A Moody Gathering
The past assemblies were carnivals and occasions for celebration, in which delegates entered the auditorium in high spirit. Not this time. The 2008 general assembly is more like an occasion for confession, under such an undertone, the delegates entered the auditorium downcrested and full of perplexity.
By TAY TIAN YAN/Translated by DOMINIC LOH/Sin Chew Daily
I noticed one thing.
When Najib was delivering his opening addresses at the UMNO Youth, Wanita and Puteri assemblies, the applause he received was short of thunderous.
Most of the time, it was dead silent.
That was a far cry from the delegates' responses in past assemblies. In the past, every other sentence uttered by the president, in particular a new president, would most likely be accompanied by thunderous applause and cheers from the delegates.
Not because Najib didn't present his speeches well enough. As a matter of fact, they were among his most content-rich and steadiest speeches ever delivered.
Not because Najib was out of favour among the delegates.
The atmosphere just appeared a little tense, minus the festive ambience that filled the air in past assemblies.
The past assemblies were carnivals and occasions for celebration, in which delegates entered the auditorium in high spirit.
Not this time. The 2008 general assembly is more like an occasion for confession, under such an undertone, the delegates entered the auditorium downcrested and full of perplexity.
UMNO is falling from the clouds, still scrambling to find a new direction.
Najib's speeches will not make the delegates any happier. On the contrary, their feelings are more a concoction of bitterness, sourness and insipidity, with bitterness taking the lead.
It should be the first time that UMNO leaders have admitted in a general assembly the party is in the midst of a deep crisis. Najib is not evading the problem. He said UMNO is at a crossroad of survival.
He admitted that many Malays are now forsaking UMNO, and the party's glory has become a thing of the past.
Whether there will life after this will very much depend on whether the party is able to reform and reinvent itself.
This serves as a severe blow on UMNO people who remain immersed in the party's past glory, and who still think the party will dominate and stay relevant forever.
They may not have the strength now to put their hands together to clap or to cheer.
What alarms them most is that Najib has vowed to wipe out corruption and smash out at money politics.
Najib has said he wants to amend the party constitution, abolish the quota system, change the mode of election, and allow more party members to participate in the selection of their leaders instead of surrendering the right of choosing leaders to a handful of central delegates.
Once the policy is put into implementation, the avenue of wealth for these party delegates will now be completely severed.
How could they feel elated this time?
Najib is well aware of the situation within UMNO, and is now delivering the truths.
The question is: Will UMNO members accept what he says, and move on to reform and reinvent?
The answer lies in whether Najib is firm in his resolution, and whether those in his party are willing to cooperate.
