The Star today front-paged “1 Party for All”, declaring: “Parti 1Malaysia is among the names being considered for Barisan Nasional if its component parties merge into a multi-racial party to meet current political needs and expectations. Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who described the proposal as ‘rational’, said an in-depth study should be conducted and a decision made within the next few months.”
Sixty-two years ago, the founding President of UMNO Datuk Onn Jaffar had already made the proposal that UMNO should open its doors to non-Malay membership and UMNO should be renamed from United Malays National Organisation to United Malayans National Organisation.
Onn was too far ahead of his time and he had to leave UMNO when his proposal for an end to race-based politics was rejected by UMNO.
It is better late than never that some in UMNO and the other Barisan Nasional component parties are broaching the subject of an end to race-based politics and race-based political parties – and there can be no denial that the cause of this re-visiting the subject of an end to race-based politics is because of the outcome of the recent 13th general elections.
For a start, the Prime Minister and UMNO President, Datuk Seri Najib Razak should admit that he had made a major mistake and misjudgment when he had said on the night of May 5 that the outcome of the 13GE was a “Chinese tsunami”, for analysis of the 13GE has vindicated the case that it was not a Chinese tsunami, but a Malaysian tsunami representing a political awakening of Malaysians transcending race.
It is not just Chinese, but Malays, Indians, Kadazans and Ibans who want UBAH!
It is a Malaysian, urban, semi-urban and most important of all a youth tsunami, for one of the most encouraging and inspiring aspects of the 13GE is the enthusiasm and commitment of young Malaysians, regardless of race, religion, region or gender, who stood up for a better, clean, green, safe, united and prosperous Malaysia.
The question is whether Muhyiddin and those in Barisan Nasional who are talking about the new politics transcending race are sincere and serious, or just want to be seen to be trendy and up-to-date to the latest political aspirations in the country but who would not want to upset the status quo and work for the end of race-based politics which had been the formula for their monopoly of political power for half a century.
For a start, there is no point talking about Parti 1Malaysia or other combination or permutations for the end of race-based politics if UMNO/BN leaders not prepared to accept 13GE outcome as a Malaysian tsunami, particularly young Malaysians of all races, who want to see the end of the politics of race including the dissolution of all race-based parties like UMNO, MCA and MIC.
Is Najib and all UMNO/BN leaders prepared to publicly acknowledge that the 13GE outcome is not a Chinese tsunami, but a Malaysian, urban, semi-urban and youth tsunami and that the provocative Utusan Malaysia question “What more the Chinese want” is utterly inappropriate, mischievous and irresponsible?