Santa and PM’s communications strategist

The story of the prime minister having a British communications strategist as part of the “Brand Najib” team is not new.

It made the news some time ago. In 2012 it was “hot”, then it cooled off somewhat.

Of late, people began talking about it again, even in Parliament. Hence this piece – written when I ought to be writing about Santa Claus.

The timing could be a bit “off” as now was the time when everybody's (well, almost everybody) busy holidaying. Wouldn’t Santa make a better topic as tis’ the season to be jolly?

But then a communications strategist and working for the PM at that, deserves attention, jolly season or otherwise.

And since I want to have the Christmas cake and the icing as well, I’ll write about both – the strategist and Santa – and marry it so to speak into this piece.

First, the strategist.

He is Paul Stadlen, as many would know by now.

Google search Stadlen and we learn that he is a senior consultant for the Prime Minister’s Office’s (PMO) national communications team, or NCT, whose task include boosting Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s image and profile internationally.

Sources familiar with the “Brand Najib” campaign tell me among others the strategist was credited for the “good press” the PM received abroad particularly during the pre-GE12 days.

Stadlen has been “under the radar” for some time but the sources say he is still doing work for the PM, albeit away from PMO in Putrajaya or the NCT premises in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.

He has permanent residency in Malaysia, as announced recently by no other than the home minister himself – Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Before landing a job with the PM, Stadlen, dubbed a public relations guru, was head of Apco Malaysia.

Goggle search Apco and we are told that it is a global public affairs and strategic communications consultancy firm operating in 35 locations worldwide. Apco Malaysia was one of them, obviously.

Now on to Santa.

I’m skipping the old “does Santa exist” poser and go straight to say that he as we know it brings gifts to the homes of children, categorising them according to their behaviour – nice or naughty.

Back to Stadlen (pardon me if I’m going forward and backwards).

Let’s rewind to May 2015. Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim was quoted as saying that the government has never paid a single sen to Stadlen.

Echoing that was another federal minister, Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said at last month’s Parliament sitting.

In her written parliamentary reply Azalina said “Stadlen was never a government servant and thus was not paid any salary or allowance by the government”.

So who pays for his services? As no one is owing up as Stadlen’s paymaster, I can’t help but wonder if the communications strategist, has all this while been providing services to the PM free of charge?

Now, wouldn’t that make Stadlen a Santa Claus of sorts? Only instead of gifts to children, his is a communication and PR strategist for the PM?

Should that be the case, Najib must surely be the envy of many a prime minster the world over – getting a top class media planner without having to pay for it.

Finally something which caught my eye in Facebook or Instagram a couple of days ago. Or perhaps I saw it in WhatsApp.

Well, it doesn’t matter where I got it from. Maybe you have seen it too. The message reads: “Nothing good in life is free. Even Santa comes with a clause”.

Merry Christmas everybody. – December 24, 2015.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.