Abdullah was a better leader than Najib, say ex-Umno minister and DAP

Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was a stronger leader than Datuk Seri Najib Razak because the former had a clear agenda for reform, a DAP lawmaker and an ex-Umno minister said at a book launch today.

In describing Abdullah, who is popularly known as Pak Lah, as "sincere", Kluang MP Liew Chin Tong said although the former prime minister failed to implement his reforms, he at least had a clear agenda which could set the benchmark on how the nation can improve and move forward.

He also pointed out while Abdullah's administration was quite chaotic, it was also "quite democratic", more so than now.

Liew was speaking after the launch of the book, "Bangkit: Tempoh Pentadbiran Abdullah Badawi di Malaysia" at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre this afternoon.

The book features selected essays from the best-selling book, "Awakening", which is now translated into Bahasa Malaysia.

In contrast, Liew said, Najib sees himself as a manager instead of a leader.

With the exception of the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 where Najib took a firm leadership role, the DAP strategist said there were many instances when the premier was merely a manager.

"He's managing things without showing leadership and that is not good," he said.

Liew said Abdullah, who was prime minister from October 2003 till April 2009, could have made a different choice during the watershed 2008 general election where Barisan Nasional lost its two-thirds parliamentary majority but he choose to recognise the democratic decision of the electorate, and stepped down.

In the 2008 general election, the opposition won 82 out of 222 parliamentary seats.

The loose three-party coalition of Pakatan Rakyat also won Penang, Kedah, Selangor and for a short while, Perak.

Former Umno minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim rated Abdullah's administration better than Najib purely because of the lack of racial religious rhetoric that is permeating in today's climate.

"Abdullah is better not because he was more democratic but because there was no hatred. He would not tolerate any form of hatred.

"As a leader, this is the one thing that will destroy any country if you allow seeds of hatred and bigotry to take root.

"If you are the prime minister and remain silent and interested only in physical transformation or processes, then to me, you have failed.

"This country can only be built and prosper on goodwill, respect and common ground. Once these are destroyed, any leader who can't defend them is not a good leader in my book."

Zaid was a minister in the Abdullah administration until he quit the Cabinet in September 2008 to join PKR, only to leave in 2010 due to differences with the leadership.

Zaid said during Abdullah's administration, the political climate was not as racially and religiously charged as now.

"During his time, there were no stories of 'Ketuanan Melayu' (Malay supremacy) or that Islam is being challenged, because he is a leader who respected the contributions of other races," he said.

DAP's Impian Malaysia initiative adviser Wan Hamidi Hamid pointed out both Abdullah and Najib shared the same problem, namely they do not have a strong political will.

The lack of this, he said, will open the floodgates for others to start challenging their position.

In citing an example, he said Abdullah was openly challenged by his predecessor Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad through the media and this opened the floodgates for others to bring up racial and religious issues, which was unheard of for the past 20 years.

"When Najib took over, it's the same situation with all extremist religious groups still out in the open that you can't even have a decent dialogue without anyone questioning whether you are challenging something or another," he said.

The former journalist also said Malaysians have yet to find a unifying factor to oppose Barisan Nasional as they are still embroiled in "petty things" such as PAS's plans to implement the Islamic penal code hudud and setting up an Islamic state as well as the current Selangor menteri besar crisis.

"I wish we can find this unifying factor, maybe we can trust each other more instead of looking at everything through the racial lense," he said.

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