The pact with the devil
How in the world did the prime minister arrive at the incredible verdict that God was pleased with Umno’s track record?
Vote opposition and the country will go up in smoke. Then came his punchline: God knows that the ruling party had been fair to all and that was why He had allowed it to stay in power. His line of reasoning boils down to one conclusion: he is the special one chosen to lead his people again.
Free Malaysia Today
In great contests each party claims to act in accordance with the will of God. Both may be, but one must be wrong. – Abraham Lincoln
Maybe God appeared in his dream. Maybe God called him up one night and told him over the telepathic phone that he is the anointed one and that his party will continue to rule the country for another 54 years. Maybe God even whispered in his ears that if he called for a general election now, he will surely win hands down because God is on his side. The prime minister is showing all the signs of a desperate man clutching at a straw. He sees danger lurking in every corner. He is restless. He can never sleep in peace. His enemies are everywhere – and growing stronger. He is dead worried: if he loses power, his whole glittering world will come crushing down. He must hold on though his grip is loosening. The prospect of finding himself in the political wilderness for a long stretch is frightening. Hence, he is using every dirty tool avaliable to ensure people are scared witless and have no choice but to cast their lot for him.
The prime minister chose an appropriate setting to bring home God’s message. The audience fitted nicely into his game plan. The spectators are members of the Malaysia Islamic Missionary and Welfare Association (Pekida). Fighting for his political survival, he is counting on these warriors to lap up his political sermon and spread the word around with missionary zeal. The message is clear: Go forth and tell the Malays that only Umno can be their shield. Only Umno can defend Islam. Only Umno can give iron-clad guarantee that their special rights and positions will remain intact. Only Umno can defend the institution of monarchy and all things sacrosanct. You have no choice but to elect my government to another term. Vote opposition and the country will go up in smoke. Then came his punchline: God knows that the ruling party had been fair to all and that was why He had allowed it to stay in power. His line of reasoning boils down to one conclusion: he is the special one chosen to lead his people again.
Does the prime minister know what God is thinking? How in the world did he arrive at the incredible verdict that the Omnipotent One was pleased with Umno’s track record? How can he be so sure that the Almighty is always in Umno’s camp? Is He an Umno member? The premier was not jesting when he invoked God’s name in his fight for power. He was dead serious when he talked about this “divine revelation”. The Pekida members probably swallowed the political icing in his message and could be counted upon to go all out to defend the Umno bastion. Simple kampung folks could also be relied upon to carry the Umno torch. But the prime minister’s doomsday oration will cut no ice with all the other people who know what 54 years of Umno rule had done to the country.
