Thursday, December 12, 2013

TMI: Najib, grandmaster of bad moves, according to ex-NST chief editor

Najib, grandmaster of bad moves, according to ex-NST chief editor

TMI: DECEMBER 11, 2013
LATEST UPDATE: DECEMBER 12, 2013 07:00 AM
A former New Straits Times editor-in-chief has mocked Wanita Umno head Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil’s description of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak as a "political grandmaster", saying the various mistakes he had made since taking over the helm reflects his poor moves and judgement.

"Under Najib, Barisan Nasional performed worse in the 13th general election than under former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in the 2008 election. BN failed to recapture the wealthiest state in Malaysia, Selangor, almost lost Terengganu and barely retained Perak," Kadir wrote in his blog today.

"Worse, Pakatan Rakyat made healthy inroads into Johor, which had been a traditional BN stronghold," he said.

He said although the Umno general assembly was over, it was still being hotly debated in coffee shops.

"Mainstream media were unable to report on the full range of topics which were discussed during the assembly. But thanks to reporting of juicy topics by online news portals, there is a lively debate in 24-hour coffee shops."

One popular topic of discussion is Shahrizat calling Najib a chess grandmaster.

Kadir did not mince his words when questioning the prime minister's right to such a title, saying the Umno president botched his moves in trying to regain Selangor.

"After the 13th general election, Najib dropped former Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Noh Omar from the Cabinet and put him in charge of Selangor BN."

Kadir said it was obvious the "grandmaster" did not know what to do with Selangor and has given up.

He also cited the irony of the ousting of opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim from Umno on grounds of morality.

"Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek has been allowed to remain as president of MCA," Kadir said, referring to the sex video featuring the former Health Minister.

Furthermore, Shahrizat, despite her husband's involvement in the National Feedlot Corporation scandal, remains as Wanita Umno head.

"Shahrizat stayed in the same house and slept in the same bed as her husband Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Salleh Ismail. But she claimed she did not know what he and their children were doing in the NFC," Kadir wrote, adding the public was not stupid.

Mohamad Salleh had managed to secure the privatisation of NFC and a RM250 million soft loan from the government. During the Umno general assembly, Shahrizat proposed that a Bank Wanita be set up for women.

Kadir said it was fortunate that Najib ignored Shahrizat's suggestion as the people would have asked whether the Bank Wanita was for the women or for Shahrizat.

He suggested the Auditor-General check the books of the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry to see whether the accounts were in order.

He also mocked Najib for attempting to appoint a PAS member to the Umno supreme council. Najib had invited Islamic religious teacher Ustaz Mohammad Kazim Elias to be a member of the Umno supreme council on November 29.

Mohammad Kazim declined the offer.

"Did the grandmaster not ask Mohammad Kazim if he was willing to join the supreme council? Luckily, PAS was not all that brilliant either as they had attacked Mohammad Kazim," Kadir said, adding they should have allowed him to join the supreme council.

Kadir ticked off Najib for inviting Mohammad Kazim to join the Umno supreme council, speculating that perhaps it was because Umno was now the rakyat's party, so anyone could join.

Further surprises could be on the horizon, he added, as Najib might soon extend the invitation to DAP and Parti Keadilan Rakyat members to sign up with Umno. - December 11,
2013.

No comments: