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Friday, July 24, 2015

Change seekers aiming at the wrong target

Mahathir and his cohorts must cut off Najib from the source of his power if they are to depose him
COMMENT
mahathir,-najib
If Malaysia were a democracy worthy of the name, Prime Minister Najib Razak would have stepped down or been made to step down a long time ago. Yet he still stands, even as he is assaulted each day with questions to which he seems unable to respond. Mahathir Mohamad and his other detractors are probably at their tether’s end, wondering where else they can find the strength to push him off his perch.
Perhaps Najib himself is the wrong target for those seeking change in the system. Yes, he is the most obvious target, given the allegations about his family’s extravagant lifestyle and the various scandals surrounding his leadership. Yes, he seems incapable of issuing statements that could persuade a rational observer to take his side against his critics. Even a letter from his lawyers leaves the public in stitches, strengthening the impression that he is surrounded by incompetent advisers.
His opponents have probably underestimated the strength of his position – not with the public, but with his party. As long as the majority of Umno leaders do not reject Najib, he cannot be toppled from his position, at least until 2018. A lot can change between now and then. His detractors may even lose their strongest champion, given Mahathir’s age, and the Umno elections in 2018 could even mean a resurgence in his power if the party itself does not change.
Najib’s power lies with the Umno divisions throughout the country, with the warlords, with the party’s Supreme Council, and, of course, with his Cabinet. Outside of a general election, these are the only powers that can remove him, and he is cognisant of the fact. Najib’s relationship with these parties is a symbiotic one. The warlords, the division heads, the Supreme Council members and the Cabinet ministers know that for them the benefits of keeping Najib in power outweigh the disadvantages, for the time being, at least. After all, it is not as if there is a surplus of credible, competent candidates waiting in the wings to replace him.
It is time for Mahathir and those wishing to depose Najib to take a step back and come up with a new plan of attack. They might have to attack the foundation of his power. As long as Umno cannot be convinced that Najib will bring more harm than good to the party, he will remain in power, no matter how many of his alleged wrongdoings are exposed.

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