The New York Times - Najib, 1MDB, Altantuya and more

NOTE: My comments below, after the cheap ringgit.

Power Struggle in Malaysia Pits Former Premier Against a Protégé

By THOMAS FULLER and LOUISE STORYJUNE 17, 2015

Prime Minister Najib Razak of Malaysia, in orange, at the general assembly of the United Malays National Organization in Kuala Lumpur last year.Credit
Azhar Rahim/European Pressphoto Agency
Continue reading the main storyShare This Page

PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia — Malaysia’s governing party is at war with itself, embroiled in a power struggle that is destabilizing the country and threatening the party’s nearly six-decade stretch of uninterrupted governance.

The battle has revealed itself publicly in a nasty spat between two political titans. Mahathir Mohamad, a former prime minister who turns 90 next month, is the chief architect of a political insurgency aiming to oust the man he helped put into office six years ago, Prime Minister Najib Razak.

Having lost none of the combativeness honed during more than two decades in power, Mr. Mahathir is pressing allegations of malfeasance in a sovereign wealth fund, criticizing the “lavish” lifestyle of the prime minister’s wife, and has resurrected troubling questions about the murder of a Mongolian woman, the mistress of a former top aide to Mr. Najib.

Continue reading the main story

RELATED COVERAGE


Malaysian Ex-Prime Minister Unleashes CriticismJUNE 17, 2015

"Murray Hiebert, an expert on Southeast Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, says the country’s political troubles “could hardly come at a worse time.”

“The prime minister is focused on political survival when the country’s economy is slowing due to low oil prices and falling exports resulting from China’s economic slowdown,” he said. The combination, he said, is “giving pause to the foreign investors Malaysia is seeking to court.”

As the 'expert' puts it, nobody seems to be bothered in the falling ringgit and less than convincing economic outlook for the nation. Nobody seems to share the worry and concerns of businesses that are badly affected by the crashing ringgit. 

The central bank Governor just repeats that its temporary (the falling ringgit and fleeing foreign investors) while businesses continue to slide. 

In the past, as witnessed and experienced before/during the 97/98 economic crisis, the Government was very focused and took the bull by its horn. The Prime Minister who was also Finance Minister at that particular time had daily early morning meetings with the Central Bank and other relevant authorities/bodies. 

The National Economic Action Council was put into action. The sole aim then was to save the country from being ravaged by the rogues under the pretext of 'Saving Malaysia. 

We prevented our nation from being put on a 'fire sale' entirely because the Government or rather the leadership was hands-on with their heart and priorities in the right place. 

That was in 97/98. Fast forward to 2015 and you can see clearly what is happening or rather not happening now. Many core members of the then NEAC are still around in the Government but still nothing seems to be happening to protect the nation and manage the crisis.

One thing for sure, the Prime Minister who is also Finance Minister is only desperately trying to shore up his waning support and ruined reputation. 

It cannot be denied that the Umno president is desperate to remain in power. The level of desperation has hit a high after he realised that not all of his partymen are with him. So, rather than trying to protect the nation, he is more occupied in saving himself.

Najib's dilemma is largely due to his own incompetence as a leader but the devil that has put the nail on his head is his own baby, the 1MDB. 

You can varnish it however you want and try to divert people's attention by ridiculing critics but 1MDB is a scandal of global proportion that cannot be hidden via dirty tricks on government-controlled television channels like TV3. You cannot possibly fool all the people all the time.

Many now suspect that Najib fears having to face time behind bars for his role in the 1MDB scandal. The desperation could be seen from such planned acts of discrediting the national car (because it was a brainchild of one of your main critics) and hiring Opposition activists to ridicule your former party president.

His not telling the truth in the Malaysian Parliament i.e. Dewan Rakyat about the more than 1Billion USD kept in a private Swiss Bank in Singapore is an outright crime, legal experts say. 

You can twist and turn via government controlled media and presently subservient enforcement authorities but things would change the moment you are no more in power. Najib is fully aware of this.

The New York Times have once again sniffed the stench emanating from 1MDB  (some of the real estate deals linked to 1MDB money is in New York, courtesy of Jho Low and one Rezza Aziz), while Najib remains overjoyed by the orchestrated public show of support. 

After the aphrodisiac-like I Love PM, Najib is now simply touched by a recent Dayak Love PM placard that was held up in Sarawak during his rounds to spent more 'off budget' Government money. 

Contrary to what Najib often repeats, our current state of malady has all got to do with just one man and that one man is none other than Najib himself. 

Rather than pointing fingers try taking a good look in the mirror Mister Prime Minister. 

p/s ... and please do the mirror test in the absence of your controller