Blaming Najib and other silly notions (like turning BN into a single party)

Updates: 1. Umno is very much alive, well and kicking by Hantulaut, who is not an Umno member; 2. BN as a single party may backfire on coalition by The Mole 3. Umno is still relevant by the MalaysianDigest 4. Nay to one-party BN by Borneo Post

No honeymoon for the man? A honeymoon period is a period of popularity enjoyed by a new government, or the occupant of a new post. [see here] While some of his aides have gone on holiday as soon as the general election ended, happy with themselves and what they believed they have done to help Najib Razak get his own mandate as Prime Minister, the man himself doesn't seem to be allowed the customary goodwill of a honeymoon. 

Instead, it's bang from the start and Najib has to pick up the PRU13 pieces all by himself. Anwar Ibrahim's non-stop harassment and threats, the result of self-pity and great frustration of not realizing a lifelong ambition, we can understand. The barbs poked at Najib Razak by his own party members and elders, make one wonder. Criticisms are great if and when constructive but these have been few and far apart. On hindsight, everyone (including yours truly) gains a better perspective. 

Yes, Najib should have done this and he should not have done that. But I say, if we aren't going to ask him to step down already, then let us give the new Prime Minister some room to plan his next course of action. We'll have all the time to give our two sen's worth later.  

And this thing about turning Barisan Nasional into a 1-4-All, All-4-1 party, whose silly idea was it? Nazri Aziz came up with something silly earlier [Nazri: BN needs to Ubah! - Malay Mail, 10 May 2013], proposing that BN is renamed Angkatan 1Malaysia in order to "resonate with the younger voters". But at least Nazri did not suggest that BN be turned into ONE party. 

My take is simple (perhaps simplistic for the sophisticated brains who think for the politicians). If Barisan Nasional as a coalition was such a bad or failed concept, Anwar, Hadi and Kit Siang would not have joined hands, knowing how revolting that act is, to form the alternative coalition called Pakatan Rakyat. In other words, there they were clearly and shameless trying to copy you and here you are regressing and going the other way, tripping all over yourselves while they laugh at you! 

There's a reason why Umno is the longest-surviving political party in the world and there's a reason why BN has ruled for many years and why this country is peaceful and prosperous despite the Chinese trying to teach the BN a lesson and failing miserably in the process. 

As I see, what BN needs is to ensure that its components regain strength. If there's any merging to do, MCA and Gerakan and the Chinese-based parties in Sabah and Sarawak may want to explore that.  MIC, Hindraf, PMIP and perhaps PPP may want to start merger talks. PBB, like Umno, is solid; the former needs to look at its succession process and the latter must open up and allow the professionals, the scholars, the footloose and fancy free, the young and the urban to lead. 

It's the substance BN needs to worry about, not the form.