Friday 14 March 2008

General Elections: Observations 9

My impression of Guan Eng is that he is a man in a hurry. I know the enthusiasm and excitement is there because it is the first time he is running a state government but .... the heavy responsibilities of the office will mean that he can no longer make comments the way that he used to do.

No more shooting from the hips and scoring points against the Barisan. Now, whatever he does or say, he must learn to weigh the implications carefully because the whole country will be watching him. Every time he opens his mouth in public, people take it to me the official line, a government policy. So he must learn to be careful.

Take, for example, his policy statement on Thursday. Guan Eng talked about doing away with the NEP at state level. Good for him to say that, but because it was announced so soon after being sworn in, it raised hue and cry among the UMNO people. He allowed his opponents to take immediate pot shots at him, no matter how crude their methods. Just the moment that they were waiting for. It invited a warning from the PM; then it provided those hoodlums and nuts with an excuse to take to the streets. I feel he could have waited for a more appropriate time. Or perhaps a subtler approach instead of taking the bull by its horns. Now, he has to bear the full brunt of his inexperience of public office.

But I like his style of getting down to business right away. I really do. It says a lot for the DAP and PKR coalition governemnt that they have the will to begin governing the state immediately. I hope the new team will be successful, really successful. I'm behind them all the way.

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