Wake-up call for Madani government

ONE would think that street protests are second nature to Pakatan Harapan politicians, yet many of them were worried almost to the point of paranoia over the "Turun Anwar" rally.

Surely they know that such protests cannot capsize the government or make Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim step down, given the sort of majority he commands in Parliament.

But it can be dangerous because, as one political observer put it, it can weaken the political authority of the leader.

That was the Pakatan playbook where repeated demonstrations against Datuk Seri Najib Razak damaged his reputation to the extent that the ground was crumbling under his feet by the time he called for election in 2018.

Perikatan Nasional appears to be going by that same playbook against Anwar. Perikatan leaders have not responded to the Prime Minister’s challenge to move a vote of no confidence against him because they do not have the numbers. Peel away everything, and politics is basically a numbers game.

The Opposition is not interested in a Sheraton Move-type of takeover, which will only lead to more instability. The people elect the government, but in a political coup, all roads lead to the Palace, and these ambitious politicians know the backdoor approach to power is not going to sit well with the Palace.

They also do not want to inherit the ongoing economic confusion.

Moreover, whatever is being said about Anwar’s performance as premier, the fact is that Opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin, Perikatan’s presumptive candidate for the top job, has yet to impress people as someone who could do a better job than Anwar.

Yet, there was this sense of siege coming from Putrajaya, with the people up there - the Chief Secretary to the government, Inspector-General of Police, Attorney General - issuing warnings about the rally.

It was ironic to see Pakatan leaders acting the way Barisan Nasional reacted to protests like the Bersih rallies.

The PM’s announcement of goodies for the rakyat was a welcome move, even if it did not result in a tsunami of goodwill and was reminiscent of Najib’s practice of throwing money at problems, which Pakatan used to slam as “dedak” (animal feed or bribery).

The elite may scoff at the payout but times are hard and people do not mind extra money in their pockets.

“The PM is between a rock and a hard place. He has wonderful numbers in Parliament but his base is demanding reforms while the Malay ground is demanding something else,” said an aide to a former minister.

There were jitters within the team at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) as well as Pakatan leaders who are more used to being the ones on the streets than seeing people take to the streets to protest against them.

Anwar has been putting out too many fires this year and he has every reason to be unnerved.

There were various attempts to hype up the achievements of the Madani administration in the days leading to the rally.

Ministers emerged to explain the progress of promised reforms such as the separation of the Attorney General’s Chamber and public prosecution, a term limit on the prime minister’s post and reviewing Sosma or the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act.

The way those around Anwar reacted has raised questions about the team in the PMO and their understanding of the complexities of governance and how to deal with public opinion.

Who does the Prime Minister turn to for feedback, advice and ideas? Is the team playing an effective role or just looking after their own interests? The air in Putrajaya is quite rarified, and it is not always easy for anyone at the top to keep in touch with sentiments down below.

Is his team able to speak the truth to him, or do they play safe because, as they say, a whale that spouts is often harpooned. Aides who brush off criticism as the work of cybertroopers are not doing their boss a favour.

“The PMO boys are generally well-educated and devoted to him, but they come across as rather inexperienced and unfamiliar with the weight of being in government,” said the above aide to a former minister.

For instance, the chief press secretary, Tunku Nashrul Abaidah, a clean-cut and well-spoken man, holds “press briefings” where he reads from a script, the video of which is released to the media. The inside joke among some journalists is that he is “talking to himself”.

There is a sense that Anwar’s media team distrusts the media and is cautious about cultivating or engaging the media.

Some suggest that Anwar is not fully aware of the Chinese rumblings because most of his team do not read or speak Chinese. They keep tabs on the Malay and English media but they would probably pass out if they could read what is being said in the Chinese press or Chinese social media.

The Chinese electorate, which was a solid plateau of support, deserves more attention. Were they aware that Nanyang Siang Pau carried a frontpage story with the headline: “The government treats the business sector like an ATM”?

The article was about the National Chamber of Commerce and Industry telling the government not to treat the business community like a cash cow to plug the country’s fiscal deficit.

A PKR insider said Anwar felt the loss of two of his most effective aides - one suffered a severe stroke and another died. The latter, Rozaid Abdul Rahman, was an experienced media man who did not tiptoe around the truth and won Anwar’s respect for that.

And has anyone noticed that none of the Umno leaders have condemned or discouraged the rally? They are said to be enjoying the spectacle because they were once at the mercy of Pakatan protestors.

Time is on Anwar’s side, and he should try to implement the low-hanging fruits in the list of reforms that were promised, take note of criticism and not get distracted by the noise and politics.

The high expectations are a burden he has to carry.

No one is expecting him to deliver the moon and the stars, but he can bring in professionals with ideas and skills to help realise his reforms and generate growth for the country. They can also help inject public confidence in his government.

The cafe society is clamouring for reforms while the working class need to feel less pain in their pockets. There will probably be more rallies unless the government pulls up its socks and delivers.

 

>The views expressed here are entirely the writer’s own