Abdullah offers a glimmer of hope as calls grow for him to stay and keep an eye on Najib
(Suara keADILan) – Amid growing calls for him to stay until his reforms are better implemented, outgoing Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has admitted that he had wanted to complete his full two terms until 2013, but even so, he has at least managed to bring to life two key commissions – warts and all.
“It was what was promised but a bit late. It may not be the best but it is a beginning – a good beginning. In the coming years, there will be amendments made,” said Pak Lah, referring to the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission and the Judiciary Appointments Commission.
His words offered a glimmer of hope to many quarters, including PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, who has urged Pak Lah to continue leading the federal government until the huge teething problems related to reforming the judiciary, police and corruption have been better addressed.
Civil society groups and business analyst too have called on Abdullah to stay and keep an eye on the country’s coffers as his deputy Najib Abdul Razak and his advisers – former premier Mahathir Mohamad and ex-finance minister Daim Zainuddin – prepare to spend unprecedented billions in a bit to pump-prime the economy.
However, they also warned that recent hints that the 68-year old Pak Lah might be offered a senior minister post was just an eye-wash offered by Najib’s camp.
“That is not a feasible or useful proposal. I doubt it will become a reality because Najib will block it and even if Pak Lah is appointed senior minister, he will just be a figurehead,” said Tian Chua, KeADILan information chief.
“Najib will still call the shots. And you can imagine then – how much or rather how little – that Pak Lah can do to improve on the police, the MACC and the JAC.”
Said Hadi: “Pak Lah should stay as PM and work to solve these problems and not give way to others who have their own agenda in the new administration.”
Ousted by his unpopular deputy
Abdullah, the country’s fifth prime minister, suffered a loss of popularity when he did push out reforms to weed out corruption as quickly as the people wanted. His procrastination led the Umno-Barisan Nasional to its worst performance in the March 2008 general election.
It also gave an opening for his deputy, Najib Abdul Razak and his camp, to engineer his early retirement next month-end.
But as the day nears for the power transition – agreed within the Umno party – nears, many Malaysians are having second thoughts about the unpopular Najib taking over.
Distrust and distaste for the 55-year scandal-plagued Najib has been growing especially since showing a ruthless and unprincipled hand during the controversial takeover of the Perak state government earlier this month.
His abuse of the federal machinery and institutions to bolster his hold on power in the run-up to Abdullah’s retirement has only served to remind the nation of the dark and ham-fisted rule of his mentor Mahathir Mohamad and former finance minister Daim Zainuddin.
Under Mahathir and Daim, there was a proliferation of mega-deals and privatisation policies that favoured corporate big-wigs at the expense of the man in the street, and there is fear the already scandal-plagued Najib will perpetuate this wheeling-and-dealing dubious legacy.
In fact, civil society groups have expressed alarm at the sharp deterioration in the Malaysian economy. They have urged Abdullah to keep an eye on the national coffers as the government prepares to spend unprecedented billions in a bid to stimulate the economy.
Said Ramon Navaratnam, chairman of the Centre for Public Policy Studies. “The government has to make details of the budget clear to the public and foreign investors, including its spending pattern and the project tendering system.”
Said Abdullah: “The package we introduce must be more . A RM7 billion package cannot take us above zero percent economic growth. To expect 0.7 or 1 percent GDP growth will require a little bit more than RM7 billion. To have more than that requires more money.”
Najib, who as Finance Minister introduced a RM7 billion economic stimulus package on Nov 4 last year, has announced plans to introduce a mini-budget on March 10, but has refused to divulge the size.
Speculation is rife the mini-budget due to be presented on March 9 may even touch RM30 billion.
