What Najib can and should do to regain Dr Mahathir's backing

In the first place, some may ask, does the Prime Minister need Dr Mahathir's backing?

The answer is yes, Najib Razak does. The PM needs everyone's support. These are trying times for his party, for his race and religion, and for the entire country. He needs the people to rally behind him and if those standing behind him include Dr Mahathir, the better for him. Therefore, Dr M's decision to publicly declare he was withdrawing support for the Umno president - his party president - is not a minor setback. It's something Najib can do without. 

But since Dr M has done so, what can and should the Prime Minister do to regain the Stateman's backing? 

1. Treat Dr M's criticisms seriously, but positively

Mahathir's criticisms are constructive, mostly. The worst thing Najib could do is to try and defend himself publicly and vehemently. He should use pen and paper, start writing to his ex-Boss and tell him what he's doing that the Old Man may not be aware of.

2. Hold back the barking dogs

If they are going to be kurang ajar, tell them to shut up unless they are willing to take on the Old Man until the end. Often, these dogs would bark and irritate and then run. Bark and run. They only serve to irritate Dr M, who will intensify his attacks on Najib. When Pak Lah was PM, these barking dogs used the mainstream media to try and demonize Dr M and in the end their master paid dearly and they are happily advising Lim Guan Eng and other Opposition leaders today.

3. Stick to his policies, change the executors

I have to agree with Pasquale of Barking Magpie: Najib has done well, especially given the circumstances.

The economy is proof of his policies' effectiveness, for example 6.5 percent growth in second quarter is beyond expectations, yes beyond what even Mahathir expected. Inflation is very low, a lot of people still are making ends meet in there words unemployment is also very low. Selangor under Pakatan is in shambles in comparison (and) Tun should have continued whacking Anwar for failing the Selangor people (including Mahathir himself since he is resident of The Mines in Sri Kembangan).

Read PM Najib Razak is Nobody's Clone

Some of the people that Najib has appointed to implement his policies are suspect, though, and the Prime Minister must replace them. And for heaven's sake, stop rewarding them with cushy posts that pay so well it makes people in his camp actually wish they were mediocre.

4. Improve Umno/BN image

It's been deteriorating badly. Granted, Najib inherited damaged goods from Abdullah Ahmad Badawi but he should be bolder in his efforts to improve the image and perception. Dr Mahathir isn't the only one worried about the fact that Malaysia lacks capable leaders to take over (if Muhyiddin Yasin decides  to call it a day, that is). I am not an Umno member and I am concerned with the lack of credible leaders in the party. Pakatan Rakyat is not an alternative anymore, now that their leaders have unravelled themselves in Selangor and earlier in Kedah and Perak, and with the nonsense that's been going on in Penang with regards to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng's mega, mega projects.

5. Engage his ex-Boss

Najib must never let his media advisers try to "sort things out" on his behalf.  Abdullah Badawi's mistake was he allowed himself to be lulled into believing that his media head honcho then, a millionaire journalist with great Singapore connections, had the gumption and the touch to take on anybody and everybody, including Dr Mahathir. That was a fatal mistake. The PM must tell his editors and his social media hanlders to not try to be clever. Engage the Old Man. Go and see him. Sort things out.

For the next few days, the pro-Umno and pro-government blogs will remain quiet and non-committal as they await some signs form above, a directive from their handlers, a hint from those closer to Dr Mahathir and Najib or to the people close to the two men. 

Those who have been training their guns at Najib will rejoice. Syed Akbar Ali, in Dr M: Najib is destroying the country, claims:

This time around the entire country is becoming increasingly aware that Najib is becoming much worse than Badawi. The country is surely going down and at a faster pace. Najib could have saved himself if he had listened to free advise and changed the Cabinet, dropped the controversial, the corrupted, the millionaires, billionaires and other crooks from his Cabinet. He could have saved himself if he had overhauled the entire constipated gomen leadership, the boorish GLC leadership, the leadership in academia, the corrupted party leaders etc. All this he did not do. 

Now it is too late. The PM has to go. Dr Mahathir is not a person to say things lightly. 

But not everyone will agree with Tuan Syed. Seasoned pro-Umno blogger Jalil Backer, one of the thousands who blogged to bring down Najib's predecessor not too long ago, made the following appeal in one political chat room earlier today:

"We should all exercise restraint. We must not openly lash out at either Tun Mahathir or DS Najib. Let both men meet and sort out their differences. If they have done that and still can't or don't want to resolve their differences, then by all means take your sides if you have to. But just don't forget that when we are weak because we allow ourselves to fight one another, we will not solve the problems. We will be the problem."

Touche.