Najib has lost the perception war

Najib may have lost the perception war

Scott Ng | July 10, 2015

The PM and his supporters are left clutching at straws

By now, everyone has had a chance to read the letter Najib’s lawyers sent to the Wall Street Journal, and if social media comments are anything to go by, it looks like we all had a laugh reading the confusing and asinine document. The letter clearly shows that Najib’s people are unsure of how to handle the dilemma on their hands, an international scandal with many moving parts that may lie outside the jurisdiction of Malaysian courts.

Add to this the mind-boggling statements about a Jewish conspiracy to interfere with Muslim countries and investigations on the whistleblowers instead of the one accused of committing the crime, and what we have is a strong impression that Putrajaya has lost the plot. To be fair, a scandal of the magnitude that Najib is at the centre of would render any government a little barmy as it tries to contain the damage.

However, it seems like our government never considered the possibility of being caught red-handed with evidence of wrongdoing, and now that the claims cannot be brushed away in the usual cavalier and haughty fashion, Najib and his cohorts are left clutching at straws. They are not used to this. After all, the best the opposition has managed to produce up to this point have been nothing more than circumstantial evidence. But the WSJ report and the subsequent release of the documents mentioned in the report are the equivalent of a smoking gun.

We are, of course, in danger of pre-judging the Prime Minister before he has had his day in court. The old mantra of “innocent until proven guilty” must apply equally to all, even Najib. However, things are looking increasingly bleak for him, and the vultures are starting to close in on the limping Najib administration.

It would not be too foolhardy to wager that Najib will lead Barisan Nasional to defeat at the next general election even if he manages to avoid a fall here, given the ubiquity of reports that all but affirm his guilt in the eyes of the public, rightly or wrongly. And if he does fall here, be sure that his successor will throw out all his dirty laundry along with him in the name of a “clean” government, and that might still not save BN.

Najib may well have lost the perception war for good, now that nearly everyone has read the damning Wall Street Journal reports. The responses from him and his cohorts have only made it worse. They show just how much of a panic they are in right now. This is a crisis of monumental proportions for Najib, and continuing with his missteps will only lead to a deepening cynicism among the rakyat, who are already at least half-convinced of his guilt.

Woo Wen Chiuan · Does it matter
As a man, he is entitle to be "innocent until proven guilty". However, as a Prime Minister, he can't. For prime minsterial post cannot be mocked, abused and indignified. This position deserves respect in all sense, anyone who sits in this position and making mockery of it is not fit to be PM.
He can have his days in courtroom but as a man, not a PM.
Like · Reply · 7 · Jul 10, 2015 9:26am

Ahberappu Hanzer
Najib has not only lost the perception war... he has lost the trust and credibility. Even his Great Sifu of Advertising Lim Kok Wing will not be able to revive a dead product. Too many lies and deceit... people had enough of these nonsense.
Like · Reply · 8 · Jul 10, 2015 9:38am

Leong Kc
They all lost their 'balls" They are now "Ball-less National" aka bn
Like · Reply · 4 · Jul 10, 2015 10:19am

Peter Paul
With monkey face around not only does help but making things worst. ..best return back to jungle to join the rest eating banana n stunning la,...???
Like · Reply · 7 hrs

Don Diego Sanchez
Lim Kok Wing is a disgrace, an apple polisher with no principles. Just like that guy called Ridhuan Tee. If they were to face trial in Beijing, you know what will be the judgement? If they are caught in North Korea, they won't even have a chance to blink.
Like · Reply · 1 hr

Balakrishnan Nair · Victoria Institution
absolutely correct bro
Like · Reply · 5 · Jul 10, 2015 8:50am

Loo Tze Meng · Nilai
He thought with Hadi on his side, he will now have the majority votes to do much more and still get away free as before. Wrong ! Even his BR1M would not be able to stand the onslaught this time for being too greedy and don't know when to stop.
Like · Reply · 3 · Jul 10, 2015 9:44am

Liew Meng · Freelancer at Self-Employed
his master are still the most powerful guardian within the entire elite group and as long as he is around , no one dares to challenge his crazy power mentality obsession ...
after all, these elite groups are only teaming up for monies and monetary gains interests .....

we can expect a long series of dramas and exposures of selected scandals involving selected parties ..
Like · Reply · 4 · Jul 10, 2015 9:33am

Kam San Shao
The title of the article should have been "Najib have lost the perception war". He lost it the day the WSJ/SR report came out and he didn't immediately deny that the accounts in the report were in his name nor that the monies were deposited into the said accounts. A short poll among the nine (9) of us sitting together and discussing the issue have already given a unanimous verdict of "Guilty". I don't even know why he is still keeping his current batch of advisers!
Like · Reply · 5 · Jul 10, 2015 9:39am

Ting Kiong Tee · Works at Self-Employed
You are what you do and you are who you are....
Like · Reply · Jul 10, 2015 9:27am

Sodri Ariffin · Chief Executive Officer at Sodri Training & Services
They can not win the heart and mind of the educated and the battle now move toward winning the heart and mind of the uneducated and the common man who rely on sentiment more than knowledge, facts, reason and thinking. Hence, the educated have a role to explain the issues to the common man before the battle is lose.
Like · Reply · 19 hrs

Stanley Rozario · Works at Self-Employed
Sad that the PM is lying to us.
Like · Reply · Jul 10, 2015 9:38am

Desmond Sky · EASB East Asia Institute of Management
Blind man, no body can be sure it is perception or facts yet. The one whom is evasive and seems hiding from truth is driving perception himself, that he has dirts.
Like · Reply · 1 · Jul 10, 2015 8:49am

Cheong Seng Keong · Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Nut head you know the meaning of the word perception. When the truth is out it is not a perception anymore. Go and look it up in a dictionary or if too lazy google it.
Like · Reply · 2 · Jul 10, 2015 9:02am

Desmond Sky · EASB East Asia Institute of Management
"Perception" is the wrong word to use. They have been wanting to deny that the man in blue are corrupt, that they have said that there are only few on the take ..... "corruption by the man in blue is only public perception" ........... so you agree?

When they force "perception" down our throat , it is meant to twist from truth to the opposite !
Like · Reply · 1 · Jul 10, 2015 9:33am

Zack Mohd
It is no longer a perception. It has now become the truth that cannot be denied.
Like · Reply · 2 · 20 hrs

Michael Wong · San Min National Type Secondary School
Scott Ng , it takes so much effort to produce a well written article , but to those damming cohorts , nothing can changed their ideologies and perceptions to face the truths . The only means to survive , to serve the Lord of evils in returned with favoury of richest is what makes them lost humility and conscienced of goodness .
Like · Reply · 1 · 23 hrs

KG Lim · Consultant at Saujana Beta Sdn Bhd
This couple don't understand, wanna be called first couple of Malaysia but don't know how to behave. Perception is everything in politics and life for leaders. Twisting on stage, holiday with 'business partners', lavish lifestyle habits, arrogance (forgetting kampung asal and old friends). All have contributed to your poor perception by Rakyat, now all this just add more 'icing'. Padan Muka!
Like · Reply · 3 · Jul 10, 2015 12:25pm

KG Lim · Consultant at Saujana Beta Sdn Bhd
That's why should not surround with only cronies, must have some professionals. Hahaha.
Like · Reply · 1 · Jul 10, 2015 12:20pm

Pasma Ys
This is his karma for running all the evil things when he around...we rakyat are waiting for his judgement day with all his bn / umno goons together to go jail with him.....really rotten & dirty governement...
Like · Reply · 19 hrs

Abaaz Hjismail
Corrrect,korek,korek-he is a liability now.
Like · Reply · 1 · 22 hrs

Junkwei Lee · Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
The Malaysian public should have kicked out the corrupt money politics of BN in GE-13. Period!
Like · Reply · 9 · Jul 10, 2015 9:28am

Nyarna Segaran · SMSAS Cameron Highlands
Yes first couple to be stepped on in Malaysian history
Like · Reply · 23 hrs

Zahari Musa · Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
he has the choice of stepping down now or being stepped on later. the ball is in his court.
Like · Reply · 3 · Jul 10, 2015 10:05am

Ahgit Ho · Union University
It is time as the citizens of Malaysia suffered so much under him,especially the Chinese born in Malaysia
Like · Reply · 3 · Jul 10, 2015 9:58am

Alex Lee · Consultant, Upstream Oil and Gas Asia Pac Consulting at IHS
why not suing yet?
Like · Reply · Jul 10, 2015 9:57am