COMMENT When the curtain comes down on Najib Abdul Razak as the country’s prime minister - most likely sooner rather than later - there will be assessments about which area of life has suffered most during his period of leadership? Which subject needs urgent attention in terms of damage control.

The following are the key areas which, in my opinion, need the most remedial work by the next prime minister of the country, irrespective of whether he comes from the BN or Pakatan.

Mending race relations

Race relations today is at its lowest point in our country’s history. What has taken a toll on our racial harmony is the rise of right wing forces within Umno and their call for revenge against those that have not toed the Malay rights line, or who somehow or other have disrespected or dishonoured the Malays.

Never mind that these so-called Malay ‘patriots’ are nothing but opportunists and parasitic elements with their own agenda. The rent-a-mobster and rent-a-rally strategy has provided prime time political propaganda which serves a racially aggressive Umno.

Analysts have pointed to the growth of racial extremism in Umno with the decline in Najib’s popular standing and his need for a distraction that can take the limelight away from the 1MDB crisis of confidence. Many see the prime minister’s hands - or at least those of his handlers - in the prominence of the red shirts and their thuggish rally on Sept 16.

It does not matter now whether or not the prime minister has personal responsibility in the ascendency of this extremist Ketuanan Melayu and Ketuanan Umno group led by the rabble-rousing Jamal Md Yunos ( photo ), an Umno division leader.

Suffice it to say that the damage has been done not just to race relations in Malaysia. The BN’s international image as a moderate nation led by leaders who understand the crucial importance of racial harmony and will not abuse their position of power has also suffered.

One small consolation is that the prime minister himself seems to realise that he may have overplayed the racial card to retain the support of Umno members.

In his recent appearances at the MCA, Gerakan and MIC general assembly meetings he has made moderate and soothing speeches on the government’s commitment to Chinese vernacular education, the Malaysian roots and crucial contribution of Malaysian non-Malays, and the importance of meeting the aspirations of the marginalised Indians. But it may be too little too late.

One small spark now may set our Malaysian common rumah on fire.

Reforming the economy

The country’s economy is still growing. However, the 1MDB financial scandal and failure to implement the structural reforms listed in the New Economic Model (NEM) as well as adverse impacts from the slowdown in China’s economic development and downturn in commodity markets means that the economy is in danger of stalling.

On top of that we have a government which is intent on pushing the Malay economic agenda at all cost and with pandering to favoured cronies.

The amber lights are already blinking in the sharply devalued ringgit, decline in foreign investment, high levels of individual and household debt, rising costs of living, and falling business confidence.

One respected member of the high-level committee that formulated the New Economic Model has described the failure of leadership in the economy in the following way:

“In March 2010 at an international investors’ conference, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak announced an urgent need for a revision to the NEP, towards a national development strategy more transparent, merit-driven, and market-friendly, and towards a new needs-based affirmative action.

“... But then elements within the prime minister’s political party mounted significant pushback, the moment passed, and he did not stay the course.

“...Since 2010 no one has been able to recount significant action on that announcement.”

(Danny Quah, Going Rogue: Malaysia and the1MDB Scandal)

It is still not too late for Najib the prime minister to pull our country out of its economic tail spin but he has little time left. Chances are that it will have to be left to the next prime minister to take up and revive the New Economic Model abandoned by its initiator.

Restoring integrity of government institutions

Malaysians - in fact, the world - are well aware that ever since Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s time as prime minister, the key institutions of government such as the police, judiciary, banking authorities, and other important bodies in the civil service have been debased and had their independence undermined. In fact they have been repeatedly used as a political football by Dr Mahathir and his successor, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (Pak Lah).

In the recent series of developments aimed at covering up the prime minister’s personal responsibility in the 1MDB scandal, we have seen the abuse and manipulation of all three branches of government by the prime minister reach an unprecedented height.

Najib has sacked the deputy PM, replaced the attorney-general, reshuffled the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) staff, undermined the authority of Bank Negara, and co-opted the chair of the public accounts committee looking into the scandal by promoting him to a deputy ministerial position, and engaged in other less public actions aimed at absolving him from blame.

There is no doubt that the prime minister dug a deep hole for himself by approving the PetroSaudi scam that has left the nation’s 1MDB sovereign fund with massive losses. But in attempting to get himself out of this hole, he has dug an even deeper hole for the bodies in charge of our financial, legal and judicial affairs at the highest level.

In fact, he has probably outdone his mentor, Dr Mahathir, in destroying the independence, neutrality and accountability to the nation of these bodies.

Remedying Najib’s blatant disregard of the separation of powers will require an extraordinary leader and extraordinary politics. If I were a betting man, I would not place my money on it. But if enough Malaysians push for this, who knows?

KOON YEW YIN, a retired chartered engineer, is a philanthropist.