Be more responsible, Umno
The NEP meant to uplift the wellbeing of Bumiputras had not benefitted the indigenous groups in Sarawak. They had often wondered whether they were considered second class Bumiputras while the NEP is only for the first class Bumiptras in Semenanjung.
Paul Sir, Malaysian Mirror
When you start talking about reforms, it means that something is not right and has to be corrected.
‘Reformation’ could aptly be the theme of the just concluded Umno general assembly. Almost every tops guns in the party stressed on that one important point – reforms must be carried out within the party or else it would continue to lose the support of the people, the Malays in particular.
For us in Sarawak, I’m aware that many do not think much of Umno; in fact they don’t really care about what’s happening in the party. Also, Umno is not in Sarawak, so it’s just an alien party over in Malaya.
But let’s be realistic. Umno is Malaysia’s dominant ruling party and the Umno president is the prime minister of Malaysia, ie also the prime minister of all of us, Sarawakians. The programmes and policies he implements have a bearing on Sarawak, like it or not.
I think I can safely say that Umno is not a popular party in Sarawak. Why? One main factor is that the people of Sarawak in general had to bear the brunt of their racially-biased policies such as in the economic and educational sectors in the past.
The NEP meant to uplift the wellbeing of Bumiputras had not benefitted the indigenous groups in Sarawak. They had often wondered whether they were considered second class Bumiputras while the NEP is only for the first class Bumiptras in Semenanjung.
Then there was the quota system for entry into institutions of higher learning. The people of Sarawak and Sabah felt offended, even angry, that such a policy could ever be put in place. Many bright students from the two states were unable to enter Universiti Malaya for example, even though their grades were much better than those offered places.
Because of such policies which Umno had bulldozed through in the past, we can say that Umno had been irresponsible in many ways. Yes, plain irresponsible.
At the on-going Umno general assembly, Umno approved many amendments to its constitution. The party has declared that it will be reformed in order to make it more relevant to the changing Malay society and to the nation as a whole.
DPM, practice what you preach
Oh, how I love the rather philosophical speech by Umno deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin who outlined four principles which he said should be understood by party members in creating One Umno and ridding the party of negative elements.
According to him, the four principles are unity of mind, unity of heart, unity of deed and unity of objective.
I enjoyed the DPM’s next line “We should be united in our struggle so that there won’t be anymore instigators, provocateurs or hypocrites among us. So that there won’t be anymore internal conflicts, or the existence of Team A-Team B like in the past or plot to topple leaders, or the culture of issuing threats, and power struggle, to the extent of undermining the party.”
Well said, Tan Sri but I hope your Umno members heard you properly and more importantly, that you will practice what you preach.
Your detractors didn’t think much of your performance as menteri besar of Johore and recently, a ‘baggage’ of yours when you were the MB started surfacing on the Internet. I will not mention it in detail simply because I have no proof of their allegations. Since you have refuted what had been hurled against you, it’s only fair that we give you the benefit of the doubt.
The people of Sabah will also remember what one of your predecessors had done – he was the mastermind of bringing Umno to Sabah and in the process, toppled a legitimate government by force. Sabahans will not forget this. This is Umno bullying at its worst. Now that guy is sitting on the opposite side of the Umno fence and we hope that he will be able to undo the harm and damage he had inflicted on Sabah and its people. That the least he should do.
Back to your speech at the Umno assembly, Mr DPM, I still remember someone familiar who made scathing remarks against a former prime minister and in the process, forced him out of office? Hey, didn’t someone mention ‘hypocrite’?
Of Umno president Najib Abdul Razak’s long presidential address, I pay particular attention to this one.
“Let us make sure that Umno now helps Malays who are really in need of help and not those who come to the party pleading for help so that they could get richer,” he said.
‘Umnoputras’ a sore thumb
I’m glad Najib and Umno realize this, although it may be a little late in coming.
For too long, “Umnoputras” have remained a sore thumb for the party. Not only did other races feel sidelined but the majority of Malays in the country were also left out, even during those times when the going was good for the country.
Frankly, the other amendments like abolishing the quota system for Umno elections and recommending direct elections of party leaders are of little interest to me.
But to be fair, I must commend the new Umno leadership for taking such bold steps in revamping a party system that is no longer relevant today. Hopefully, that will change the mentality of the second echelon leaders of the party so that in future, we will be able to see a more responsible and accountable Umno.
In case Umno and its members get carried away and feel too good with their newly charted direction, here’s some food for thought for them from a prominent Malay personality.
Perhaps Megat Najmuddin Megat Khas, a member of Umno’s disciplinary board, has good reasons to be a pessimist.
He told the Nut Graph web portal last week that “I am not that enamoured of the amendments to the constitution as I do not think that it is big or deep enough. Until and unless our total political makeup changes, I think nothing is going to change.
Replaced by self interest
“Widening the pool of voters is good, but the system and culture of self-interest and money politics have to change. There is this culture of focusing on material gains, and the question of “Apa yang ku dapat?” is being asked all the time.
“I think that being in the party should be about sacrifice and struggle, and this is what we have lost sight of. It has been replaced by self-interest.”
Megat Najmuddin further questioned: “What is our ideology now? We have not spelt it out. What is our struggle? The whole old fight for Malay rights and interests, that is kaput. What is our new tagline now, and what is our thinking and our sense of purpose?
“Currently, we have people who are in the party who view their positions in it as a means to achieve material success or power. But our forefathers started the party based on notions of sacrifice.
“It is time to fight for everybody, and that includes the non-Malay [Malaysians]. That mindset has not gone in yet, not even after [the general election of] 2008. On the ground we still have people spouting semi-racist or racist comments, and this is worrying to me. I think we should open up the party to the non-Malay [Malaysians],” he added.
In conclusion, this is my parting shot: Umno has only one path. It’s a simple route – return to basics. Be open in your governance of the country and genuinely look after the welfare of all Malaysians. That could just be the surest route to Umno’s political survival.
Failure to do that could spell the end of the party. Heed this advice seriously.
This article was first published in The Borneo Post but has been updated by the writer. He can be reached at [email protected] n
