Najib's Arrow In A Quiver

Hantu Laut

The Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak should stay with his decision not to contest the Penanti by-election.It's a strategy worth considering.It may be an UMNO seat before but the politics of Penang has changed it is not an UMNO seat anymore and one that he must defend to the hilt. He should adopt Sun Tze's art of war.Fight the battle another day when you are sure of your strength.

After all the seat is a state seat in a state under the control of the opposition.It is also in Anwar's stronghold and contesting and losing it would be falling into Anwar's trap, that UMNO is no more relevant to the Malays.Losing another Malay seat will have serious repercussions and negative psychological effect on UMNO supporters throughout the nation.

Those in UMNO who think they can win this fight are flogging a dead horse.It is no more the Mahathir's era where the political roads were paved with gold for them.Today, the roads are full of potholes and pitfalls.You need to be different kind of political animal to survive the more treacherous journey now.

After the disastrous outing in Kuala Trengganu where majority of voters were Malays, Najib is right not to contest this non-critical seat.Winning this seat will not change the political scenario, losing it will have far-reaching negative fallout for UMNO and Najib's leadership.

Najib should concentrate his effort in administering the country and find right solutions to the economic crisis.Going into by-election every now and then is a distraction that wasted precious time for more productive work.It's a tactic employ by the oppositions to further weaken the BN and keep the momentum going and keep Anwar and Pakatan always fresh in the people's minds.

This country have seen too much politicking and little achievement for the past one year. To continue doing so would spell disaster for Najib's government and laughter for the Anwar's camp.

A nation that prosper will keep its leaders.

Mahathir had 22 years because he rode the waves of prosperity.