An ‘Awakening’ conspiracy? Unlikely, say analysts
“The book confirms what’s already known out there ― it provides details and evidence of the policies and choices made by Abdullah Badawi… [as well as] evidence of conservative and ultra nationalists within Umno and their resistance to any reforms or changes or status quo, either in politics or economics,” he told The Malay Mail Online.
Malissa Chi and Boo Su-Lyn, MM
Political analysts have dismissed suspicions that Tun Abdullah Badawi’s hard-hitting comments published in a book of his years as prime minister was timed to coincide with the upcoming Umno election.
Speaking with The Malay Mail Online, the analysts said Abdullah, fondly known as Pak Lah, merely took the opportunity to share his thoughts and experiences as well as provide insights behind the policies and choices he made during his five-year term, in the book “Awakening: The Abdullah Years in Malaysia”.
“A former statesman like him is in the position that people would want to hear his thoughts,” Centre for Public Policy Studies Director Ng Yeen Seen said, stressing that the book was not written by Abdullah.
Last week, editors of the book Prof Bridget Welsh and Prof James Chin postponed the Kuala Lumpur launch on August 16 and cancelled the Singapore launch on August 30, citing concerns over its “politicisation” and sensationalisation by media organisations in their reportage of portions of the book.
They also said the book was mislabelled as “Pak Lah’s book”, and explained that it was a collection of essays on the tenure of the country’s fifth prime minister.
Ng said it was unclear what bearing the timing of the book’s release this week will have on the political landscape, despite conjecture that it was deliberately sandwiched between the 13th General Election and the Umno election.
“The entire society has been very political since two years ago.
“First, it was the speculation as to when the general election would be held, then it is how long will this administration last.
“And then, whether Najib will survive the Umno election,” she said.
The upcoming Umno election will be the first since the party amended its constitution to allow a total of 146,500 grassroots members from its 191 divisions to directly elect the members of the supreme council, namely the president, deputy president, three vice-presidents and 25 ordinary members.
“We don’t know how many of the members will have a good look at the book or which quarters will use the book as a campaigning tool.
“It can be taken in any way depending on who will use it and how they are going to use it,” she said.
Centre for Policy Initiatives Director Dr Lim Teck Ghee said the book will not have an impact on political developments in the country.
“The book confirms what’s already known out there ― it provides details and evidence of the policies and choices made by Abdullah Badawi… [as well as] evidence of conservative and ultra nationalists within Umno and their resistance to any reforms or changes or status quo, either in politics or economics,” he told The Malay Mail Online.
Universiti Malaya’s Dean of Arts and Social Sciences Prof Dr Mohammad Redzuan Othman also agreed that the book will not influence the Umno election in October as the book did not specifically talk about the party’s politics.
“I don’t think it will have any impact because Pak Lah had not shown interest in the current political scene since his retirement, unlike Mahathir.
“I think there won’t have an impact because Pak Lah is already retired and it’s probably not his intention to create such a hoo-ha since he hasn’t interfered in politics since retirement,” he said.
The professor said the people were more concerned about the legitimacy of the government, as well as a finding by the Merdeka Center that postal and advance votes gave Barisan Nasional victory in 22 parliamentary seats.
Without those votes, the ruling coalition would have tied with Pakatan Rakyat’s 111 parliamentary seats.
Under fire from pro-Umno bloggers, Abdullah has since denied that the release of the book was a conspiracy to attack the Malay nationalist party.
Datuk Dr Shamsul Amri Baharuddin, of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Institute of Ethnic Studies (KITA), also came to Abdullah’s defence, dismissing accusation that his involvement in the book was malicious.
“Pak Lah’s motive was rather simple and straightforward to correct and elaborate all the misunderstandings and criticisms people have about him.
“He was willing to be interviewed based on his principle of ‘keterbukaan’ (openness) which he promoted during his tenure as PM,” Shamsul said.
“As far as I could understand, Pak Lah’s statement has nothing to do with Umno or (PKR’s) Nurul Izzah (Anwar). That has been opinions or interpretations by self-appointed analysts who eagerly wish to see the Umno-connection to Pak Lah’s statement,” he added.
PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah, the daughter of Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, was due to officiate the book’s now-cancelled launch in Singapore.
Meanwhile, Prof Madya Dr Samsul Adabi Mamat, a political analyst also from UKM said, the points brought up by Abdullah in his interview should be taken positively.
“Maybe the issues can be [debated] during the annual general assembly… so that the party can improve and give a breath of fresh air toward the renewal of Umno for the next general election,” he said.
In the short few days following its release, the book earned loud headlines in the media with heavy focus given to Pak Lah’s words on Dr Mahathir and what the former prime minister described as “unwarranted attacks” on his person that eventually led to his ouster.
Handpicked by Dr Mahathir to be his successor, Abdullah later came under relentless attack from the nation’s longest-serving prime minister and ultimately was forced to relinquish his presidency of Umno and position as prime minister to Datuk Seri Najib Razak in April 2009, after leading BN to its then-worst electoral showing in Election 2008.
Following the reports, Dr Mahathir said he will study the book before responding, leading to belief that hostilities between the two former prime ministers are set to be renewed.
