Najib - A retro posing as a reformer

Terence NettoPublished: Aug 3, 2012 1:39 AM | Updated: Aug 3, 2012 12:49 PM

COMMENT For some time before the news broke that PKR's Rafizi Ramli was being charged with offences against the Banking and Financial Institutions Act (Bafia), the fact that Prime Minister Najib Razak is an obscurantist posing as a reformer had the status of an open secret.

Anyone with more than a passing knowledge of his career was in on the secret, but given the way political society is configured in Malaysia, even Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali can be made to seem a born-again liberal should he, with the connivance of the powers-that-be, so desire.

What more, then, the possibilities of transfiguration - from latent obscurantist to liberal poseur - for someone of Najib's pedigree and manifest destiny?

Comment0

By posting a comment, you agree to our Commenting Terms and Conditions as stipulated in full here.

Do's and don'ts when posting comments in Malaysiakini

TERMS & CONDITIONS

Foul language, profanity, vulgarity, slanderous, personal attack, threatening, sexually-orientated comments or the use of any method of communication that may violate any law or create needless unpleasantness will not be tolerated. Antisocial behaviour such as "spamming" and "trolling" will be suspended. Violators run the risk of also being blocked permanently.

REPORT VIOLATORS

Please use the report feature that is available below each comment to flag offending comments for our moderators to take action. Do not take matters in your own hands to avoid unpleasant and unnecessary exchanges that may result in your own suspension or ban.

Subscriber-only space: