Published by Malaysiakini, images from Malaysiakini.
Malaysia today is witnessing an intriguing battle between the old and the new. So much so that it’s sometimes confusing knowing exactly which is which.
Yesterday, I discussed the differences between the state of the country today and during Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s first turn as prime minister.
I talked about how the government back then controlled all of the media and thus public discourse; whereas now, information and shaping perception is a free-for-all.
Today, let’s look at a few more specific cases of who and how things have changed, and how some of the ways in which the old Malaysia seems to have infiltrated the new one.
Even the choice of Harapan’s candidate is illuminating. DAP chose to run M Manogaran, who had already lost not once, but twice in Cameron Highlands – certainly an old face, not a new one (to be fair, however, he only lost by a few hundred votes each time).
Of course, this is not the only criteria by which we should choose a candidate.
Manogaran made some early gaffes, most memorably when he commented that Malays would not even buy kuihfrom the Orang Asli, much less vote for one.
Here again, we see some rather archaic thinking, devoid of the racial sensitivities one might expect of a candidate for Parliament today.
Evolving sensitivities
The 93-year-old Mahathir showed some of the same as well, cracking a joke as he campaigned for Manogaran.
“Tak nampak, gelap. Nampak rambut dia putih (Can’t see, dark. Can see his hair is white).”
While obviously light-hearted and without ill intent, these things don’t fly so well nowadays.
Of course all these pale (no pun intended) in comparison to the antics of PKR senator Bob Manolan Mohd.
Almost everything about his episode was cringeworthy – starting from his threats to fire the tok batin (village chiefs) who did not vote for Harapan, through his initial denial and attempts to twist and turn his own words (which withered in the face of damning audio evidence), right to the unethical manner in which various Harapan politicians tried to dance around defending the undefendable.
Surely though, the part of this incident that stung the most was the Animal Farm-esque way in which we were seeing Harapan politicians start to behave exactly like their BN predecessors.
The reinvention of Najib
While Harapan is adopting old ways, it seems that BN is adopting new ones.
The breakneck speed with which former prime minister Najib Razak’s shameless antics seem to be causing a surge in his popularity is liable to make one’s head spin.
Credit where it’s due, though. Arguably more than anyone else, it is surprisingly Najib who has adapted most effectively to the new realities of Malaysian politics – and with considerable relish to boot.
Maybe being on the receiving end for such a long time has given Najib great insight into how to poke where it hurts the most.
I have the utmost respect for DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang. His stature as a politician is surely second to no living Malaysian. Nevertheless, as my good employer reminded me recently: sometimes you have to tell the emperor when he is wearing no clothes.
Better ‘King of Trolls’ than ‘MenHEN’
The most recent exchange between Najib and Lim might be a microcosm of what is happening between Harapan and BN today.
Najib struck with what is fast becoming his signature wit, saying that with 11,400 mentions on Lim’s blog, Lim’s “obsession” with him was a little creepy (here I am ever so slightly inclined to agree) – giving Lim the moniker ‘Menteri Hal-Ehwal Najib’ (MenHEN, or Minister of Najib Affairs).
Lim’s response to this was to say that ‘MenHEN’ was a better title than ‘King of Trolls’. Having done my fair share of trolling, it’s hard to think of a response that would have tickled and thrilled a troll more.
This is symptomatic of writing only for a particular crowd (usually the converted, card-carrying choir) for so long, that you lose the ability to know when what you are saying hurts your own cause – especially with the middle ground.
Lim seems to be reacting more and more to things in what looks like panic mode, flailing his hands in a huff at every single accusation made against Harapan.
In this particular regard, Port Dickson MP Anwar Ibrahim’s practised measuredness and calm is a somewhat better example to follow, especially when one is part of the government.
And then there was Lim’s tirade about 1MDB and Najib’s “diabolical and devilish” plan to come back into power.
Diabolical and devilish? I beg leave to remind Uncle Lim that we are discussing politics in 2019, not a Flash Gordon comic from the 1930s.
Adapt or perish
I remember a time when we were the ones running circles around Najib and making him look like an idiot. How on earth did the tables turn so quickly?
Needless to say, we can’t know the kind of pressures people like Lim are under.
This means we shouldn’t judge people like that too harshly, but it also means that sometimes, it’s good to take some outside advice and perspectives, even from one’s inferiors.
Like Mahathir and another old tough guy, Lim has taken to a particular set of skills – acquired over a very long career, and which have served him well in a variety of situations.
However, the situation Lim finds himself in now is not like any he has faced before.
They say that if the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a nail.
If Harapan fails to diversify its toolboxes and find a little chill (as the kids apparently like to say), Najib and company are going to be the ones to keep running circles around them.
PART 1
Without a new roadmap, Harapan will remain helplessly adrift
Nathaniel Tan is Director of Media & Communications at EMIR Research, an independent think-tank focused on strategic policy recommendations based upon rigorous research.
