COMMENT When Air Force One lands in Malaysia, US President Barack Obama will be stepping out to a country that has not changed much since his first visit last year.

The same prime minister will be greeting him, with a firm handshake and wide grin, to convey to the world’s most powerful man that the country’s most powerful leader is seated solidly in the saddle.

But Obama comes from the “land of the free and the home of the brave”, where presidents will be grilled thoroughly for any misconduct while in office.

The US president can be impeached and driven out of office if a major political scandal bursts onto the national stage. Even the cabinet members are people of courage who would not back their own president if he (or she) is caught in the web of corruption.

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak lacks the moral clout to be on equal footing with Obama. He may host the Asean Summit with pomp and ceremony when it starts on Nov 18, where his golf buddy will hog the limelight, but Najib cannot heave with pride because all is not well with Malaysia. Something is indeed rotten in the country.

Obama knows something about the health of this Asian country. Last year he met some society leaders who briefed him about the social and political ills plaguing the nation.

Today, the ills have become more serious, with all signs pointing to a crisis of major proportion. Also, concerned human rights groups want Obama to step in and grill Najib about all the scandals swirling around him.

Will Obama deliver some left-right punches to Najib this time around? Unlikely. Nothing came out of the first meeting with the worried citizens.

Why? Perhaps, Najib must have sweet-talked Big Brother into believing that all the problems would be resolved. Or must have convincingly tarred all these troublemakers as obnoxious pests who must be fumigated.

It's all for money...

For Obama to make a return trip to Malaysia is an indication that he still has faith in Najib. Why? Read Obama’s lips. It’s trade. It’s money. It’s lucrative business.

Obama is counting on this Third World leader to increase bilateral trade, which chalked up US$19.35 billion (RM81.2 billion) for the first seven months of this year. He has put his trust in Najib to jump on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement bandwagon by giving it a final seal of approval in Parliament.

This big-ticket pact will make America richer while poorer member countries, like Malaysia, will have to pay through the nose to keep body and soul together. Money talks and perhaps Najib holds the trump card by dangling the trade carrot to buy his way out of trouble.

There is a glimmer of hope that Obama may wield the big stick on Najib and give this tin pot leader a dressing down. But the reprimand must be done openly and not within the cosy confines of the Prime Minister’s Office. A rebuke delivered behind closed-doors is worthless.

Obama can send an even stronger signal to Najib if he meets the opposition leader publicly in a gesture of acknowledgement of the political clout of the woman whose husband is languishing behind bars.

A personal encounter with Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail will put the prime minister on notice that his term in office is no longer ensured.

It is when Obama takes to the public stage and wags his finger disapprovingly at Najib that there is a chance that the winds of change will blow strongly across the land.

Then again, all this may just be wishful thinking. For Obama is a lame duck president whose days in office are already numbered. He will be gone soon but Najib may still be in power.

When Obama steps into his Air Force One, he goes home like a tourist. Bye, Malaysia. Solve your own problems!

PHLIP RODRIGUES is a member of the Malaysiakini team.