National Day or BN Day?

By Selena Tay

In all the 22 Barisan Nasional Banneryears of his tenure as prime minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had never ever used BN’s party slogan for the National Day celebrations. This is due to the fact that Dr Mahathir is a man of ideas unlike the current Prime Minister, Najib Tun Razak.

And PM Najib’s lack of ideas is really obvious because he is using BN’s campaign slogan, ‘Janji Ditepati’ (Promises Fulfilled) as the slogan for the National Day.

“The PM has decided that the National Day is also BN’s Day and this is irresponsible at best and despicable at worst,” said Kuala Selangor PAS MP Dzulkefly Ahmad.

“By doing so, Najib has ignored 48% of the rakyat who gave the opposition the popular vote in the previous general election. The National Day theme should be neutral and all inclusive, for example the slogan ‘Together We Rebuild The Nation’ would be more suitable,” added Dzulkefly.

His PAS colleague, Pokok Sena MP Mahfuz Omar concurred, saying that by using the party slogan the PM has shown disrespect to Pakatan Rakyat (PR) and PR’s supporters as if the National Day only belongs to BN.

Definitely BN has appropriated the National Day for themselves and this use of the National Day as an election campaign platform is an indication that there is a high probability that Parliament will be dissolved in August.

In fact, a PAS political observer had just opined that the PM may even dissolve Parliament on the night he delivers the Aidil Fitri message so that the Aidil Fitri Open Houses can also double up for the election campaign.

Najib’s use of BN’s campaign slogan for the National Day celebrations reveals his desperation to woo the rakyat into voting for BN. Certainly he has run out of ideas. It is thus obvious that he is not a visionary leader.

“Whereas Dr Mahathir’s ‘Look East Policy’ has firm substance and basis, Najib’s GTP (Government Transformation Programme) is all hot air and hype. The GTP Roadmap which is only glamour and glitz could even lead to nowhere compared to Dr Mahathir’s ‘Look East Policy’ which has brought progress and prosperity to Malaysia through the inculcation of a hardworking and professional work ethic,” said a businessman who requested to remain anonymous.

The National Day theme must be inclusive as it is a celebration for all the peoples of Malaysia. How can PM Najib talk about ‘Janji Ditepati’ when there are rural areas in Malaysia still without the supply of clean pipe water?

Desperate to stay in power at all costs

Clearly Najib intends to use ‘Janji Ditepati’ to turn the National Day celebrations into a day of solely campaigning for BN.

“Therefore the National Day celebrations is the last ditch effort by PM Najib to win over the people’s support if the polls are to be held in mid-September,” said Opposition Leader, Anwar Ibrahim.

According to the anonymous businessman mentioned above, the investment climate has dampened due to the delaying of the general election and if Najib delays the date any further, the results will be disastrous.

That is the reason why he has no choice but to use the National Day celebrations as his election campaign in view of the polls which is now quite certain to be held before Sept 17.

The National Day celebrations is a time to foster harmony and goodwill among all Malaysians regardless of race, religion or political affiliation. That the PM as leader of the country has chosen to divide the nation at this most crucial celebration of the nation only highlights his selfish attitude in looking after only his own interests.

The National Day celebrations is now a bone of contention due to the PM’s fault. People are not stupid and can see BN’s cunning and diabolical methods in dividing the citizens on National Day. BN’s propaganda makes it seem very obvious as if those supporting BN are patriotic citizens whereas those supporting PR are deemed as traitors to the nation.

This subtle brainwashing employed by BN to influence the rakyat is Machiavellian indeed and shows that BN has no qualms in creating disunity among the citizens all because of its greedy agenda of wanting to stay in power at all costs.

Najib is certainly the chief planner in this evil plot of ruining the harmony of the rakyat as National Day is supposed to be a time to put aside all political differences – even just for this one day. But this is impossible now and it is all Najib’s fault.

National Day celebrations is a time for nation-building and people-building. Sadly the PM only sees it as a political platform. It is time for us to choose leaders who place the welfare of the rakyat above that of their own. We do not want selfish and self-serving leaders who try to hoodwink us into voting for them.

We want leaders who are ready and willing to serve the rakyat. And the people must wake up to this, especially the people of Sabah and Sarawak.

Last but not least, this columnist suggests ‘Standing Together For The Nation’ as a neutral and all-encompassing National Day theme.