I am in control! Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi thinks its apppropriate to shout from the rooftops the he is in control of the country's administration. His statement was also carried prominently in the Sun, Utusan Malaysia and Berita Harian. I am not sure of the visibility in the Chinese media titles but i am fairly certain Abdullah's statements were picked up. The New Straits Times however, decided to spin his statement differently. I am not sure why the Prime Minister feels compelled to assert his authority. Perhaps he is feeling the heat from his political enemies? Whatever his motivation, his statement in the Star report quoting him as saying "“People who don’t understand say Pak Lah has lost control. But it is their view. What can I do?" is most telling. Should he not first contemplate why people resort to such statements in the first place? A leader should be decisive and instill confidence. His statements as reported in the Star, mirror a man who is unsure of his ability to steer this country to safer waters. One should also monitor the newspapers tomorrow to see what kind of reactionary statements of support are elicited from his "supporters".

In almost all mini-crisis that have sprouted up over the last year, a distinct lack of leadership from the top was most telling, which thereby contributed to an environment of uncertainty. I can reel off a few examples - the Moorthy case, Article 11 discourse, inter-faith dialogue, the call for a Malay Penang Chief Minister, where firm, well-informed, fair comments from the Prime Minister could have cooled temperatures but in the end, there were none. Abdullah's reform agenda has gotten cold, with inaction ringing loudly in the ears of all stakeholders.

Loudly proclaiming that he is still in control, is not going to change anything if he is unable to assume a leadership role. The Prime Minister should be sufficiently worried that history could label him in unflattering terms.  ¶ 4:22 PM