Why we yawned when he announced his administration’s intention to repeal oppressive laws.
t must have crossed Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s mind that his speech last Sept 16 might just turn out to be his greatest moment. Between the preparation of the speech and the announcement about repealing repressive laws, there must have been moments when he saw visions of himself being hailed everywhere as a hero of democracy.
But it all fell flat, regardless of the follow-up work of his spin masters.
The public distrust of Umno and the personalities associated with it is so ingrained that the announcement would have been taken with sacks of salt even if it he had not made the anti-climactic statement that new laws would replace the Internal Security Act (ISA) and emergency ordinances.
Indeed, even coffeeshop talk has called it a desperate political stunt, perhaps a last spurt to make it to the finishing line in what could be the most intense electoral race in Malaysian history.
Najib’s non-moment
