With Najib and his men basking in the glow of victory, the real test for them begins now as they confront the challenges that lie ahead.
When you think of it, he has been getting plenty of free advice from a host of personalities associated or previously associated with Umno: Abdullah, Mahathir, Razaleigh, Zaid…
He has the power, but there is one thing even Power will find hard to manage and that is public perception.
Here’s something I wrote for Asia Times after the Umno elections:
Challenges mount for Malaysia’s Najib
By Anil NettoPENANG – Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak took a big step towards taking over the premiership when he was returned unopposed this week as president of the United Malays National Organization (UMNO), the dominant party in Malaysia’s ruling coalition. His men also bagged most of the leadership posts in the recently concluded party elections. As head of the UMNO, Najib automatically becomes premier, although a formal handover date has yet to be announced.
Najib has been hammering home a message of change and reform, but many Malaysians wonder what his vision might entail.
