'NEM, Mamakutty stumbing blocks to cabinet revamp'

Fri, 04 Jun 2010 15:13

By RK Anand

PUTRAJAYA: Prior to the cabinet reshuffle, speculation was rife that several big names, including from Umno, would be axed because Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak wanted a tighter, cleaner and leaner cabinet to work towards redeeming Barisan Nasional's glory in the next general election.

However, the reshuffle failed to live up to expectations.

Apart from the exclusion of former MCA president Ong Tee Keat and the inclusion of several new faces from MIC and MCA, it was nothing more than a tweaking exercise.

Umno's representation in the cabinet emerged unscathed.

According to a Putrajaya source, this is an indication that all is not well for Najib in Umno, where the decible level of the voices of discontent is said to be rising by the day.

"In and out of Umno, Malays are becoming increasingly uneasy with some of the policies introduced by Najib's administration.

"They feel that he is concentrating too much on playing the role of prime minister and BN chairman instead of being the Umno president," he said.

Stiff opposition towards NEM

The source pointed out that Najib also did not expect the high degree of objection and alarm over his brainchild, the New Economic Model (NEM).

Malay groups are concerned that NEM, with its inclusive growth goal and approach, would pose a danger to their claim over the economic pie.

Despite Najib repeatedly stressing that the time has come for the Malays to learn how to play on a level field and exposing the abuses of the previous New Economic Policy (NEP), the critics refuse to back down.

Even his mentor, Dr Mahathir Mohamad, had panned the NEM, urging the cabinet to review it while the recent Bumiputera Economic Congress witnessed heated debates on the matter.

Buckling under pressure, Najib said the NEM was still in the proposal stages and has not been finalised. To pacify the detractors, he was also forced to rope in his late father Tun Abdul Razak, saying that as the son of the NEP's architect, he would not betray the Malays.

The source said since the onset, Najib's all-inclusive policies such as his "1Malaysia" theme have not gone down well with the Malays and same Umno factions.

Mahathir also issued a stern warning, telling his protege that in his overzealousness to win over the non-Malays, especially the Chinese, Najib could risk alienating the Malays.

Putting it bluntly as he always does, the former premier said the Malays feel that Umno is incapable of protecting them from the attacks of the "extremist Chinese" and are compelled to form their own line of defence with the likes of Perkasa.

"The water is boiling," an Umno source told FMT when quizzed on the reshuffle. "And Najib's camp is worried that it might just spill over."

However, the source refused to lend creedence to the rumours of a "mutiny" brewing in the party.

"Mutiny is a very strong a word. I prefer the term disaffection. But one thing is certain, creating more fissures now would be disastrous for Najib.

"He cannot afford to stoke further tension in Umno by dropping big names from the cabinet. He knows who are the non-performers and he is aware of those who are a liability to his cause, but his hands are tied for now," added the source.

What to do with Khairy? read it here