He limps out with a whimper

In 2006, writing about Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's mid-term review, I asked if his leadership which started with a bang may end with a whimper.

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Today, this question has been answered. Abdullah limps out with a whimper. He will be remembered as a leader who was too eager to establish his own legacy but did very little to achieve anything.

Immediately after taking over the leadership, Abdullah introduced his moderate, modern and value-based of governance based on Islam Hadhari.

Several institutions such as Ikim (Institute of Islamic Understanding), RTM (Radio Televisyen Malaysia) and Jakim (Islamic Development Department) were tasked to propagate and explain the concept to the public.

Non-Muslims who were suspicious of the state sponsored Islamisation programme previously were not hostile to the more moderate form of Islam Hadhari.

Unfortunately, the concept was severely criticised by some segments of his own Muslim community including Dr Mahathir Mohamad. As a result, Islam Hadhari remained merely a concept which nothing solid to show.

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The biggest mistake yet was to allow Mahathir the space, opportunity and time to relentlessly attack his leadership.

If he had defended himself vigorously against Mahathir’s venomous allegations and criticisms, Abdullah would have demonstrated to both Umno and BN leaders that he was a man of his own.

Abdullah was too grateful to become a leader who can stand on his own feet. Mahathir had a field day to damage Abdullah’s legacy before it was even built.

He had succeeded to a measurable extent to shift all faults, weaknesses, abuses and excesses which started in his era onto Abdullah’s shoulders.

I was asked to name Abdullah's most visible legacy. There was not any worthy transformation of the economic, political or social systems. He did not help to expand and strengthen democracy in the country despite a naive leader calling him the 'father of democracy'.

During his tenure, Abdullah had clamped down on newspapers, bloggers, political opponents, partners (suspended MPs from his cabinet) and authorised the use of draconian legislation including the ISA.

His most lasting legacy is Khairy Jamaluddin. The newly-minted Umno Youth head had remained loyal and grateful to his father-in-law to the very last days.

No one had expected him to be crowned the head of Umno Youth, a coveted position wanted even by his nemesis’ son Mukhriz Mahathir.

Khairy will be seen as a continuity of Abdullah's only legacy in Umno.

(Source: Malaysiakini)