Amanat Presiden 2010 – whats new pussycat, whoa, whoa, whoa

The UMNO general Assembly is almost over. This Saturday, it will be winding up session. I think it was after the 1st day session, I received a call from someone representing Astro Awani. They wanted me to be one of the panelists discussing the speech by the UMNO President. It is to take place shortly before or during the winding up debate.

I said I am game. But I must warn you, I told the caller, that my views are not exactly mainstream. I will speak as I see it. On that note, the caller, said, ok, we shall call back to confirm. The caller never called back and I am not meant to become a panelist.

If not, I would have my 10 minutes fame.

It is alright. I can still be the only panelist on my blog. I can do a better thing- write my impression on the President’s Speech.

So today, I will write my impression on that speech. It shall be followed by my take on the various issue spoken by the delegates.

Just a little on the assembly. It is another round of an orgy of self congratulatory and pat on the back performances. It’s a contest to come up with the most banal, the most stupid and the most outrageous thinking. One such banality was the call to end the advertisement of ladies sanitary pad because such advertisements lead people astray. Malay or non Malay, missy?

Then there is this joker from Melaka, who within a short space of 10 minutes pronounced the evils of the free market. So, he called for bigger government and bigger intervention. He wants bigger penetration. Hello, towkay, it’s this sort of strategy that led to the highest GINI indices within the Malay community.

Why should Malay economic well-being depend or not depend on the help of non Malays. Malay economic wellbeing MUST be the outcome of own doing and the doing of a Malay led government.

But I am slightly ahead of myself. more of the not exactly mainstream thinking will come later. For now it is Najib’s 95 point speech.

What was I expecting?

I thought this would be the best opportunity for Najib to close the disconnect between his ideas and bring his ideas directly to the UMNO warlords and leaders. They would then disseminate his ideas down the line, making his ideas, shared ideals.

Sadly, his ideas are the making of consulting firms, fabricated in the several labs overseen by Pemandu. He didn’t bring his ideas to the people that matter most- the UMNO foot generals. There were only brief remarks about GTP, ETP , 1 Malaysia, NEM and NPM. New Political Model.

I was expecting Najib to elaborate on his NPM. Instead he talked in terms of generalities hoping UMNO people will fill in the blanks. They can’t, if their heads are blank too.

So while his speech was good in the manner it was presented, in terms of its efficacy to get the desired objectives, to paraphrase the infamous words of Mukhriz son of Mahathir- there’s nothing new.

Why nothing new? Talk about the history of UMNO struggles. Been there, done that. Talk about the Monarchy? Been there, done that. Talk about UMNO working hard? Been there and done that too. We have heard the themes repeated over and over again, varying only in the manner of presenting them. PAS bashing, Anwar Bashing, non Malays bashing?- same old stories. Nonsensical speeches, open display of idiocy? It’s a permanent feature of UMNO GA.

so, what’s new pussycat? Whoa, whoa, whoa…

Let’s see what’s new.