THE much-hyped Jan 6 rally has come and gone with incarcerated ex-premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak inching closer to serving the remainder of his six-year jail term under house arrest after overcoming the odds to secure a royal addendum victory at the Court of Appeal yesterday.
Let’s see who the winners and losers from this outcome. First, the list of winners.
- Najib
The first and most obvious winner is obviously Najib himself. The appellant court ruled in his favour although it has not led him to be released from prison.
After all, the court’s verdict is an indication that it could be Najib’s version of the story that might be upheld in the days to come.
According to lawyers, even without the addendum, Najib could be released from prison as early as 2026 which is just one year away on good behaviour.
Although technically, Jan 6 was a day of victory for Najib, looking at the effort, attention and resources his team and him might have poured into the endeavour, we can probably say with a degree of certainty that though Najib won this battle, it might not really do much to change the outcome of the war.
- PAS
The “Solidarity with Najib” rally – ostensibly for the former leader of its greatest opponent, UMNO – is likely the first major victory that PAS has managed to conjure up against the unity government over the past two years.
That it was PAS that is seen to have stood up for Najib who is increasingly being seen as the only Malay leader that can stand toe-to-toe with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is a PR (public relations) coup by the Islamist party.
In one fell swoop, the unexpected move by PAS to stand firm for Najib when UMNO itself had backed out from the solidarity rally has made PAS appear as the undisputed party that represents the Malay interest today.
Loser’s list
Now let’s turn to the losers.
- UMNO
By right, UMNO should have been the main organiser of the Solidarity with Najib rally held in Putrajaya yesterday (Jan 6).
Except for the party’s Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh who is likely the only major UMNO leader who turned up in his personal capacity, the rally was largely seen as being organised by PAS to UMNO’s embarrassment.
Various big shots in UMNO, including its current No.1 Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, have repeatedly professed their undivided sympathies and loyalties for Najib but that would remain nothing more than paying lip service.
That UMNO was conspicuous in its absence to rally behind an iconic leader – at least in the eyes of the party’s grassroots – must definitely be a major blow to the party.
- Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin
Although Bersatu had joined its Perikatan Nasional (PN) ally PAS in the Jan 6 rally for Najib, its president Muhyiddin was missing in action.
One can probably understand the quandary that Muhyiddin is in. In 2015, Muhyiddin was sacked from his position as DPM for speaking up against Najib on the 1MDB scandal which is the reason that Najib is in jail today.
As fate would have it, Najib was convicted of the charges he is serving today under Muhyiddin’s watch as the PM. Considering all that, it probably would have been near impossible for Muhyiddin to seek Najib’s release from prison today.
Personal predicament aside, that Muhyiddin was unable to show up at an event which is arguably the most high-profile victory for PN in which he is the coalition’s chairman certainly does not bode well for him.
That there have already been serious attempts to dethrone him as the PN head honcho with the appointment of a PAS candidate will only gain further momentum with his absence from the Najib solidarity rally.
- Hannah Yeoh
Two DAP ministers Nga Kor Ming and Hannah Yeoh have been on the PAS firing line prior to the Jan 6 rally for allegedly “disrupting the harmony of Muslims in the country”.
Fuelled by their success from the Najib rally, PAS is likely going to train its gun on both DAP lawmakers further to maintain and reinforce its winning streak.
Between the duo, Yeoh who is the Youth and Sports Minister looks particularly vulnerable.
As of today, the police have come out with a statement that they will record a statement from her after 157 police reports were lodged nationwide over her memoir, Becoming Hannah: A Personal Journey.
The combined effect of Malaysia underperforming in sports, an allegation that her husband was involved in a much frowned upon dealing involving government funds alongside allegation of “trying to turn Malaysia into a Christian nation” all adds to her vulnerability. – Jan 7, 2025
