ANALYSIS: Malaysian prime minister dogged by indifference

By Julia Yeow Jul 10, 2009, 3:04 GMT

   Kuala Lumpur - When Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak was appointed as the country's sixth premier 100 days ago, he ascended to power in the most unwelcoming circumstances.

   Najib took over the reins of leadership on April 3 at a time when his ruling National Front coalition was suffering its worst-ever level of public support, as the country spiraled into a recession.

   The son of Malaysia's second prime minister was also suffering badly from rumours surrounding his alleged links with a murdered Mongolian beauty, Altantuya Shaariibuu, whose body was found blown up by military-grade explosives in 2006.

   Around the time of his appointment, Najib's popularity rating stood at just 41 per cent, an embarrassing figure considering his predecessor Abdullah Ahmad Badawi enjoyed a figure of 46 per cent despite being criticized as largely ineffective.

   Najib's low public approval was so obvious that the premier himself, in an interview given just before his appointment, implored voters to give him a 'chance to prove' himself, adding that he was determined to bring about change within the country's economy and corruption-riddled government.

   Barely a month into his new role, Najib's new government released 13 people who were held without trial under a draconian security law, and removed a 30-per-cent requirement for ethnic Malay ownership in 27 public service sectors.

   Earlier this month, Najib announced even bolder economic measures, scrapping a decades-long policy requiring listed businesses to allocate at least 30 per cent of their shares to Malays.

   As a result of his efforts, a recent survey conducted by the Merdeka Centre for Opinion Research, an independent pollster, found that support for the premier had risen to 65 per cent.

   However, the rating was by far the lowest of the 100-day approval ratings for all of Malaysia's former prime ministers.

   Analysts say his inability to break out of the pool of negative perceptions could continue to dog him throughout his career, unless he takes bolder steps to address issues such as increasing racial tensions and corruption.

   'In terms of new policies, credit must be given that he was brave enough to scrap the quota system,' said political analyst Mohammad Agus Yussoff from the National University of Malaysia.

   'But people are not interested to look at new policies alone when what they experience is inflation and corruption.

   'People are also looking for change in terms of the judiciary and corruption. And they are still waiting,' Mohammad Agus told the German Press Agency dpa.

   'In terms of his achievements, it's, at best, vague.'

   Even former premier Mahathir Mohamad, who had earlier voiced his preference for Najib against Abdullah, has given the new prime minister a mere pass grade for his first 100 days in office.

   'Some of the things he does are very good, but there are things that are not so good. So it's even,' Mahathir told reporters recently.

   While declining to elaborate on the 'good,' he said Najib's biggest flaw was his apparent lack of commitment to fighting corruption.

   One possible reason for the apparent unresponsiveness to Najib's efforts thus far is the fact that the public had expected little from the man plagued by controversies for most of his political career.

   'He came into office with very low expectations from the public,' said Michael Yeoh, chief executive officer of the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute think-thank based in Kuala Lumpur.

   'And I think he has met those expectations,' he said.