Get out of Perak: Lose the Battle but Win the War
Learn from the experience of the Badawi regime. Those who shouted loudest in defence of Badawi and attacked Tun Dr. Mahathir actually “killed” Badawi.
By Matthias Chang, Suara Keadilan
DEAR PM
You have just set up a new Cabinet. Even the brightest and the most hard-working needs time to settle into his job and discharge the awesome responsibility. On the average it takes from six months to a year to formulate policies and get them implemented.
The key word is FOCUS, FOCUS, FOCUS!
DON’T BE DISTRACTED. HAVE PATIENCE. THE PEOPLE WILL BE GRATEFUL WHEN THEY REALISE THAT THE ECONOMY IS THE PRIORITY AND NOT ANWAR.
He has threatened you with a funeral procession. Don’t react. Stay cool! There is a way to counter his seditious and defamatory theatrics. But don’t resort to law. People don’t understand and or have no time to analyse in depth complicated legal issues.
There are other ways to push Anwar down the memory hole.
Now is the time that you plan for a massive and sustained COUNTER-ATTACK.
The danger to your administration is NOT ANWAR AT THIS STAGE OF YOUR POLITICAL LIFE.
Beware of Trojan Horses and Barking Dogs
The greatest danger is the Trojan Horses within your party and ranks.
Learn from the experience of the Badawi regime. Those who shouted loudest in defence of Badawi and attacked Tun Dr. Mahathir actually “killed” Badawi.
These people are around you and they are shouting and will shout the loudest to prove that they are loyal barking dogs. But they are just barking dogs.
Their actions will destroy your administration as it enhances the perception that you need barking dogs to do the dirty work. Go to the ground and discover this for yourself.
Riding the commuter train will not reveal such raw feelings which the public have against such barking dogs and ultimately your own image.
Such barking dogs actually give the perception that you are weak. Likewise the corrupt leaders. You don’t need them to rally support within the party and or to counter the hidden faction/threat within the ranks.
The office of the Prime Minister is awesome and its authority applied judiciously and with determination will in most cases resolve such issues.
Thinking out of the box
Don’t reject my analysis. Just ponder and then you will realize that I am right.
Look at my record as the Political Secretary to the fourth Prime Minister. If I had not been successful, why is there a need to emulate Tun in appointing a Chinese and a non-Barisan Nasional component party member as his Political Secretary?
Why are some leaders trying to recruit “Chinese” political secretaries and or special officers? They are barking up the wrong tree. This may sound arrogant, but common sense must prevail.
They got it wrong by seeking candidates from Barisan Nasional component parties. Why do you need a MCA or Gerakan representative serving as a political secretary or special officer when you have the leaders in your Cabinet offering their views from a MCA/Gerakan perspective?
A political secretary from the ranks of a party is a subservient and subjective political instrument. If you want to listen to an echo do just that!
Think out of the box! If you cannot see the difference, then there is nothing to say! There are many good professionals out there should you want to recruit the best.
To develop a Grand Strategy to Counter-Attack Anwar, just ask yourself these simple questions:
What is your greatest strength, Barisan Nasional’s greatest asset?
What is the most obvious weakness of Anwar and his so-called state governments of Kelantan, Kedah, Penang, Selangor and (Perak)?
Drop Perak immediately, it is a political death-trap
The greatest military victories were built on simple ideas and plans.
Give Perak to them and it will be their quagmire! Believe me. Don’t waste time in Perak. The Royal Household has created a big hole. Get out of it now!
I promised in my last posting that I will not criticize you and your government for now.
In this posting, I am offering you a way out of the malaise that has gripped your administration, a left over of the Badawi regime! First get rid of this infection as one would against the swine flu.
The key is: THINK OUT OF THE BOX.
I wish you every success.
But please be considerate as well for if you fail, we have the right to put things right.
[Matthias Chang is a barrister of 31 years standing and was once Political Secretary to former premier Mahathir Mohamad. He is also the author of three novels Future FastForward; Brainwashed for War, Programmed to Kill; and The Shadow Money Lenders and the Global Financial Tsunami]
