Gesaan Dr M ke Putrajaya tindakan terdesak, kata Kadir Jasin The Malaysian Insider

Gesaan untuk bekas Perdana Menteri, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad kembali ke Putrajaya menunjukkan tekanan semakin meningkat daripada mereka yang mahukan kepimpinan lebih kuat, kata wartawan veteran.

Datuk A Kadir Jasin, bekas Ketua Pengarang New Straits Times berkata, mereka yang muak dengan kepimpinan sedia ada seperti bekas Menteri Penerangan, Tan Sri Zainuddin Maidin percaya bekas perdana menteri yang paling lama berkhidmat itu mampu membantu Putrajaya menangani pelbagai isu termasuk ekonomi dan agama.

"Ia bukan cadangan tidak masuk akal. Hanya menggambarkan mereka terdesak dalam siatuasi sekarang.

"Saya tidak fikir mereka serius mahukan Dr M kemballi, tetapi mereka mahukan kepimpinan yang kuat untuk Malaysia pada masa ini," katanya kepada The Malaysian Insider di Kuala Lumpur.

Kadir berkata, cadangan berkenaan diutarakan berikutan Perdana Menteri, Datuk seri Najib Razak mengecewakan ramai penyokong Barisan Nasional (BN) dan Umno disebabkan kepimpinan beliau yang lemah.

"Sebelum ini, blogger pro-Umno sangat kritikal dengan Tun Abdullah Badawi. Apa yang berlaku, mereka menyumbang kepada prestasi BN yang mengejutkan dalam Pilihan Raya Umum 2008.

"Ketika Najib mengambil alih, mereka yakin dan berharap beliau akan melakukan lebih baik. Namun jelas kepada mereka, beliau lebih lemah dalam banyak aspek,” katanya.

Dalam blognya, The Scribe, Kadir pernah berkata Najib tidak boleh dikritik.

"Najib dan penasihatnya ketika pilihan raya menjanjikan harga barang tidak akan naik. Jadi, siapa yang mungkir janji," soalnya merujuk kepada peningkatan harga barang.

Menjelaskan kritikannya terhadap kepimpinan sedia ada, Kadir, 66, berkata beliau bukanlah "menentang BN."

"Sebaliknya saya menentang apa yang mereka buat dan tidak melaksanakan yang akan mengancam negara. Saya katakan perkara yang perlu diperbaiki.

"Saya kritikal kerana berdasarkan apa yang kita tahu, ekonomi berada dalam keadaan yang membimbangkan," katanya.

Kadir berkata, masa depan Malaysia suram berikutan peningkatan hutang isi rumah termasuk peningkatan inflasi dan lonjakan harga barangan keperluan asas.

"Ia bukan gambaran yang baik untuk kita. Kerajaan cuba paparkan gambaran yang baik, namun situasinya lebih teruk daripada apa yang kita boleh bayangkan.

"PM terus mengulangi ekonomi kita lebih kukuh berbanding negara lain tapi nilai ringgit kita pula semakin jatuh. Bagaimana perkara itu boleh berlaku,” katanya.

Bekas Menteri Kewangan, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, berkata hutang persekutuan meningkat dua kali ganda sejak Najib mengambil alih jawatan perdana menteri.

"Dengan hutang peribadi kini mencecah 83% daripada KDNK, keseluruhan hutang yang perlu ditanggung bagi generasi akan datang mencecah 140% daripada KDNK," katanya pada tahun lalu.

Kadir juga menggesa Najib untuk "berubah" dan tiba masanya kini beliau mendengar pendapat rakyat.

"Beliau perlu mendengar nasihat mereka yang lebih tua dan membuktikan konsultannya berbaloi,” katanya.

Beliau merujuk tabiat Najib gemar merujuk perunding swasta sebagai pengkaji, yang menelan perbelanjaan kerajaan sehingga RM7.2 bilion sejak lima tahun lalu, termasuk RM20 juta pembayaran kepada McKinsey and Co untuk menyediakan Pelan Pembangunan Pendidikan Kebangsaan.

"Ketika Abdullah berdiam diri, kita gelarkannya 'pendiam yang elegan'. Namun sekurang-kurangnya pada masa itu jentera politik dan medianya menjawab segala kritikan terhadapnya.

"Namun Najib hanya membisu. Malah, jentera Umno juga tidak mempertahankannya. Malah tiada sebarang menteri yang memberikan kenyataan terhadap isu ini,” katanya.

Katanya, Najib dan kepimpinan BN perlu sedar sentimen anti BN semakin berkembang dengan jelas selepas Pilihan Raya Umum 2008 dan 2013.  – January 15, 2014.

Cry for Dr M’s return to Putrajaya a sign of desperation for leadership, says veteran journalist

A call for former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to return to Putrajaya reflects a growing desperation among the people who want a stronger leadership, says a veteran journalist.

Datuk A Kadir Jasin, who was once the editor-in-chief of the New Straits Times, said those fed up with the current leadership, such asformer information minister Tan Sri Zainuddin Maidin, believe the country's longest serving prime minister can help Putrajaya tackle the raging racial, religious and economic issues.

"It is not a ridiculous suggestion. It just reflects the desperation of people with the current situation.

"I don't think they are serious about Dr M coming back but what they are trying to say is that Malaysia needs a strong leader like him at this time," he told The Malaysian Insider in Kuala Lumpur.

Kadir said the suggestion came about because Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has been a disappointment to many Umno-Barisan Nasional (BN) supporters due to his "weak leadership".

"In the past, pro-BN bloggers have been critical of the Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi administration. In a way, they contributed to BN's shocking performance in the 2008 general election.

"When Najib took over, they were confident and hopeful that he would do better. But it quickly became clear to them that not only is he not any better, but he is weaker in many aspects."

Kadir, through a posting in his blog The Scribe, had previously said that Najib was not above criticism.

"It was Najib and his advisers during the general election who promised the people that prices will not be raised. So, who is going back on their word?" he had asked, referring to the recent price hikes.

Explaining his criticisms against the current leadership, the 66-year-old Kadir said he was not "against the BN per se".

"But I am against the things that they do and don't do which are harmful to the country. I would like to say that I am pointing out the things that should be corrected.

"I am critical and in disbelief because, based on what we already know, the economy is in a worrisome situation," he added.

Kadir said Malaysia's future appeared bleak with the increase in household debt as well as rising inflation coupled with sky-rocketing prices of basic goods.

"It really is not a very good picture for us. The government paints a rosy picture but in reality, the situation is much worse than any of us imagine.

"The PM keeps repeating that our economic growth is better than other countries but the value of our ringgit is falling. How does that happen?"

Former finance minister Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah had said that the federal debt levels have doubled since Najib took over as prime minister.

"Coupled with private debt currently at 83% of GDP, the total debt exposure which will have to be carried over into the next generation will now approach 140% of GDP at current prices by year-end," he was quoted as saying late last year.

Kadir called on Najib to "change his ways", saying it was time that the PM started listening to the people’s voices and grouses.

"He must listen to his elders and start proving that his so-called consultants are worth their salt."

He was referring to Najib's habit of engaging private consultants as researchers, which has cost the government RM7.2 billion in the last five years, including RM20 million paid to McKinsey and Co to prepare the National Education Blueprint.

Kadir, who was awarded the National Journalist Laureate, also questioned Najib's silence over the economy and in addressing the people’s concerns over the rising cost of living.

"When Abdullah used to stay silent, we called it the 'elegant silence'. But at least at that time, he had his political and media machinery running at full speed and answering criticisms against him.

"But Najib is just silent. Even the Umno machinery is not defending him stridently. We have also not heard a single minister coming forward to give any serious statements regarding these issues.”

However, he was quick to say that in some instances, it was better for politicians to remain silent rather than "put their foot in their mouth".

"Sometimes, it is better for them to keep quiet than to open their mouths and say things that could stoke the sensitivity of the people or insult their intelligence.”

He added that Najib and the BN leadership has to realise that the anti-BN sentiments has been gaining momentum as seen by the results of the 2008 and 2013 general elections.

"In 2008, BN lost its two-thirds majority but still received more than 50% share of the votes. However, in last year's polls, they only received 47% of the votes.

"If BN cannot recognise this, then they have no one else but themselves to blame if they lose the next GE."

Kadir had also recently criticised MCA, telling it to stay out of the cabinet if it had "nothing new to contribute to the government".

The party, it is believed, will be calling for an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) to review its self-imposed stand not to accept any cabinet post following its poor performance in the 13th general election.

"They should prove that new leadership has what it takes to regain the confidence of the Chinese.

"Let the people say that they want MCA to go back to the cabinet instead of them deciding for themselves. They cannot claim to represent the Chinese when the Chinese have rejected them." – January 15, 2014.