by Hussein Hamid
Over the years we have time and time again witness the public unraveling of UMNO not by its detractors but by its own. Dato’ Onn Jaafar. Tunku Abdul Rahman. Tun Hussein. Tun Mahathir. Tun Musa Hitam. Tan Sri Tengku Razaleigh. A veritable list of Malays who have made history – who are our history. I am the same age as UMNO. Sixty-Three years old this year. What does the future holds for UMNO?
In March this year the outgoing Prime Minister and President of UMNO made this comment of UMNO in his last speech as UMNO’s President.
“Longevity in power has led to complacency and a number of Umno leaders are increasingly out of touch with the ordinary people who have been the source of Umno’s strength for so long.
We must rid ourselves of our arrogance and the conceit that we are the only ones who are right, that we are the only ones who know all. Distance ourselves from corruption. Let us be equal in our concern for all, be they Malays or non-Malays, party members or those who support our opponents.
Materialism has seeped into the party, making a number of party members greedy and avaricious, hence creating the negative perception that Umno is a corrupt party.
We were intoxicated by own achievements and we became complacent. We believed that we had become all powerful. We have put our own positions within the party first, instead of being concerned over Umno’s position in the eyes of our citizens and the nation”.
That in a nutshell is what UMNO has become today from some one who knows.
And yet what do we have today? UMNO is still out of touch with the reality around it. If not why would it think that the people of Permatang Pasir would accept a disbarred lawyer as its candidate? Why would it think that the ISA is still relevant in our time? Why would it use MACC as its agent for its harassment of the Opposition rather then undertake the task of ridding the country of corruption.and the list goes on.
If I can see that all this is not doing any good to UMNO, why can’t they? If I can see that this will only result in creating further rift between UMNO and the people in Malaysia – why can’t they? Is it so hard to understand that as our Political leaders they must show courage in making moral decisions that will earn them our respect? And yet when there was occasion to do so as in the Section 23 Cow-head demonstration –they drag their feet and react only after the fact. After public opinion made their disgust of Hishammuddin defense of the guilty party so clear that all the AG could do was to go after the guilty party. To do anything else would be unwise.
But for Najib and Muhyiddin that seems so hard to do. To admit mistakes made. To make decisions for all rather then for themselves. To step back from the abyss that now confront them for surely when you are at the edge the right thing to do is to step back. When can we expect to have these leader reach out to us and go forward with us rather then to constantly refer to us as being unready, immature and unable to understand that the things they do are for the common good rather then for just the Malays or UMNO alone. After having put up with fifty years of UMNO’s less then sterling performance in good governance I think we are entitled to see that UMNO will do rather then what they promise to do.
You have put away all of our leaders under ISA. Not one, not two but all of them. At every opportunity you have harass them and their families – separating them form their loved ones and intrude into their lives to demean and strip them of any dignity that they still have. Tell me Najib how will you feel if I bare for all to read your alleged infidelities. How did it feel to be linked to Altantuya – did it not cause you pain and embarrassment in facing your family – whether the accusation are true or false? Muhyiddin. How would you feel if, when push comes to shove, your personal weaknesses and faults are exposed for all to know? No these are not all part of the political scenario in Malaysia. YOU all made it part of the Political Scenario in Malaysia.
Najib Sometimes I wonder how it is possible for you to involve yourself with the sordid business of people like Saiful and the State Assemblymen from the Perak Government who left their own party to become independent. For God sake you are the Prime Minister. You must not only do the right thing for our country but also must be seen to be doing the right thing. Even the whiff of corruption and money politics should have you running quick smart in the opposite direction from where it is coming. But no – we see these people being feted and thank by you for their deeds, which are certainly viewed by the population with disgust and contempt.
Since March this year you have consistently been reacting to situation as they occur. No leadership. No reaching out to the masses with sensible and enlighten leadership. Your preoccupation in trying to eliminate the Opposition does not do you any good. Remember then the opposition garners more then 50% of the votes at the last elections. In simple terms that means that they are the elected representatives of half the population of this country. Work with them. They will not go away. There are too many of them to eliminate.
Engage in constructive dialogue with Pakatan Rakyat. Anwar has not ‘gadai hak melayu’. He is a man that has been able to remain relevant in spite of spending six years in Prison. He was able to hold the opposition together in the last election without the machinery that UMNO has – working on a shoestring budget – but relying and getting the commitment and focus from those who had had enough of the politics that UMNO offered. And UMNO offered money, position and much more – Anwar offered only the promise of things to come. The promise of hope. What he accomplished with the assist of everybody in opposition is beyond your comprehension and certainly beyond our expectation.
Now consider this Najib. What do you think he and Pakatan Rakyat can now do? They are now with a bit more experience, a bit more commitment and with the last election behind them – methinks the next election will only be a promise of better things to come for them.
I see that your way of handling the situation is to annihilate, destroy and wipe Pakatan rakyat into oblivion. Do you think this is possible with the numbers that they have? Yes you can see that Anwar and the leaders of the opposition are all within range of your fire power…but remember Najib when they are within range – so are you. Attempting to portray Anwar as a traitor to the Malays while simultaneously playing the race and religion card is surely not the thing to do now. Try constructive détente. I am sure Anwar, Kit Siang, Karpal and Tok Guru will be caught of guard if you do so.