Before it's Akujanji, now it's Najib-ikrar

Last night, I saw on local TV a clip showing DPM Najib berikrar or pledging loyalty to PM Abdullah. May be PM Abdullah or his loyalists and psy-op specialists have already studied carefully the behaviourial pattern of Najib's politics as well as his positioning in the current Mahathir-Abdullah wars of words over the "crooked" or "scenic" bridge.

For those who remember the 1987-1988 Umno split, Najib was at first pro-Rezaleigh but then turned around at a critical moment to support Dr. Mahathir. He now also preaches national unity and inter-ethnic peace and harmony.

In the 1990s when former DPM Anwar Ibrahim was at the height of his power and influence as the protege and almost certain successor to Dr. Mahathir, Najib was on Anwar's Wawasan Team, but when Anwar was sacked and demonised by Dr. Mahathir as a "sodomist", "Western agent" and what not, Najib changed side and contributed his share of attack on Anwar. As the result, Dr. Mahathir and his loyalists promoted Najib to be Abdullah's deputy.

I don't know how Dr. Mahathir and his loyalists now think of Najib as he is seen also to be in line with Abdullah over the the bridge issue, although his tone is softer and milder than Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz. Like Abdullah himself, Najib also publicly backed Dr. Mahathir's idea of building the bridge until a few weeks before the abrupt and unilateral U-turn was announced by Abdullah.

Najib: Sale of sand is Singapore's idea
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/50411

We did not 'bend' to S'pore, says Najib
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/49799

M'sia hopes bridge will be accepted someday
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/49800