A new beginning for Umno

Tay Tian Yan, Sin Chew Daily

Will this year’s Umno general assembly be different from the past events?

Could be!

The undertone of the general assembly, supposed to be aggressive with calls for debates over sensitive issues such as the existence of Chinese and Tamil primary schools, has now taken on a milder stance with a lean towards moderation.

Apparently such a shift could have been attributed to the pressure from high up, who do not want to see this year’s Umno general assembly to tickle the sensitive nerve of the society.

It nevertheless remains to be seen whether the delegates, in particular conservatives taking part in debates, are willing to offer their cooperation.

It has become customary for some voices to be made heard shortly before the general assembly starts, and for members eager to protrude themselves, the assembly is a perfect platform for them to expose themselves. Why would want to let go of such a great opportunity to showcase their eloquence?

The Umno general assembly has always been a very important political stage where delegates would attempt to win attention by uttering intense and provocative remarks, even if they can’t make themselves comical figures in the likes of Bung Moktar Radin.

Moderate voices are a rarity in Umno general assembly, and they are hardly noticeable.

After the Resolutions Committee has decided to include the status of Chinese primary schools, intimidation against Islam and Sedition Act for debates in the general assembly, a battlefield has thus been set up, bracing for aggressive fights ahead.

The choices of the Resolutions Committee have left many observers shaking their heads in disbelief. The existence of Chinese primary schools is already a final conclusion that does not warrant any debate by Umno members. As for IS threat, everyone should see that the status of Islam is gaining strength by the day in this country, and talks of menace and threat are not making any sense at all.

As for the Sedition Act, perhaps Umno members should browse earlier records to find that it was none other than party president Najib Tun Razak himself who first proposed to annul the act, not the opposition.

Reactions from the public over the committee’s decision are easily understandable, but for Umno, but to Umno, it is a morale booster.

Well aware of such reactions, key party leaders are rushing in to patch up, with Najib first to reiterate the constitutional status of Chinese and Tamil primary schools, specifying that Umno must not yearn for Chinese votes on the one hand and seek to review the status of Chinese primary schools on the other hand.

Deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin met up with party delegates to convey the same message while secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor told the delegates what they should and should not say.

On the eve of the general assembly, Najib set the direction for this year’s event, proposing political reforms to attract new blood while reinforcing hat Umno must bring itself back on the moderation way. Sure enough the party president’s approach is not going to win the favor of the conservatives, but it nevertheless shows Najib’s determination to steer the party back to the right track.

This is indeed a political reality Umno must to terms with.

In Malaysia’s political ecosystem today, Umno is no longer the only entity that dominates. In its stead, we have a more diversified structure in which many different forces come into play.

The old way of Umno is only good enough to consolidate its traditional support base. To further expand this base, the party will have to restore the erstwhile amicable relationship with its allies in Barisan in a bid to win over non-Malay voters as well as new generation voters and middle voters now leaning towards Pakatan Rakyat.

The greatest challenge of Umno lies with whether the party could gain the recognition of the general population, especially new generation Malays and non-Malays. Meanwhile, its future is tied to whether BN will continue to win the hearts of voters in the future general elections.

There is no way Umno should carry on with its old ways. The party’s new strategy and roadmap must start right from this assembly.