The times, they are a changing
Raja Petra Kamarudin
Umno’s main challenge is to change the mindset of the Malays so that they are not left behind in a fast changing world its deputy president and Deputy Prime Minister, Dato’ Sri Najib Tun Razak, said on Saturday.
Najib added that Umno had succeeded in various aspects in developing the country and race and bringing change, both to the urban and rural areas, but a lot still needed to be done to change the mindset and culture of the Malays.
Come gather round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You’ll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you
Is worth savin’
Then you better start swimmin’
Or you’ll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin’.Come writers and critics
Who prophesize with your pen
And keep your eyes wide
The chance won’t come again
And don’t speak too soon
For the wheel’s still in spin
And there’s no tellin’ who
That it’s namin’
For the loser now
Will be later to win
For the times they are a-changin’.Come senators, congressmen
Please heed the call
Don’t stand in the doorway
Don’t block up the hall
For he that gets hurt
Will be he who has stalled
There’s a battle outside
And it is ragin’
It’ll soon shake your windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin’.Come mothers and fathers
Throughout the land
And don’t criticize
What you can’t understand
Your sons and your daughters
Are beyond your command
Your old road is
Rapidly agin’
Please get out of the new one
If you can’t lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin’.The line it is drawn
The curse it is cast
The slow one now
Will later be fast
As the present now
Will later be past
The order is
Rapidly fadin’
And the first one now
Will later be last
For the times they are a-changin’.
The Times They Are A-Changin’ by Bob Dylan
Umno’s main challenge is to change the mindset of the Malays so that they are not left behind in a fast changing world its deputy president and Deputy Prime Minister, Dato’ Sri Najib Tun Razak, said on Saturday.
Najib added that Umno had succeeded in various aspects in developing the country and race and bringing change, both to the urban and rural areas, but a lot still needed to be done to change the mindset and culture of the Malays.
“It can be said that we are champions in fighting for the lot of the Malays… there’s no group that has not been touched by our efforts. In terms of developing the religion until we become a model Islamic state, we’ve succeeded… in various aspects, we’ve been great,” he said after opening the Gerik Umno division delegates meeting.
The deputy prime minister said that despite the complex problems, efforts to develop the country had been successful, but it was not that easy to change the mindset of the Malays to make them an outstanding race. He said the challenge was to achieve not just a small measure of success but success at the regional and international levels.
He said there were already Malays who had reached these levels but their number was small. The Malays must move in tandem with the rest of the world if they did not want to be left behind, argued Najib. “To continue to succeed, we must look forward in a world full of new challenges and technologies that will impact on the lifestyle and relations with other countries.”
Najib also expressed disappointment with some Malays who still believed in the supernatural. He said he was surprised to learn from Datuk Azhar Mansor, the first Malaysian to sail solo round the world, that the question most often asked of him at his lectures was whether he had seen ghosts on his journey.
Another example he gave was the Mastika magazine published by Utusan Melayu which made more sales than the knowledge and serious magazines. “The serious Massa of old had to be closed because of poor readership.”
“We must make changes in charting success…don’t keep to the old ways… times have changed but there are still those with the old thinking.”
He again warned the members that Umno’s biggest enemy came within, not outside the party. “Previously we had poison-pen letters but now we have SMS and e-mail containing libellous and ridiculous stories aimed at wreaking havoc in the party.”
He said Umno was a strong party that could not be dislodged by the opposition parties but internal elements, if not checked, could cause problems as was evident from past crises.
Changing mindset of the Malays is Umno’s main challenge: Bernama, 21 May 2005
Anwar Ibrahim would have to seriously take note of this. The times, they are a changing.
Seven years ago, in 1998, Anwar ‘went away’. They say: 24 hours is a long time in politics. Seven years is therefore certainly a longer time by any standards. Over the last seven years much has changed both in Malaysia as well as the world over.
But is Anwar keeping up with the times?
In 1998, there were only 8 million voters. Today, there are 10 million. By the next election, there would be an estimated 12 million to 13 million.
In 1998, there were only 250,000 internet users in Malaysia. Less than 1% of Malaysians had access to the internet and the urban internet population was only about 3%. Today, there are about 4 million to 5 million internet users and the urban internet population has exceeded 50%. By the next election, there would be an estimated 8 million to 10 million internet users while the broadband users would have increase drastically.
In 1998, the voters voted against the ruling party because they hated the Prime Minister then, Dr Mahathir Mohamad, and they were outraged by the jailing of Anwar and the beating he received at the hands of Malaysia’s police chief. Today, Dr Mahathir has left the scene and Anwar is no longer in jail. By the next election, the voters will vote based on which government is best suited to run this country and which can bring development to the people and guarantee a strong economy for Malaysia.
In 1998, issues of rampant and blatant corruption, police brutality, the lack of independence of the judiciary, disregard for fundamental human rights and the pursuit of justice were key issues to most Malaysians. Today, a strong economy is the main issue. By the next election, job security, more money in your pockets, and the future of your family would be what matter most to the majority of Malaysians.
The times, they are a changing. What was important to Malaysians in 1998 is no longer important today. And what is important to Malaysians today will no longer be important by the next election. Either we change with the times or we will be swept aside in the Tsunami of change.
Anwar would be best advised to take note of these changes. Yesterday’s hits are no longer heard on the airwaves. Either we write new songs or we drop out of the top hits chart. Yesterday’s hits are not listened to anymore today. Today’s hits will be forgotten tomorrow. And yesterday’s hits will most certainly sound boring tomorrow.
