Samy Vellu paid millions and he justified the amount. Was it RM150 million?

Almost everyone who was a cabinet member under Abdullah then supported the cancellation. Most of them were the very same fellows who supported the idea of building the bridge during Dr Mahathir's time.

If the bridge was agreed upon and then cancelled and if it is now revived, then this could only mean:-

1. The idea of building the bridge has sound reasons.
   
2. But because the idea is personality dependent, it becomes an on, off and on again game.
   

The fundamental issue is, does building the bridge make sense for Malaysia? This line of questioning suggests we are motivated by self interest first. We make no apologies of that. Every nation is guided by its own self interest first. Malaysia it seems, is not given that latitude. When it comes to Malaysia, its interests are conditional and contingent.

The economic sense of building a bridge if they are strong ones, override the need to fit in the good neighbourliness arguments put forth by several writers in the international media. Their arguments sound so artificial and are only resurrected when it involves other countries. Thus I find it erroneous and condescension-laden the arguments submitted by writers in Asia Sentinel and Telegraph of UK.

To these people, the idea of building the bridge is inherently bad simply because it is associated with Dr Mahathir. Their writings seem so farcical because they seem to be pushing for a blanket acceptance that what Dr Mahathir did during his 22 years premiership was a nightmarish episode in Malaysian history.

I also find it farcical the deafening silence by supporters of Dr Mahathir on the internet, when parallels were drawn between Mahathir and Mugabe, or with Noriega and other tin pot despots. But when I wrote something mildly critical of Dr Mahathir on specific aspects, they descend like vultures scavenging on carcasses. Hence the comments coming from them have the foul smell of rotting flesh. Hello boys, now is the time to support TDM.

That a bridge is actually needed seems to be sidelined now. When it was agreed, the decision must have been supported by extensive technical and feasibility studies. Since building such bridge is very unlike building a Lego model, the technical arguments FOR must have overwhelmed the arguments AGAINST. Hence, we must assume such a bridge is doable.

It is the second leg of the issue which is getting a bigger attention.

The bridge issue is touted by certain people as Najib's Mahathir dilemma. It is to choose whether to revive or banish the idea of building the bridge once and for all. The dilemma is to decide between rejecting calls to revive the bridge project and with it marking his own territory or accepting its revival and with it the stigma of buckling under Dr Mahathir. Najib has to decide who the boss is.

Dato Najib should be mindful of the arguments on both sides but should not be herded into making his decision if only to satisfy either sides of the divide. Which of these arguments make economic sense? Not because to reject the idea will be seen as being THE MAN or to accept as being Dr Mahathir's stooge. The idea of the bridge must be elevated beyond whether its Mahathir or not Mahathir's labels.

The real issue that must be answered is: is the second bridge needed? If it is, the issue of whether Najib is capitulating to Mahathir does not arise. If the construction of the bridge has its own intrinsic merits, the fact that it was mooted by Dr Mahathir should not be an excuse to reject the idea. To do so, would be to capitulate and surrender to those who harangued the former premier. Dr Mahathir is not the issue here.

Why should building the bridge be seen as buckling under Dr Mahathir's feet and that the only way to assert the PM's I-am-my own-person persona, he must reject the idea of building the bridge?

Does it make economic sense is a more important question. Will it confer strategic advantage? Will it confer competitive advantage?

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Waiting for Penanti

There are two things at the moment that are identified as things Mahathir. (1) The coming Penanti by-election. (2) The re-construction of the Bridge Idea. The people wait for Penanti. The choice of words in re-construction is deliberate, a reminder to some many years ago when the Pakistani philosopher Mohd. Iqbal wrote- The Reconstruction of Religious Thought...it requires boldness in thinking and action, both needed by the PM.

Why are they identified with Mahathir? Penanti is because Dr Mahathir is insisting UMNO/BN must go battle it despite the odds. The Bridge idea has always been a mean bone of contention between Dr Mahathir and the previous administration of which most of the present cabinet members including the PM were part of. Abandoning the construction of the bridge was not only seen as rejection of his personal vision but was also seen as surrendering our sovereignty.

Our PM has acknowledged that he needs to factor in Tun Mahathir. The reasons are fairly obvious. Admitting this, is no sign of weakness nor does it signal a readiness to kowtow to Dr Mahathir. Dr Mahathir is a larger than life figure. He is to Malaysia what Lee Kuan Yew is to Singapore.

TDM remains a force to be reckoned with. For 22 years he has been the Malaysian PM and UMNO president. Malaysia is what she is today is because of Dr Mahathir's drive and passion. It would be difficult to find another Malaysian leader to come close to sizing up to Dr Mahathir. The only other Malaysian that comes close would be Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah. And that is my personal view only.

Most of the present cabinet ministers and those outside the cabinet have deep respects for TDM. Some do so grudgingly and one particular person, with unashamed chicanery despite boasting that he has burnt his bridges. One day, he will come to his bridge too far. Many indeed owe Dr.Mahathir their political longevity in UMNO. That would include the present PM.

Dr Mahathir is the eminence grise or bête noir depending on how one looks at him and who looks at him. His detractors would welcome the opportunity to tear him apart while his supporters will want to tear his detractors apart.

Dr Mahathir's views on any matter regarding Malaysia are always viewed as relevant. Sometimes even if they are publicly rejected, privately, they are carefully considered. Very much so if the views are potentially damaging to office holders.

Amour Propre.

All of a sudden, the BN is cost conscious. The MSM papers were quickly on the bandwagon shouting here and there of the high costs of doing by elections. In the past, depression or otherwise, the BN was never mindful about costs. Hence when it is now lamenting the costs, people will take this stand as very shallow and hypocritical. BN has never been cost conscious and must never be if it's to maintain its amour propre. Self esteem cannot be equated in terms of costs. What is too costly for BN to refurbish its self esteem?

In my mind, if UMNO and BN refuses to go do battle at Penanti on account of costs (which are flimsy excuses) it will just reaffirm the deep-rooted culture of money politics in UMNO. Money politics has fully engulfed UMNO that now, even its top leadership calculates its fortunes in Dollars and Sen. UMNO has no more a sense of honour and self esteem.

Beyond this overriding need to maintain its self esteem at all costs, are some practical reasons why BN should go into battle at Penanti led by UMNO.

The PM and the entire cabal of BN leadership must never miss the fact that people like elections and by elections. The Malays especially like them. The act of putting the ballot paper in the ballot box represents a final statement of their existence as a worthy individual. It represents the last symbol of his self importance. Take that away, UMNO is taking the people's self esteem away.

Just a fanciful talk? Picture the scene of the elderly being handled by the young to walk to the voting centres, those making their way on wheel chairs and some even carried by others. They want to feel the ultimate assertion of their fundamental rights as a citizen.

If UMNO were to lose, let us lose with dignity and self esteem intact.

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NEEP- New Economic Empowerment Policy

 

I wandered around in Kuala Terengganu. I am very familiar with Kemaman, kuala kemaman,Kerteh, Paka and kemasek. In 1973 I hitchhiked from Kuantan to KT, it took me two days to reach KT. I had to spend a night in Kemaman. That should be an indication to the traffic flow to KT.

I made it a point to go the roads less travelled. That is why I like to drive in my trusty 4 wheel-drive. It has taken me to places in Terengganu and Kelantan. My maternal grandparents were from Kelantan and perhaps beyond Kelantan, from Patani. My paternal grandparents were from Terengganu. Both states therefore provide me with emotional fascination and perhaps subconscious longing to feel I belonged.

Quite apart from these emotional and roots- like excursions, I am trying to discover answers on how to jack up our economy. Why Terengganu and Kelantan? Terengganu is a perfect example on how to apply excess revenues while Kelantan serves as an example on how to optimise whatever money one has. Both states are predominantly Malay, so they can provide useful control-room test results which could be used as generalisations.

Each time I never ceased to be amazed by the energy, drive and vigour of the common people. Thus, if a state remains poor and backward, its condition cannot be explained away by the lack of trying by the common people. Perhaps like Ludwig von Mises said, the fault lies with the leadership elite.

Terengganu is a good example to draw lessons on how to apply money. Oil revenues in the form of wang ehsan are equivalent to Terengganu having continuous injection of cash. It can treat that part of the revenue as a given. It is supposed to receive RM1 billion a year. So far only RM5 billion has been paid. It was supposed to receive RM7 billion. The PM handed Mat Said a cheque of RM400 million during the KT by election. That means if RM7 billion is due, another RM1.6billion is still owing to Terengganu.

Terengganu then should become one of the richest states in the country. The task of lawmakers in the state is to how to apply the money so that it can further stimulate the economy.

The task is also to avoid the Arab disease (a contextual variation of the Dutch Disease) gorging themselves with giddy spending that do not add to the productive capacity of the state or enhance the capability of its citizens. The number of poor, illiterates and disenfranchised remain large in Arab countries.

For many years, we non Arab Muslims looked at Arab Muslims with incredulity as they continue with reckless spending. We were troubled to see Arab tycoons investing in American companies or investing in American banks which end up financing the powers that are destroying the Arab world. So much for the equally much touted Pan Islamism.

The original Dutch disease of course refers to a situation where a country upon getting a windfall in the form of discovery of natural resource such as oil, sees a decline in its manufacturing capabilities, increases in its exchange rate, its exports reduced and imports escalating.

For a brief moment, you can see the Terengganuans catching up with the Arab disease. The effects of frivolous and ostentatious spending are everywhere. Huge and beautiful mosques are built everywhere even in under populated villages. You have floating and crystal mosques. Are there that many faithfuls in Terengganu? Taking as example, it will be like building a state mosque in Kampung Ubai in Pekan where the population of cows, goats and water melons is bigger than humans. Do they have enough mosque goers to fill up the mosques?

It seems to me, it would have been better to distribute the outlay for building such mosques to the local population. That would certainly place cash in their hands- money to spend and do business. That would be an immediate way to stimulate demand.

The energy and drive of the common people are clearly evident. Kemaman used to be a sleepy hollow during the days when I was schooling in Kuantan. Kuala Kemaman was selected by Ungku Aziz to produce his seminal work of poverty. It is now a thriving town where trading and business are brisk. People do all sorts of work. They want application. Save for the very old and sickly and the drug addicts, people want to work. People want to do business. They want to earn a living. That should immediately discredit the accepted explanation that Malays just want a free ride. The free riders are the elite who hide behind the questionable Bumiputera policies. Once again, I say, it's the bumi who are left behind, while the puteras surge ahead.

Just as an aside, I have been asked about the personalised usage of the term Bumiputera. I first heard about this I think sometime in 1969 or 1970. It was used by a prominent local member of PSRM then during many of his speeches. It was the first time I heard- Bumi di belakang ketinggalan, putera bangsawan, putera UMNO sapu semua di hadapan.

Where has been the concrete application of its oil money? In KT you can of course see the ostentatious symbol such as monsoon cup facilities, a few good hotels; beautiful mosques have sprung like mushrooms even in small villages. You can gaze in awe at the crystal mosque and the floating mosques and whatever. Undoubtedly these facilities are enjoyed and used by people in Terengganu and from elsewhere.

But I have also wandered to the Other Terengganu. About 30 years ago, I read a book written by Michael Harrington- the Other America. It tells about the America that's left behind – the America that's full of poverty, squalor and pessimism.

The Other Terengganu has something akin to Harrington's Other America. It can also be a tale of squalor- many lived in squalor, beaten down houses. You can even see these houses weaved in between glossy buildings and facilities.

Perhaps now, we can look at concrete steps to get out from the unNEP policies to policies that actually empower the masses economically. They will be looking at a National Economic Policy that will not be sabotaged by the little and big Napoleons and the cawangan gauleiters. Give resources to those who actually operate the economy.

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Economic empowerment and grassroots democracy.

Posted from Kuala Terengganu.

The germ of an idea to write this article comes from my initial reading of a book written by Ludwig von Mises. He was a leading exponent of the Austrian School of economics. He has had tremendous influence over economists who can generally be regarded as proponents of free market. The particular book I am referring to is titled Economic Freedom and Intervention. I find the ideas resonate well with the PM's declaration that the age of big government is over. I am hoping that declaration also signals the coming of an age of greater economic freedom and decreasing intervention.

Suppose the masses of people still lived in hovels. Let us further suppose in the many economic and social indicators, the masses of people are found wanting. The average per capita income is low; the share of the national income going to the majority of people is smaller than one that goes to the minority. We discover for example, that 20% of the population gets 60% of the national income while 80% must share the remaining 40%. This means on average, the income of the 80% is perhaps 1/8 of the income of the minority. We see levels of education; housing they lived in, access to facilities and access to means of producing wealth are limited.

How is it possible the 20% gets to own what they do, while the sea of masses, Chinese, Indians and most noticeably Malays have to eke out a living from the measly 40% of the nations income?

The next question we need to ask is who is to blame for this sad state of affairs? The almost universal response would be, is to blame the sea of masses. We can blame the inherent inferiority of the masses for their inability to overcome their inferiority. It is also almost universally accepted nowadays, that this inferiority that we speak about, is a product of the social system. Only a small portion of the inferiority is ascribable to natural inferiority.

As matters are, we then proceed to look at the structure of the social system. We quickly come to the conclusion that, the present state of affairs in which we find ourselves pitying, arose because of uneven distribution of power.

Now, when we speak of power we are of course referring to political/governmental power and economic power. It is the uneven distribution of these two types of powers which has created the sad state of affairs. The two powers are concentrated in the minority. The minority is known by many names, but thus far, in my articles, I know and speak of them as the elite.

So we come back again and again to the declaration by the PM that the age of government knows best is over. Like so many others, I want this to work. It is a revolutionary idea. It can lead to the redistribution  of  power from the minority to the people/majority.

But is also an idea fraught with dangers and many hurdles. The masses of people must 'qualify' themselves to achieve what has been declared. First they must not compromise on quality leadership. We need good leadership at all levels. Second, the level of consciousness through education, through socialised action must be achieved.

When the PM made that statement, that the age of an omniscient government is over, we must provide flesh to the skeleton of the idea. We must take it to mean, the divestiture of concentrated power must be made, from the minority to the majority.

The statement by the PM brings with it far reaching implications. Perhaps, the PM acknowledges the bigger portion of blame for the state of affairs rest with the elite/leadership.

The leadership has governmental power. The essential nature of political and government power is this. The government alone and with it those who hold the levers of power, have the coercive powers of the state. They alone have the instruments to oppress and pummel the people into submission. They have the powers to ram policies onto our social setting.

Take for example, the NEP and successive policies that follow it. The NEP is essentially a set of policies that seek out to correct economic imbalances through non-economic measures. They are in the form of legislative powers. They are substitute policies that seek to correct things which could not be achieved through purely market forces. Since they are also governmental powers, they bring with them, the essential nature of the powers. The essential nature is that they are coercive powers.

Perhaps, that is why Tun Razak when formulating the NEP imposed on it a finite timetable. He knew and understood the involuntariness and forceful nature of governmental power. Those who do not understand the nature of such power become intoxicated and addicted to power. They wish to prolong it because it confers a sense of superiority on them.

There is a more serious objection to the continuance of NEP that transcends racial settings. It is just an extension of potentially coercive purely governmental powers into the realm of economics. It is on this principle, we can object to the continuance of NEP.

Coming back to the PM's declaration about devolution of governmental powers, it makes sense only if it's spoken to free people. And by free I mean the economically independent people. The more advanced sections of our society, the economically stronger will find the declaration attractive. They are relatively freer than those who depend on the government for economic succour.

If it is spoken to Malays in general who look up to government for protection and help in a host of ways; it is useless unless they are economically empowered. Hence, the PM's wish to have the powers of big government reduced must be followed through by concrete actions. It has to begin with the economic empowerment of the majority Malays.

 

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Nimble Chess Moves

There have been many uncomplimentary comments when I started to say good things about Dato Najib. I think they became more pronounced too when I started to become mildly critical of Dr Mahathir. The comments from foul-mouthed and carcass-smelling breathed bloggers (you know who you are) are hurtful yes, but are also easily forgettable. They would rather you remain stubborn and stupid even though facts change. I suspect many of them are people who have been accustomed of saying things without censor and suddenly find themselves in unfamiliar territory in a medium, where others can talk back.

I have been critical of Dato Najib in the past and have said nasty things of him. But hey, I have even gone one step further and told him about what I wrote to him in person. If something merits unflattering comments I am not going to shy away from doing that. But if some of his actions and policies are worth defending, then I will be willing to do it. I have criticised his leadership substance in the past but I will be stupid not to recognise that he, like anyone with intelligence can change for the better. I also recognise that when leadership is entrusted upon you, you can rise up to the occasion.

On the same note, I have been a staunch supporter of Tun Dr Mahathir and regard him as our best PM thus far. It would be foolish though to take my support as an absolute an unqualified carte blanche. I have stated my stand and this stand of mine does not require approval from those foul-mouthed bloggers and intellectual gnomes – which is that I honour TDM by debating his ideas on certain issues. Take for example, his comments on the cabinet and on the new leadership. If he has the right to comment, we will have to acknowledge that others can also comment on his comments. You would be prostituting yourself if you lie flat on your back and take everything without question.

Thus when Dato Najib does something right, he deserves compliments. Dato Najib is becoming more believable. I will say this- the more he disengages from TDM's mould, the better. He must chart his own course. He has served under 3 PM and has lived under the same roof with one. Now that he has become one himself, his achievement should equal the record claimed by the not bashful Rais Yatim in having served 5 PMs.

He has created a cabinet confounding many and leaving not a few dumbfounded. He has created a cabinet of 28 people. 40 were appointed as deputy ministers. It is a cabinet only marginally smaller that Pak Lah's cabinet. Hence, there were no major disruptions. A semblance of continuity is more important than playing to the gallery and yielding to calls to have a reduced cabinet.

Even the reasons for the inclusion of a few losers in Team Najib will be appreciated later. There were several who had lost in the last general elections. The list included the Koh Tsu Koon,Shahrizat Jalil, Awang Adek Husin. Losers in the recently concluded UMNO elections were also included. The inclusion of Mukhriz Mahathir has been hailed as a triumph of sorts.

One can only suspect, their losses are less important than their usefulness.

Correspondingly the exclusion presently of a few people from Team Najib will also be justified. The two notable absentees from Team Najib now are KJ and JJ. As I said earlier, I am sure the PM has something in store for the hardest working former minister-wasn't he the one who traverses the earth and space? Plus, he is the quintessential 'hands on' ex minister. As for KJ who knows what will unravel?

One can only suspect, their victories are less important than current political expediency.

It is also not a cabinet patterned after what Dr Mahathir wants. The inclusion of too many who are not exactly fans of TDM easily weakens such presumption. Dr Mahathir can rant and rave however much he wants. It is Najib's own team.

The inclusion of Mukhriz in the team cannot be used as proof that this is Mahajib's team. How much can Mukhriz achieve? Even he understands the concept of leadership hierarchy. He has a boss. His boss has a bigger boss. The ultimate boss is Najib Tun Razak. The boss is always right.

Today the PM has announced two very important actions which the government will take. First, the government will carry out a comprehensive review of the toll system in the country. The PM has conceded that exposure of the rakyat to triennial hike of toll rates is no longer tenable. Tolls are much disliked by the people. If the PM upholds his tenet of people first, he has to take steps that endear the government to the rakyat.

The PM has also announced his government's commitment to undertake a review of electricity tariffs. If TNB has excess capacity well above the critical reserve, why should it be forced to buy from IPPs? A review on the contracts between TNB and several IPPs may lead to reduction in tariff rates. They are burdensome on both the rakyat and anathema to a government geared for efficient performance and placing the people's interest first.

Both should be well received by the rakyat.

How do these make the PM becoming believable by each passing day? A conversation with Dato Najib a few days before he became the PM is worth recalling. He spoke of his reservations on certain projects undertaken by the government. Among those he mentioned were about highway tolls and IPP. He appeared to concede that these were costly mistakes. Most were made during Tun Mahathir's time.

I did not think much about that then because I thought he was speaking en passant. Moreover who would ever dare make a move against many of such projects initiated during the great TDM's time?

Coincidentally en passant is a move on the chess board, where a pawn is captured because it has been moved carelessly. Has Dato Najib begun to reveal that he is indeed a formidable chess player on the political board? By bracing himself to tackle issues made during TDM's tenure, he may prove himself to be not a spineless leader after all.

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