Getting ready for polls
No Prime Minister has ever worked so hard and so well to prepare the ground for a general election than Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. He is, naturally, a cautious man.
Many are enamoured by promises by Pakatan de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim that he will abolish road tolls, slash fuel prices, curb inflation and give teachers and other workers a big pay rise if his coalition comes to power. When you are the opposition you can promise the sky but Najib is the Government and he can’t promise. He has to make things happen.
Baradan Kuppusamy, The Star
PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has the advantage of knowing when to dissolve Parliament and to call for the 13th general election, but he is unlikely to make the decision in March. There are too many things to do and some matters are still hanging in the air.
Besides, he is still touring the country, gauging sentiments, preparing the people and readying a coalition that was battered in 2008.
Nevertheless, political parties on both sides of the divide are gearing themselves for the big fight, which DAP secretary-general and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng predicted would be held between June and September.
No Prime Minister has ever worked so hard and so well to prepare the ground for a general election, not because he fears it is a life or death matter for the Barisan Nasional but Najib is, naturally, a cautious man.
He was in Perlis on Friday and in Sitiawan yesterday for a massive Chinese New Year do in the Perak town.
Then, it will be another huge celebration to mark the Federal Territory revelry on Wednesday.
Not a week passes without him visiting some part of the country outside Putrajaya, meeting people, gauging support and preparing the ground.
However, while nearly four million Malaysians are collecting their RM500 cash vouchers in stages under the BR1M assistance, that “feel good” atmosphere has still not set in.
The National Feedlot Corporation scandal had taken away that feeling for Najib, although the confidence is returning for the Barisan to continue ruling the country.
Najib wants back the two-third majority the ruling party had enjoyed before March 2008 and, in addition, the front line state of Selangor that it lost to PKR and its allies as well as Kedah, which is now PAS-ruled.
Najib also wants to keep Perak, which the Barisan wrested from Pakatan Rakyat following a turn of tide when three assemblymen declared themselves to be Barisan-friendly independents.
Barisan workers have also expressed confidence of winning Kelantan, which had been run by PAS for more than 20 years.
As for Penang, where the DAP is said to be immensely popular, the Barisan hopes to at least make some dents in the state this time around.
The “feel good” atmosphere is an effervescent thing, like a bottle of champagne in today’s wired, interconnected and global village where information received in an instant, can quickly change the public mood.
Nearly 70% of Malaysians are in the “have little” category, that is, they work hard, hold down two or more jobs but their take home wages continue to be low and still under RM3,000 a month.
Many are enamoured by promises by Pakatan de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim that he will abolish road tolls, slash fuel prices, curb inflation and give teachers and other workers a big pay rise if his coalition comes to power.
When you are the opposition you can promise the sky but Najib is the Government and he can’t promise. He has to make things happen.
He still needs time to repair the Barisan’s damaged image, make the field truly ready, tackle corruption and drive the economy towards a higher income nation while relying less on imported cheap labour.
He has been reforming the nation since taking over from Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
He is popular but his challenge is to ensure that his coalition, which is still a wieldy, 14-party grouping that includes some dinosaurs that Najib has to carry along, also enjoys the same popularity.
Within Umno, of which he is president, there is continuing faction fights although party warlords have agreed to make way for younger and more winnable candidates.
Above everything, there is the economy that is service-oriented and export-driven. How it fares with a full-blown, European debt crisis is an issue that will decide Najib’s timing for a general election.
All said, March will be a busy month for Najib with Bills to pass in Parliament, touring the country and walkabouts at wet markets and giving Malaysians a sense of clear direction. It is unlikely to be an election month.
