Najib on 'manifest destiny' and 'promised future'

Taking a leaf from the pages of US history, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has called on Malaysians to seize the supreme moment in their “manifest destiny” and achieve their full potential as part of their “promised future”.

Calling the current period in history "exciting, interesting and challenging", Najib said that it is the supreme moment for Malaysia to achieve its full potential.

"The clarion call of manifest destiny is beckoning upon us to bring this great nation, Malaysia, to its fullest potential."

"We are a nation and a people at the crossroads of history on the verge of the promised future," exhorted the BN chairperson during his keynote address at the coalition's convention in Kuala Lumpur today.

Najib stressed that it is time Malaysia takes its rightful place in "the community of nations with dignity and pride, holding our head up high, while being thankful for the blessings of providence."

Despite having questioned PKR president Wan Azizah Wan Ismail’s (on the right, with Anwar) recent statement that her husband opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim a “godsend” to Malaysia, for its religious undertones, the PM had no trouble borrowing from loaded American historical rhetoric.

“Manifest destiny” was the catchword of 19th century America that spurred millions from North America's east coast to settle in the west.

It was a concept developed by highly nationalistic and expansionist Americans who saw it as the apparent ‘God-given’ destiny for the nation to expand its territory and dominate the North American continent.

Curiously, the concept of a 'promised future' future or 'radiant future' has its roots in communism, whose propaganda machine constantly harped on promises of a "radiant future" for the people.

Four diseases

Najib continued by warning that this “radiant future” could only be achieved if BN takes the lead, and in order to do so its components must be willing to change for the better.

"We must not be easily distracted nor impressed (with our current leadership).

In order for BN to continue to dominate the national leadership and the states, each component party must be strengthened," said the ruling coalition's chairperson.

Najib in a moment of clarity also warned BN components to beware of "delusion, amnesia, inertia and arrogance" that can infect parties that have been in power too long, that he says may cause the people to hate them.

He called for component parties to do away with the four symptoms to ensure that the BN can win the hearts and votes of the public.

At a press conference held later, MCA president Chua Soi Lek (right) said the PM's warning does not mean the problem exists in the ruling coalition.

"The PM did not say 'in BN'. He said the four diseases exist, in general, all over the world," said the leader.

Quizzed on what needs to be done with such diseases, Chua was noncommittal.

"The solutions must come from the leaders themselves. It is part of leadership behaviour," he said.

Asked if the four diseases were present in the MCA, he gave an equally vague answer.

"It exists in all parties that been in power too long," he said cryptically.