We must not lose hope….
Who are these PKR Politicians that are defecting to UMNO? Who are these PKR politicians who are now “independents” but supporting UMNO? Who are these PKR politicians who will soon be defecting to UMNO and Barisan Nasional? If all these claims by UMNO are to be believed then UMNO must surely be in an enviable position as we approach the coming General Elections!
By Steadyaku47
There is even talk about UMNO getting back their two thirds majority so that “adjustments” can be made to the electoral boundaries to ensure victory for UMNO in the next General Elections. It would seem that there is a general feeling of euphoria sweeping UMNO as they ready themselves not for defeat in the next General Elections but victory and the taking back from PKR all the states lost to PKR back into the fold of UMNO where they belong! Huh!
Before we get all caught up with this euphoria – whether imagined or real – now sweeping UMNO, let us, as the Trengganu lingo says … Cok Ko … take five and recap.
UMNO understands that it has to rebuild itself from the ground up after its worst defeat in a General Election. It needed a leader that could advance democratic values, practices and institutions. It needed a leader that will promote openness and accountability in Government and within UMNO. It needed a leader that will govern for the public good. And with the vast racial and cultural divide that exists within our country it needed a leader that would create an open political environment in which the people can actively participate in the democratic process. UMNO got Najib!!!
UMNO is emerging from a crisis. A crisis that has been caused by UMNO simplification of the belief that it needs funding in order to survive, compete, and perform its function during and after elections. UMNO needed to weed out the politics of “kebendaan” or money politics. In our country, there is no question that political finance is needed – but it is in the getting and the use of these “finance” that is being abused for the benefit of UMNO and its political elites (another euphemism for the privileged few) that has caused the demise of this once all powerful political party and drain all the vitality that it once had through the support of the Rakyat.
The leaders in UMNO have little interest in the pursuit of good governance or in meeting the aspirations of its Rakyat but instead are focused on solidifying their own advantage – both personal and financial. This has meant that for the most part, if not in totality, the energies and commitment within UMNO are encouraged towards the getting of this money for their own keeping rather then the long-term political vitality of UMNO, the good of the Rakyat and of our country.
Here in Malaysia, powerful political entities and political figures plunder the economy. The abuse of public office and the Rakyat’s resources for private benefit has become so ingrained in Malaysia that powerful political figures, their families, friends, relatives … mistresses even … plunder the country’s resources with impunity. So while they need a leader with the tenacity of Winston Churchill to take it out of its crisis and the greatness of Mandela to bring the people of our country together as one – they got Najib! Huh!
Without doubt, political finance is a vital tool in democratic politics but UMNO and PKR must choose carefully whom amongst themselves they want to empower and what sort of activities they wish to promote in the getting of this political finance. It is imperative that leaders within these political entities are accountable not only to the political entities that they lead but also to the public they serve. It would serve us all well if the next leader that will soon emerge to lead UMNO to the next General Election understands that the tide has changed in the world that we live in. No longer is race the dominant issue that will ensure UMNO’s victory … or even allow its survival post the next General Elections. No longer will the Malay blindly give its support to those that profess to champion its cause – nor will the Chinese, the Indians or any of the others that live with us in this country of ours.
For now we need to think that tomorrow will bring with it hope for a change for the better not only for the Malays but also for all of us that call Malaysia their home. We need to think that there are leaders out there that will put country and people before the interest of themselves and the political parties that they lead. We need to have leaders to look up to. Leaders who are better than us – because we are sometimes incapable of doing what is best for ourselves, for our fellow humans and for our country. We need a leader to do that for us. And most of all we need hope.
We need hope because after 50 years of trust and expectation, UMNO has let us down. We need hope because we have a Government that chose not to look after its people but chose to look for the interest of those that are within it. Our answer is a moral one. We need leaders who are moral in their doing of things for the country. In the way they govern us. In the way they live their lives and in the way they conduct themselves. UMNO has Najib!!!
UMNO has Najib, Muhyiddin, Mahathir, JJ, Hishammuddin, Rais, Isa, … and the pathetic list goes on … and on … and on. And we must not forget what “contributions” MCA and MIC brings into their equation and what their “saviours” from Sabah and Sarawak can contribute … or should we say “demand” from the spoils of war. I do not envy what Najib is faced with. Damm if he does. Damm if he does not. But then he is all they have got!
We have sat patiently for too long. If our country is to survive we must have hope. Tok Guru, Anwar Ibrahim, Azizah, Lim Kit Siang, Lim Guan Eng, Tan Sri Khalid, Tun Salleh Abbas, Zaid … and many other from within PKR … these people give us hope. We have all these people on our side and many more within our ranks. Those that have left us – like Teoh Beng Hock also give us hope in their leaving because our thoughts of them will keep the fire burning bright within our soul. We will never give up while there is hope.
Surely we, together with PKR, can only win at the next General Election! MERDEKA!!!
“Each time a person stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, these ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance” ROBERT F. KENNEDY
