1Malaysia and its Flying Circus

When Najib Abdul Razak took over the highest political office in April this year, all major dailies showered praises on him as they had done with previous prime ministers.

Propagandistic coverage of this nature is no longer just a trend. In fact, it has become a tradition for the mainstream media to manufacture "positive" and "feel-good" sentiments at a time like this, although quite how "auspicious" these occasions really are is everyone's guess.

As 2009 comes to a close and as we look back the past year, I wonder if those "senior" media commentators who had praised Najib to the skies earlier this year are somewhat embarrassed, or even downright ashamed by the terribly overrated prime minister?

Or would they pretend all is fine and dandy with Najib, and continue to apple polish their "idol"?

Najib's political survival is predicated on an earnest fight against corruption, yet things have not improved much since he came to office.

In fact, they have gone from bad to worse as far as weeding out corruption is concerned.

Recently, a mainland Chinese family residing in Singapore were asked to pay RM500 to a Malaysian immigration officer at the Second Link in Johor before they would be allowed to enter Malaysia.

The family complied in order not to jeopardize their holiday. When the issue was brought up with Ng Yen Yen, the tourism minister, she shrugged it off for "lack of evidence". No surprise there.

Just a few days ago, Lin Chi Ling, a well-known Taiwanese actress, found to her horror that her luggage had been opened on arrival at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, while her branded watch and accessories had gone missing, a loss totalling some RM20,000. RAM Entertainment, the Malaysian film distributor that hosted her, has confirmed the theft to the press.

Terror hidden within our doors

These are only a handful of examples that people can give to drive home the message that Malaysia is a country that is now corrupt to the core, and public integrity is in terribly short supply.

But nothing compares to the shocking news of late.

As many have vehemently argued, the disappearance of two F-5E fighter jet engines owned by the Royal Malaysia Air Force (RMAF) is no ordinary crime, for it reveals serious cracks in our defence system, and represents a latent threat to national security.

If jet equipment can be easily traded in such a manner, what price defence secrets?

For once, we should be thankful that Malaysia is not in possession of nuclear weapons, or no one could guarantee they would not fall into the wrong hands at affordable prices!

The Barisan Nasional government has over the years enacted a series of evil laws, ostensibly to nip any potential unrest in the bud. But we all know all this was done for fear of losing power.

Under the wild and wide definition by the BN, any person - be it the university student in the prime of his/her youth or the octogenarian Chin Peng nearing the end of his journey on earth - can simply constitute a "threat" to national security.

Little did we know that the biggest terror now seems to be lurking somewhere within the Ministry of Defence!

A thief within is often the hardest to beat without proper checks and balances.

Now that the humiliating news is making its way around the globe, it may go a long way in promoting Najib's "1 Amazing Malaysia" for free!

In no time, the whole world should know that not only Air Asia patrons can fly, so can our RMAF engines, and mysteriously so!

Najib, who was the defence minister when the incident happened, defended himself by saying that he had lodged a report with the police. What he did not clearly explain is that the thefts were discovered in May 2008, but a police report was not lodged until August the same year.

What actually transpired during those three months? Was the MOD complicit in the cover-up? Was Najib then desperately seeking help from David Copperfield in attempting to recover the missing engines?

Even if the MOD had alerted the police, the scandal only came to light last week. What does it tell us?

Quite clearly, in Najib's understanding, no act should be akin to cover-up so long as the police are in the know, whether or not the media, the public and, most importantly, the anti-corruption agency, are also aware does not really matter.

The prime minister is adamant that no stone will be left unturned, and Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (left), the current defence minister, has also vowed that the "traitors" would pay a heavy price for their treachery.

Still, a thorough investigation must also bring the former defence minister to account to be meaningful, and the person is none other than Najib, the current head of government who was once praised by Tay Tian Yan, a deputy editor-in-chief of Sin Chew Daily, as "self-confident, capable and efficient", someone who demonstrated the "high level of ability in grasping issues".

If the government wants us to take the Key Performance Indicators seriously, then heads must roll following the latest RMAF scandal (for there have been many in the past under Najib's watch!).

Guts and showing the door

But will Koh Tsu Koon have the guts to show his boss the door? After all, it was Najib who appointed him as senator and made it possible for him to enter the cabinet "by the back door"!

In appointing Ahmad Zahid as defence minister, Najib had hoped his confidant would do his utmost to keep all the scandals from the public. But this explosive exposure goes to show that all is not well within Umno.

On the surface, the party looks calm, exuberant and united, but the undercurrents remain strong. It would seem that some factions - led or backed by some powerful figures - had aimed to kill two birds with one stone, ie. stalling the steady rise of an ambitious Ahmad Zahid . And taking the wind out of Najib's sails.

As an anonymous Internet wit once quipped, "It's tough being a politician. Half your reputation is ruined by lies; the other half is ruined by the truth".

The closer one examines Najib's first nine months as prime minister, the truer this statement reflects his current state.

If he cannot deliver just and transparent investigations in the host of scandals - from the Port Klang Free Trade debacle to the RMAF fiasco, he does not deserve to lead the country into the next general election. Period.