Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s formidable political achievements, including his ability to stand up to larger powers, may make him the better statesman, but Najib Razak commanded stronger domestic appeal, a new book claims.
“In some instances, such as the larger body of political work, Mahathir trumps Najib,” author Yap Koon Hong wrote in “Notes to Myself and You”.
Firstly, Yap said, there is the sheer length of Mahathir’s tenure, a total 24 years over two non-consecutive prime ministerial terms, almost thrice as long as Najib’s nine.
“Mahathir pioneered the modernisation of Malaysia, or at least the idea of it,” he added.
“His feisty, unfiltered rebuttals to smug Western tropes that belittled alternative value systems, including Asian and Muslim mores, was a refreshing streak of political pushback that was in short supply globally.”
Yet despite those grand achievements, Mahathir remained “a laggard in terms of domestic endearment compared to Najib”, Yap wrote.
“Najib’s affable ability to get down with it among ordinary Malaysians puts him ahead of Mahathir for whom there seems to be an invisible, unbridgeable distance, regardless of how close to the grassroots he gets or vice-versa.”
Yap also said Najib’s temperament was such that he came off “like a brother or a teh tarik friend” to Malaysians across the country.
His “Bossku” persona was an antithesis to Mahathir, who came off as an overbearing uncle who was tolerated to keep the family peace.
Another reason for Mahathir’s lower popularity compared to Najib, according to Yap, is the perception that he was overly cunning and politically insincere – driven by an obsessive pursuit of power and control.
“The most glaring example of a Machiavellian Mahathir at work was when he reneged on a very public promise to vacate the prime-ministership to Anwar (Ibrahim).”
Yap also claimed Najib got on better with foreign leaders, which “lassoed lasting pro-Malaysian payoffs” from two US presidents with very different dispositions.
He said Barack Obama, the 44th US president, liked Najib, while his successor Donald Trump “proved even chummier”.
Mahathir, on the other hand, was dismissed by former Australian prime minister Paul Keating as a “recalcitrant” although he subsequently retracted the remark, Yap noted.
Closer to home, Yap pointed out that Mahathir developed a “churlishly quarrelsome irrationality” towards Singapore, while his persistent carping in disputing long-settled bilateral pacts to kneecap the republic stunted his political image and squandered Malaysia’s chances for profitable growth.
“Notes To Myself And You” is currently available on Amazon Prime in e-book form, while the printed version is available only in Malaysia and Singapore by direct purchase and delivery.
Readers who want to purchase the book, priced at RM60, can contact [email protected] or call +6017 3350 855.
Alternatively, they can contact CK Yap at +6012 7932 366.
