By Hussein Hamid
steadyaku47
In the beginning UMNO and MCA had a tacit understanding that the Malays will have control of Political Power while the Chinese – the Economy. This arrangement brought with it all the intrigues and excesses that springs up when the Malays were in control of licenses and contracts that the Chinese business needed to do businesses and in return the Chinese made contributions during elections (that is how they became known as buy elections !!) up front services fees, kick backs and went into joint ventures with Bumiputra Companies and gave ‘directorship’ to Malays in Chinese owned companies.
Politics. Patronage and Profit.
This is the thing I cannot understand. Mahathir was not able to see where this lethal combination of Politics, Patronage and Profit will lead to? He is suppose to be quite smart. Was he under the mistaken belief that he would be able to ‘manage’ the situation to his personal advantage? Which in hindsight he did because to stay in office for 22 years required a degree of focus and commitment to a path that dismiss all other considerations except his own agenda. As he dispensed favors and punishments to those whom he thinks deserve them, Mahathir consolidated power within himself at the expense of our country and its Government. At the expense of personal freedom and an independent judiciary. At the expense of allowing its people to live in a decent and fair society. At the expense of UMNO whom he left in its death throes. Like a fish struggling to live out of water UMNO is so used to Money Politics that without it, it cannot survive.
In the last year of his rule Mahathir suddenly realized that the path he has put UMNO on would eventually cause its demise. Cause it to lose the unquestioning support of the Malays. Without the support of the Malays, UMNO cannot survive – and if UMNO cannot survive all the excesses under him would be exposed and dissected by those that will come after UMNO. What could he do to save UMNO?. In an inspired moment (as inspiring as Abdullah’s appointment of Zaid to the cabinet) Mahathir choose Abdullah to succeed him. Hoping against hope that what he could not do, Abdullah could. Abdullah could not. Like many inspired moment, however intuitive but not thought through clearly, it failed because the rot has set in too deep – as the chinese say – when a fish rot, it starts with it’s head. Mahathir was UMNO’s head – and after 20 years nothing much can be done short of giving time for all the rats to leave the sinking ship….though it must be said that even now, there are still rats swimming towards the sinking ship !!
And now comes Najib the anointed end game of the RAHMAN theory. Najib is an accumulation of errors. From the time he was Mentri Besar of Pahang to what he is now – what he has done in his personal and political life should preclude him from holding that high a public office. But while Anwar is for now the leader of the opposition, Najib must now be Prime Minister. But how can he be Prime Minister when he does not know how? Like Mahathir he only knows of Politics, Patronage and Profit. But unlike Mahathir he does not have the ability to ‘manage’ these three variants as Mahathir did. Najib has a public that will follow his every footstep, his every deeds. The internet will ensure that. The Malays do not forget too easily nowdays – and do not forget the other races – just go to the internet and all will be reveal in detail.
Just think Najib. In October 1987, Ops Lalang saw the arrest of 106opposition leaders and social activists under the Internal Security Act and the revoking of the publishing licenses of two dalies, The Star and the Sin Chew Jit Poh and two weeklies, The Sunday Star and Watan. Did you see how the arrest of just one activist, Wong Chin Huat created such an uproar? Mahthir can arrest 106 under the ISA – you cannot.
In the 1990 General elections, for the first time UMNO was confronted with an opposition of sorts – Semangat 46 with PAS and DAP (Gagasan Rakyat). UMNO/Barisan won only 53.4% of the votes. Now you are going onto the next GE with Pakatan Rakyat already in control of 4 States (ok lah we will give you Perak for now !!) and 82 seats in Parliament. Camna? Think got chance to win?
Mahathir dismissed two DPM and lost one to Anwar. Do you think you can shake off Muhyiddin? He will be sitting on your shoulder – not looking over your shoulder – sitting on your shoulder. One mistake and tiada maaf bagi mu !!!
None – I repeat none – of the PM before you was ever remotely involved in anything resembling the following before they became PM.
- Razak Baginda.
- Altantuya Shaariibuu.
- Perak.
- Saiful Bukhari Azlan.
And I am being very economical and charitable with this list because any one of those cases would have prevented any UMNO member from contesting even at Cawangan level. Setuju tak?
I remember my days with MNI about 30 years ago when I was Regional Supervisor of the northern region based in Penang. The first thing our CAO (Chief Administration Officer) or the Accountant did when they came on a surprise visit to the branch office was to check the Petty Cash. May the Lord have mercy on me if it was short by any amount.
Accountability Najib. Accountability.
So how are you to regain control of UMNO and start the clean up before the next GE? To start with I would suggest that you should look at your priorities within UMNO first. Tranparency. No Money Politics. No nepotism. No Deceit. No greed.
What should UMNO’s priorities be?
It should be the establishment of “a society that is just and a nation that is democratic, progressive and united”. UMNO should be focused on promoting social justice, economic justice, eliminating political corruption and human rights issues within a non-ethnic framework –and that it will upholds the rights and interest of all Malaysians…. oh oh that sounds quite familiar. Almost the same as what PKR wants to do…..aisehman this is cannot…you will have to talk to Anwar, Kit Siang , Karpal or Tok Guru on this but I am sure the guys at Pakatan Rakyat would not mind that much if UMNO wants to work
together…but must be sincere lah. No projects, no negotiated tenders, no pink slips, no close one eye.