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alaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak has chosen loyalists over smart people to be his new oarsmen. Will his battleship continue to fare the high seas and survive the undercurrents within the Umno, Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) and Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) and the opposition block, and if so for how long?

The prime minister, just days after the shocking announcement of his new line-up of Cabinet members, which also saw the unceremonious sacking of veteran Umno leaders, has publicly declared that he prefers '€œloyalists to smart'€ people in his Cabinet.

That for starters is an insult to the new Cabinet members. Now, how he will defend that remains to be seen.

Next, overwhelmed by a sea of some 50,000 people in Malacca, the prime minister announced on the spot a multi-million ringgit allocation to help develop Malacca. He will table this decision to his new Cabinet and they, being loyalists to the letter, will not object.

Here again he has set a precedent with a deep-seated message: If you support me and stay by me, I will give you all the help and money you need. Otherwise, probably the same fate that befell Tan Sri Muyiddin and others will be ours, or worse?

Meanwhile the deputy prime minister in demonstrating his sense of loyalty to Najib has upped the ante in threatening the media. There will be no more warnings. Just action, if they are not loyal in their reporting, presumably. Wonder how that is going to happen when even communist China is finding it almost impossible to keep a lid on social media.

Hence, loyalty is garnered by winning the trust of the people and taking pains to headhunt smart people who have the credibility and track records to build on the much-needed trust that Najib is battling for.

Laws, threats, promotions, monetary rewards and protection cannot help any ship to sail safely for long.

JD Lovrenciear
Kuala Lumpur