BN's media-public relations frenzy, where are the real reforms?

Najib spent a bomb on Zionist-linked APCO
Gavin Khoo

Since the beginning of PM Najib's tenure, it has always been about "feel good", carefully planned and expensive PR campaigns, sloganeering and more. Public are forced to take in an overdose of terms and slogans e.g. 1Malaysia, ETP, GTP, NEM, KRAs, KPIs and a host of other similar sounding programmes. But where are clear, concise and definite reforms?

The ruling Barisan Nasional has told its media to play up “feel good”, “positive” reports and to find flaws of its political foes for the next few months ahead of a likely March 2011 federal elections, sources told The Malaysian Insider.

Since the beginning of PM Najib's tenure, it has always been about "feel good", carefully planned and expensive PR campaigns, sloganeering and more. Public are forced to take in an overdose of terms and slogans e.g. 1Malaysia, ETP, GTP, NEM, KRAs, KPIs and a host of other similar sounding programmes.

But where are clear, concise and definite reforms? The government is still dragging its feet on the ISA. It is a draconian act which must be abolished since it was misused and abused by none other than Dr Mahathir and Abdullah Badawi to detain political opponents, journalists and dissidents. Nothing short of an abolishment will put Malaysia on a road to real democracy. The pro-ISA demonstration in Penang is an eye opener for Malaysians. Why? The proponents are mostly Umno members.

Since the global economic crisis hit the country in 2007, the government is still going around its business as though we are trouble free. There is no serious debate on how to manage the slid and glitches in the Malaysian economy. Why are investors heading to Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore and Vietnam but not us? Where are the new areas of growth? How to create more jobs? Apart from announcing targets on GDP per capita, additional 3.3 million jobs and others, the government does not give us an impression that it has the right strategy to help achieve these optimistic targets. Where is the RM1.47 trillion investment is going to come from?

Several public institutions such as the judiciary and the police have not improved their image and perception. The government should make all efforts to distance itself from these institutions and encourage them to be truly independent. The way Anwar Ibrahim's defence team has been denied access to key information and materials does not augur well for judiciary independence. The police is still acting arbitrarily on stifling democratic rights to assembly, free speech and peaceful gatherings and demonstrations. An IPCMC was mooted by a BN formed royal commission and it has yet to be implemented.

Najib is trying toying with obvious uncertainty over his NEM announcement to do away with rigid race based quota and adopt a fairer need based socio-economic model. NEP is set to be retained although it had been bastardized for decades. His 1Malaysia slogan stands out like a sore thumb in an administration composed of race based political parties and a majority based party with a clear race-based agenda.

Freedom of press is going to suffer a worse perception the direct acquisition of the Star Publications by MCA. The main stream media has lost its credibility and is treated as nothing more than a party organ by increasingly disillusioned readers. I buy them only for the adverts.

Apart from the media frenzy about BN's change of fortune, where are the real reforms?

- Straight Talk

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