Has Najib Cast The Net Wide Enough?

If it is to be held in the merry month of May,the question to be asked is: Has Najib cast the net wide enough?

Let us look at some of the goodies he doled out and did it fell rightly in the proper place? Or did he gave it to the converted? Or did he gave them to those who will not ever be converted?

Under these circumstances, the best he could do is not to alienate any voter particularly those who are fence sitters.

The first one to look at is the doling out of RM100 to every school going student. To me, this is a much wider net as many would have school going children.

The next would be the book vouchers to students in Form 6 and in college and universities. Along with the first dole-out to school-going students, this will about cover all those who have children in schools, colleges and universities. A very wide yet, in fact.

Then we have the cash hand-out to the public. This is one which can bring Najib up and also bring him down. Execution is very important here. The sad thing about this scheme is for every one that may get in a deserving family, many will be alienated and they may not like it. Also there has been known cases of non-deserving people who received it. My take is that this is a two-sided sword.

It's well and good that the Merdeka Centre survey has attributed Najib's rising popularity to this particular hand-out but I think this is really on huge red herring because such a survey outcome is loaded and cannot be used as a barometer that is neutral. Merdeka Centre should be more professional!

The removal of half the toll payment in the Cheras-Kajang connurbation seems like one good strategy on the surface, if it is to win over the hard-core DAP voters in that area. However, sadly, these hard-core DAP supporters will never change the spots on their bodies. At best, it may win over some of those drive through drivers, if at all.

The KR1M shops may be successful to an extent for the lower class though I believe the price of most staple items are just too minimal to shout about.

As for 1Menu Malaysia, not many shops operate this programme and it is time-specified. They do not serve such menu all day long and there is a mad rush during such time. Food quality is another thing.

The 1Malaysia Home is still-born and no one is benefiting from this. Until the banks can get an assurance, this scheme will be kept frozen in permafrost. So graduate employees,best to forget it for the time being.

The RM300 million EPF loan for the purchase of City hall Kuala Lumpur flats is another negative for Najib as it is now almost a no-go because of its sub-prime nature.

The U-turn on the civil service salary may have some positive effects. Some of those in the lower salary rungs may be persuaded to support BN again because of the 13% pay-rise and the additional RM50 COLA. Good move,Najib.

As for the other things doled out from ETP and EPP projects, these continue to be nebulous numbers which the man in the street cannot relate to.

In conclusion, the net seems to be cast quite widely but its impact may not be there politically.

There is just too many dissatisfied voters out there primarily because runaway inflation is eating into their hard earned ringgits too quickly.

Get inflation down and BN can get more fence-sitters to its side.

Otherwise, expect hostile voters as well as low voter turn out on Election Day.