Najib should stop wasting everyone’s valuable time

TK Chua, FMT

I know our former prime minister Najib Razak needs no advice from me but I want to give it anyway.

When one has lost power with no one, foreign or domestic, to protect him, I think it is better to disclose everything and face the reality.

Enough damage has been done to this country in terms of money stolen and opportunity lost through various dubious and devious schemes earlier. I think we are now spending even more time, resources and manpower tracking and resolving the mess created rather than managing and creating wealth and value for this country.

As I see the events unfolding each day, Cabinet members and senior members of the administration are preoccupied with fire-fighting rather than formulating sound policies to prosper the nation. Every day, it is about arresting and charging someone, renegotiating contracts, getting rid of some bigwigs from GLCs, replacing the senior management in the civil service, and finding more money to service the loans and to meet cash flow shortfalls in day-to-day operations.

Even our foreign relations were affected by the problems created. Our PM and other leaders have had to make a beeline to China in trying to salvage whatever is left. The same with our relationship with Singapore and perhaps Saudi Arabia which requires constant attention but with little gainful prospects.

So this is my advice to our former PM. Please don’t waste any more valuable time for everyone. Just come out with the whole truth, nothing but the truth. It is easier for him, his family and the nation. Please get real; no one is interested in his legacy, economic policies and achievements anymore if that was what he expected during his recent interview with Al Jazeera.

The former PM ought to know by now his legacies are 1MDB and Jho Low. His economic policies are “wheeling and dealing” and his achievements are debts and taxes and more debts and more taxes.

If he admits and helps to resolve the problems quickly, maybe the nation may find some space to forgive and forget, of course with appropriate forfeiture and punishment imposed.

TK Chua is an FMT reader.