Umno will never change: A blessing M’sia now has a two-party system
Moaz Nair, Hornbill Unleashed
A leopard will not change its spots. Same goes for UMNO. In this case, UMNO leaders at its AGM will not cleanse all their past ‘sins’ to make it a party of choice for the Malays and other races in the coming general election. They use the AGM not to be meditative or introspective of their weaknesses as a political party, but choose to turn it into a political forum to childishly put down the Opposition.
This is a big letdown on their part. They are obviously on a defensive mode –- shielding the many issues affecting their leaders – personal, corruption and incompetency –- thinking that the delegates are ‘village fools’ who have come to listen to their side of the stories. They have under-rated the intelligence of the delegates and the people at large.
One delegate from Johore snapped: “We are talking the same old stories. We want to be defensive on everything even though we have done many wrongs. We are not admitting all our wrongdoings. We just don’t want to admit our mistakes. This is not the way for UMNO to win the Malay hearts. The people are not happy with many things going on in the country.”
The unpopular Youth leader
To most of the delegates, the present UMNO AGM is more of the usual rhetoric – race, religion and the perceived or tenuous ‘threats’ of other races to the Malays and their rights and privileges. They forget that like the Malays, the non-Malays too have their rights and privileges in this country.
The AGM seems to imprudently use the race platform to sock the Opposition on personal issues that their own leaders are worse at. They choose to deny interpolating on their leaders’ wrongdoings but act like spotless saints preaching on the stage to ‘mesmerize’ the delegates into thinking that UMNO is ‘God’ and others are devils. Many in the audience though are not convinced with their daft rhetoric.
The unpopular Youth leader and his team, as customary, had all the uncouth words for the Opposition and the marginalized ‘social groups’ in society. The people just could not understand why they should despise others using lexis like ‘pondan’, ‘anak haram’ and ‘bapok’. What have these ‘socially ostracised’ people done to harm UMNO Youth? Could this be the product of ill breeding on UMNO Youth’s part?
The dim-witted Chief himself is trying hard to impress the top leadership but, unfortunately, in a very rough and ready manner. Little does he realise that his future and his chance of climbing up the political ladder in UMNO is already bleak. A delegate from Kedah had this to say of him: “If he were to contest for the same post again, he would lose.”
They yap on Malay survival thinking that only UMNO could represent the Malays. They fail to realise that PAS has become a more popular party among the young and educated Malays. They woof at the Chinese considering them as a big threat to the Malays when they themselves are working with MCA and Gerakan Chinese parties.
Just because a Chinese from DAP is helming a thriving Penang they try to bilk the delegates into thinking that soon a Chinese will eye for the prime minister’s post. UMNO will never underscore the fact that Penang never had a chief minister other than a Chinese since Merdeka. Thus, all the hue and cry at the AGM is just a hypocrisy.
Helps make the Opposition stronger
The delegates at the AGM will prefer not to touch on money politics, corruption, financial leakages at all levels of governance and management, the poor state of the country’s economy, the feudal mindset of the Malays and the many social problems faced by the Malay race. These, startlingly, are not central to party leaders and delegates. They prefer to adopt to worthless rhetoric tinged with emotions and hatred for others. By bashing the Opposition is not going to drag UMNO out from quicksand. It only helps make the Opposition stronger.
The rhetoric on Chinese threats on Malay power is not going to sell either. Malaysians in general realise that no Chinese or Indian is interested in becoming the prime minister of the country. It is not the solemn ambition of any non-Malay in this country to become the prime Minister. Their heartfelt aspiration is to see a serene Malaysia for all the people to cherish. Let an accomplished and righteous Malay lead them.
A delegate from Melaka had this to say: “ We should have spent more time debating on how to resolve the many social problems facing the Malays rather than condemning the Opposition or the Chinese. By attacking the Opposition we are actually giving credits and more sympathy for them using our platform.”
Only one state headed by Chinese
UMNO AGM is again used to offend the non-Malays. An Indian Muslim Youth leader of UMNO from Penang bleated with hot air, despising the Chief Minister (CM) of Penang with all the disparaging words he has picked up from his parents. He must have forgotten that Penang was also under a Chinese CM since Merdeka and there has not been a slightest whinge on this issue before this. Why the yelping and bellowing now when the majority Muslims in Penang are comfortable with the present State Government?
UMNO is indeed giving the wrong impression to the people that the Chinese will take over the country if UMNO is weak This is a weird and unfounded theory by UMNO rumour mongers and it has offended the Chinese who MCA and Gerakan are trying hard to woo for UMNO.
UMNO is bound to lose more votes in the coming general election for this irrational statement by its nutty leaders. UMNO is ignoring the fact that Malaysia is what it is now in terms of economic development hugely due to the diligent Chinese. The illustrious city landscapes in the country are Chinese contributions to the nation. The economy of the country is flourishing immeasurably due to the assiduous Chinese.
The Chinese do not disguise themselves to become ‘Malays’ or UMNO members to achieve economic progress. This is unlike what the people on the ground observe is happening within UMNO. UMNO is now taken over by pseudo-Malays disguising themselves as the ‘Indigenous’ people. This, supposedly, is more of a threat to the real Malays and the Indigenous than the unpretentious Chinese or Indians.
The next general election will most probably see the Opposition taking over the government with a simple majority. UMNO or the Malays have nothing to fret about. The country will still see only one state headed by a Chinese CM and that is in Penang. Penang has been traditionally headed by a Chinese and the progress of the state goes well without saying. All other Malaysian states – in all probability – will be headed by Malay CMs or Menteri Besar.
So in this circumstances, will there be any difference between Barisan and the Opposition political status quo in the country? The only difference will be that the Opposition would, by all accounts, be more competent, responsible and transparent in governance of the country, as already seen in the present four states controlled by them.
The modern Malays are aware of this. Thus UMNO’s inane rhetoric on the Chinese or DAP threat does not carry weight at all. This publicity stunt by UMNO will make them lose more votes to the Opposition in the next general election. They have failed to grasp the fact that DAP to PAS and PKR is more or less analogous to what MCA and Gerakan are to UMNO; PAS and PKR will be akin to UMNO –- representing the majority Malays. A delegate from Sabah rightly said: “When we are politically wrong we need to have it corrected and diligently find solutions to ensure that the other races are not offended. A two-party system augurs well for the country. This is a wake-up call for all parties. The best party will be the people’s choice.”
