Three Months Interregnum Period

The sixth Prime Minister swearing in to the fourteenth Seri Paduka Yang DiPertuan Agong, after controlling the thirteenth Parliament

It is exactly three months since Sixth Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Mohd. Najib Tun Razak won the 13GE as the BN Chairman. It was his first general election since taking over in April 2009.

Although BN’s control of the Parliament was reduced from 140 (at 12GE  on 8 March 2008) to 133 seats in the Dewan Rakyat, UMNO actually improved and obtained 9 extra seats. BN also re-captured Kedah and Perak Dewan Undangan Negeri.

So what did Prime Minister Najib do since the past three months or 92 days (to be exact)?

When the Cabinet was formed on 15 May 2013, he only allocated two ministerial posts for UMNO Johor. That is equivalent of UMNO Perak, Pahang, Negeri Sembilan and Terengganu representation in the Cabinet despite the vast desparity in Dewan Rakyat seats contribution.

Spent bullets such as Dato’ Seri Tengku Adnan Yaacob, Dato’ Seri Shahidan Kassim and Dato’ Hassan Malik were brought into the Cabinet. So is the one time notorious Chief of Operator of the loathed ‘Level Four Boys’ Khairy Jamaluddin. No one from Wanita UMNO was appointed as a Minister.

The more appalling bit is that he also appointed Baling MP Dato’ Azeez Rahim as Chairman of Tabung Haji, Ketereh MP Tan Sri Annuar Musa as Chairman of MARA, Kinabatangan MP Dato’ Bung Mokhtar Radin as Chairman of FELCRA and affirmed Emir Mavani as CEO of FGV.

Former MB Johor Dato’ Abdul Ghani Othman is now Sime Darby Chairman. What surprised many was the appointment of Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop as Deputy Chairman of the board and Chairman of the Exco of Federal Government investment and commercial arm Khazanah Nasional Bhd.

Former Ministers Dato’ Seri Ng Yen Yen and Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Utama Dr Rais Yatim, Ph.D are now Advisers to the Tourism and Culture Ministry.

Besides these strategic appointments, no tangible progress could be seen nor recorded in this period. Even the zestful ‘1Malaysia’ cry has summarily disappeared and practically no one in the streets are even referring to it anymore.

On the other hand, there are strategic downside felt due to decisions Prime Minister Najib took in the previous four years. They are translated in the Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Joseph Marino’s political statement to support the ‘Kalimah Allah’ issue and recent public outcry on the compounded shootings in the public, believed by persons linked to the over 2,000 released EO detainees.

These three months should be seen as an ‘Interregnum Period’. Its usually used in the context of the void between the death of a reigning Ruler or Pope and the ascension of the next one.

Probably Malaysia is waiting for a more firm and decisive person who could provide better leadership, since too much is at stake.

Make no mistake; Prime Minister Najib could be the man. He has the necessary training if not the genes. He has to prove himself to be sort of leader Malaysia aspire to have in realising so many from the strength, by priotising and juggling the more pressing matters.

*Updated 6 August 0100hrs