No transformation in Umno, says Pakatan
The status quo in Umno proves the party only wants power and favours from their leaders, not change, says Pakatan Rakyat
Anisah Shukry, FMT
The reinstatement of Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Hishammuddin Hussein and Shafie Apdal as Umno vice-presidents in the party’s polls last night proves one thing: Umno delegates don’t want change; they want power – and the favours that come with it.
Pakatan Rakyat leaders said this when asked to comment on the new lineup of the ruling party, which saw incumbents retaining their posts, and the most powerful in government maintaining positions in the Umno supreme council.
“What new lineup? It’s the old lineup!” laughed PKR vice-president Tian Chua when contacted for a response.
“But on a more serious note, we can see that Umno is not posed for change. All this talk about progressives in Umno fighting against conservatives is nonsensical. Delegates have only voted for those in power in the government.
“Mukhriz Mahathir lost the vice presidency post because he is only a Menteri Besar of Kedah. He was up against ministers who could award projects from across the nation to cronies, whereas the projects he could offer would only be in Kedah,” said Tian Chua.
Yesterday, in the fight for the vice-presidency position, both former Malacca chief minister Ali Rustam and Mukhriz had lost to the three incumbents, who are also ministers in their own right.
This was despite the fact that Ali had resorted to playing “the race card to the hilt” and resorted to “Chinese-bashing”, while Mukhriz had the support of his father, the former prime minister Mahathir Mohamed to help him through the polls.
“So the negative culture of Umno continues. There is no real reform in any way, because delegates will keep voting in those who can ‘help’ them, regardless of the candidate’s character,” said Tian Chua.
PAS vice-president Mahfuz Omar said that this meant leaders with bad track records would continue to be elected by Umno, to the detriment of Malaysians.
“There was no transformation process in last night’s Umno elections. Instead, those who won are those proven to have failed to manage the country and their own ministries well, as revealed in the Auditor-General’s 2012 report,” PAS vice-president Mahfuz Omar told FMT.
“I hope that with the reinstatement of the Umno leaders, the society can evaluate for themselves what this means, and they are able to vote wisely in the coming elections,” the Pokok Sena MP added.
‘Mahathir’s waning influence’
Pakatan also hailed the decline of Mahathir’s influence in Umno, but said that while the man himself was slowly becoming irrelevant, his legacy of corruption would still live on in Umno.
“[Mahathir was] irresponsible, ruthless and reckless in playing the race card, reiterating the preposterous allegations and lies since his failed attempt to racialise the Gelang Patah battle in the 13th General Elections that the Chinese in Malaysia were out to oust the political power of the Malays and dominate Malaysian politics,” said DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang.
“But the Umno party elections yesterday is further confirmation that Mahathir’s aura and magic have been on an unchecked decline, not only among the Malaysian and Malay public from his 13th general elections campaigns in Gelang Patah, Shah Alam and Pasir Mas but also inside Umno.”
But his waning influence would not signal a better Umno, stressed Tian Chua.
