Later today, the prime minister is scheduled to give his ‘state
of the union’ address. Although not touted as such, the so-called
‘presidential style’ of the Najib Abdul Razak administration is said to
be a winning factor for the BN ahead of the 13th general election.
There is no need to go over old ground as to whether a presidential style is a winning formula. We will soon find out when Malaysians go to the polls.
![In deep trouble but GE13 is still for BN to lose]()
But what is more troubling will be the rising temperature as
competition for every vote becomes more intense, and for some quarters,
more desperate.
Key personalities have already sounded the alarm. Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad has said that Kedah will make up for parliamentary seats lost in Sabah and Sarawak.
Umno deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin (left) has said the BN’s weakness is not only due to Umno but to the component parties as well.
The Malacca chief minister reminded Malaysians not to blame BN for the Sulu incursion into Lahad Datu, Sabah.
Never before has the federal ruling coalition been so embattled. Past general elections were easy to contest but this time round, after more than half a century governing, the world’s longest-ruling political coalition is in uncharted waters.
There are five reasons why this situation has come about.
Its longevity is a reason for its weakness. A new generation has grown up taking the present state of development as a given. No one below the age of 75 has any real experience of the deprivations of the Japanese Occupation. Nobody below the age of 70 can remember the fight for Independence. All of those under the age of 50 have had a reasonably good life.
In short, present-day BN leaders, including the PM, are not old enough to claim credit for the things the Alliance Party achieved. This general shift means that the element of ‘gratitude’ no longer wins votes. For those under 40, it means nothing at all.
The second reason for the present state of affairs has to do with BN leaders who have lost touch with current aspirations of Malaysians. The PM is exhorting reforms like his predecessor but every step of the way, the conservatives who dislodged Abdullah Ahmad Badawi have stymied the PM’s 1Malaysia programme.
This explains Najib’s ‘presidential style’ because he is unable to get his own party to take ownership of the 1Malaysia policy.
Najib is seeking his own mandate based on the 1Malaysia platform, which he says is transforming Malaysia into a developed state but even he is unable to define what 1Malaysia really means.
All Najib is able to say is that 1Malaysia is deliberately vague in order to be inclusive. Any government policy that is vague and implemented tentatively is doomed to fail.
Lost opportunity
Read More / Baca Lagi >>
There is no need to go over old ground as to whether a presidential style is a winning formula. We will soon find out when Malaysians go to the polls.
But what is more troubling will be the rising temperature as
competition for every vote becomes more intense, and for some quarters,
more desperate.Key personalities have already sounded the alarm. Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad has said that Kedah will make up for parliamentary seats lost in Sabah and Sarawak.
Umno deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin (left) has said the BN’s weakness is not only due to Umno but to the component parties as well.
The Malacca chief minister reminded Malaysians not to blame BN for the Sulu incursion into Lahad Datu, Sabah.
Never before has the federal ruling coalition been so embattled. Past general elections were easy to contest but this time round, after more than half a century governing, the world’s longest-ruling political coalition is in uncharted waters.
There are five reasons why this situation has come about.
Its longevity is a reason for its weakness. A new generation has grown up taking the present state of development as a given. No one below the age of 75 has any real experience of the deprivations of the Japanese Occupation. Nobody below the age of 70 can remember the fight for Independence. All of those under the age of 50 have had a reasonably good life.
In short, present-day BN leaders, including the PM, are not old enough to claim credit for the things the Alliance Party achieved. This general shift means that the element of ‘gratitude’ no longer wins votes. For those under 40, it means nothing at all.
The second reason for the present state of affairs has to do with BN leaders who have lost touch with current aspirations of Malaysians. The PM is exhorting reforms like his predecessor but every step of the way, the conservatives who dislodged Abdullah Ahmad Badawi have stymied the PM’s 1Malaysia programme.
This explains Najib’s ‘presidential style’ because he is unable to get his own party to take ownership of the 1Malaysia policy.
Najib is seeking his own mandate based on the 1Malaysia platform, which he says is transforming Malaysia into a developed state but even he is unable to define what 1Malaysia really means.
All Najib is able to say is that 1Malaysia is deliberately vague in order to be inclusive. Any government policy that is vague and implemented tentatively is doomed to fail.
Lost opportunity