COMMENT Gerakan Youth leader Tan Keng Liang is, as usual, in a state of denial as he is good at casting false aspersions on Pakatan Harapan leaders.

Although we have never met, I think Tan is a young and immature Gerakan leader who should not speak to the media too much.

He is known to come out with some outlandish remarks - and I have responded to some - that clearly show that Gerakan is now devoid of good leaders for the future.

When Penang managed to attract some major solar panel manufacturers to set up their plants in the island state, he criticised the investment, claiming they were taking advantage of Malaysia’s cheap water.

In the first place, if water is not cheap, who would invest billions of ringgit in setting up solar panel manufacturing plant in Malaysia? Water is our natural resource; therefore, we should use it to attract big investments.

Why did the video clip go viral?

Tan should ask why the video clip showing a lion apparently refusing to perform in front of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and Rosmah Mansor went viral?

Why were people gleeful and took the trouble to even share the video clip, when they saw that the lion seemingly refused to dance?

If what Tan claimed was true that the ‘lion’ was peeling citrus fruits, it no longer matters. Why did Najib and Rosmah not be patient to wait a bit longer? You do not expect to enjoy a two-minute Maggi noodle in just 15 seconds.

It is not only this video clip that has gone viral. I have seen many others including one captured by Astro Awani where Najib said that Petronas was contributing RM26 billion in one particular year; the following year the contribution would be reduced to RM9 billion. In the speech, Najib asked, “What am I going to do with the shortfall of RM15 billion?”

A young boy in Year One would be able to tell that RM26 billion minus RM9 billion is not RM15 billion, but RM17 billion. Therefore, what happened to the RM2 billion? Such miscalculation coming from a finance minister is what shocked a lot of Malaysians who shared the video clip.

There were also moments on the stage during international meetings when world leaders were talking to each other, leaving Najib alone.

Never mind about that, but what about Rosmah walking in front of her husband on the stage in one particular event when they were supposed to pose with the husband and wife pair of another nation?

It is an embarrassment to all Malaysians when the wife of the Malaysian prime minister does not know the proper protocol.

There were of course, many other video clips that have gone viral. By now, Najib should get the message that since the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal was exposed, people are not happy with his leadership.

They would not have done it to someone that they love or respect. Therefore, all the efforts to drum up love and support for the prime minister are meaningless when Najib is not with the people, and the people are not with him.

In fact, some would say that the Chinese community had rejected Najib since the last general election when buntings were shown of Najib in Chinese costume and wishing people “Happy Chinese New Year”.

Now, it is not only the Chinese, but practically everyone is affected by the escalating cost of living.

With petrol prices on the rise and the free fall of the Malaysian ringgit, I suspect more people will become critical of Najib’s leadership.

Perhaps, this is the time for a snap general election to test whether Najib has the mandate of the people, when he has been identified as the Malaysian Official 1 (MO1).

STEPHEN NG is an ordinary citizen with an avid interest in following political developments in the country since 2008.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.