Umno cannot rule alone
Umno’s history and track record speaks for itself. It is illogical to claim that Umno does not need partners and entirely on its own it can win the general election. For 65 years since the 1955 election this has never happened, even in the heydays when Umno was at its peak.
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
There are some who argue that Umno does not need PPBM or PAS to rule. Umno can contest all 800 or so parliament and state seats and can win enough seats to form the government all on its own.
In the 2004 GE, supposed to be the best election ever for Barisan Nasional, Umno won only 50% of the parliament seats and 2.5 million or 36% of the popular votes. In 2018, the election where for the first time in history Umno was kicked out, they also won 2.5 million of the popular votes — but it came to only 21% of the votes and 24% of the seats.
In the first general election in 1959, Umno (also) won 36% of the popular votes and (also) 50% of the seats (just like in the “best” general election in 2004).
Umno is foolish if it thinks without PAS it can win GE15 with a two-thirds majority
So, how can Umno on its own contest all 800 or so parliament and state seats without any electoral pact, coalition partner or cooperation with any other political party and win enough votes and seats to form the government?
They even argue that Umno will not only win the election but can probably even win with a two-thirds majority all on its own.
Come on! Get real!
Even in the Malay heartland, in a head-to-head contest with PAS, Umno cannot win. In the May 2018 general election, Umno won only one-third of the state and parliament seats in Terengganu and Kelantan versus two-thirds for PAS. PKR, PPBM and PAN got totally wiped out and won zero seats.
Umno is driven by ego, not by reality or pragmatism
Umno’s history and track record speaks for itself. It is illogical to claim that Umno does not need partners and entirely on its own it can win the general election. For 65 years since the 1955 election this has never happened, even in the heydays when Umno was at its peak.
And let’s accept one reality: Umno is no longer at its peak.
That’s like looking back to the peak of the Ottoman Empire 1,000 years ago and argue that the Muslims can one day rule the world again. Why not go back 2,000 years and argue that Italy can one day rule the world again? Or might as well go back 2,300 years and argue that Greece can one day rule the world again.
Yes, there is no future in the past — if not we would not call it the past. The only way Umno can become big brother again and MAYBE win 50% of the seats against 35-40% of the votes would be if Umno undergoes a total overhaul. And this would involve “out with the entire old guard” and the “Young Turks” taking over.
Yes, a reform is in order. Umno needs a spring cleaning, a purge, a samak (disinfection) so that all the harmful contamination can be removed — just like what we would do to a place contaminated with the Covid-19 coronavirus.
PKR calls Mahathir “Mahafiraun” so Umno must discard its bongkak and takbur attitude or else it would be just like him
O ye who believe! Turn to God with sincere repentance, in the hope that your Lord will remove from you your ills and admit you to Gardens beneath which Rivers flow …— Quran, Sura 66 (Al-Tahrim), ayah 08
Muslims are taught that our own action brings about bala or calamity (it is self-inflicted). And the Qur’an says Allah will not change our fate unless we take steps ourself to change it — and that only repentance can remove those ills.
So, good Muslims must discard their bongkak and takbur attitude and repent. Only the Firaun is bongkak and takbur and thinks that he is God. And was not Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad once called Mahafiraun? Why was that so? And Mahathir is still bongkak and takbur just like the Firaun. Why does Umno want to be like that?
