Debunking the Umno Baru myths

Mariam Mokhtar
Malaysiakini
Dec 16, 2013

Malay apathy is one of the most depressing features of Malaysian life. It is widely known that many Malays are work-shy, addicted to drugs and in long-term unemployment. Despite the early introduction of religious indoctrination, many Malays are said to be promiscuous and involved in incestuous relationships.

Some Malays are not afraid to say what our politicians are fearful of revealing. Perhaps, it is time to debunk Umno Baru’s lies. You may wish to add to the list below.

1. Only Umno Baru can protect the Malays

Umno Baru only protects the Malays who are beholden to them. The critical Malay does not win tenders for projects. He may find all manner of problems with his business licence. His application for government permits may be delayed or rejected.

A civil servant who dares to openly criticise may be demoted or sacked, and find his income tax being scrutinised, as punishment. Meritocracy, intellect and hard-work count for nothing in the Umno Baru world, only blind allegiance does.

When will the Malays realise that Umno Baru would cease to exist without the Malays?

2. Janji di tepati (Fulfilled promises)

In the run-up to GE13, Mat Sabu of PAS claimed that despite warning the rakyat about a petrol hike if BN were to win, the Malays said that Pakatan leaders were telling lies about BN in order to garner votes.

In the coming weeks, we will be further burdened with the Goods and Services Tax (GST), and crippled by increased costs of daily goods, travel and energy. Things that were abolished before GE13 are returning in a recycled version – the abolished Internal Security Act (ISA) will be replaced with the Prevention of Crime Act (PCA). There is no further news about BR1M, version 2, worth RM1,200.

3. Malays benefit from the NEP

Most ordinary Malays cannot afford good cars. The cheapest car may be a Proton, but in the long run, the cost of replacing substandard parts is high. Homes in good locations are overpriced and people spend hours commuting or trapped in traffic jams.

When top Malay civil servants allegedly ask housing developers to make “special arrangements” so they can purchase luxury homes that are designated solely for non-Malays, it is a subtle way of disagreeing with the government’s social engineering methods in housing.

When middle class Malays complain about houses being unaffordable, the government proposes the construction of more low-cost houses. Malays are angered by a government which thinks Malays are only worthy of cheap housing.

Would-be entrepreneurs without political connections lose out because only cronies win tenders for projects. Creative and hardworking people who want to boost the economy and create jobs, emigrate. Many Malays contribute significantly to the brain-drain.

4. Types of immigrant

If not for the millions of immigrants who helped develop the rubber and tin trade in Malaya, the Umno Baru politicians would not be here today, dictating policies to undermine the descendants of this first-wave of immigrants.

We should be grateful to the ‘pendatangs’ who worked in the mines, estates and in commerce, to build English companies like Sime Darby, Guthrie and Harrisons & Crossfields. These corporations have morphed into government-linked companies (GLCs), now controlled by Umno Baru.

The recent crop of immigrants from Muslim countries do not share much of our history and are made welcome only because they help keep Umno Baru in power.

5. Malays want syariah law

Both young and old Malays are said to be opposed to syariah law, which is a bogey that Umno Baru uses to maximum effect to create fear amongst the Malays to make them vote for Umno Baru, (and not PAS) in elections.

Malays are averse to other areas of their lives being controlled by syariah laws, because they have seen that syariah laws concerning child maintenance and polygamous marriages are not strictly enforced.

6. Malays are stupid and lazy

Policies which benefit the Malays have created distrust and contempt. Non-Malays brand the Malay as lazy, stupid, ignorant and selfish. This is wrong and un-productive. Many decent Malays are disgusted with Umno Baru, but the people who insult the Malays crush any hope of solidarity. Malay bashing will not help get rid of a racist party like Umno Baru.

7. Malay quotas

Despite a lack of formal education, many of our grandparents spoke better English than most fresh Malaysian graduates and diplomatic staff.

Ordinary Malaysians are subject to educational quotas but the children of politicians, cronies and the rich, are allowed to excel and compete with other races and nationalities in elite and international schools in Malaysia, or abroad. Select Malays can hone their competitive skills, in an environment which develops their confidence. Why not other Malaysians? Meritocracy helps; quotas do not.

8. Handouts are good

Handouts are a ploy to make people waste their hard earned savings, to enrich the government and their cronies. The BR1M handout of RM500 may be accompanied by a smartphone discount. All of the RM500 is spent but more of the victim’s savings will be used to buy the smartphone. With an initial outlay of RM500, the government and his crony receives more money from the BR1M recipient.

The same abuse happens with the government book voucher scheme, where students trade them in to participating bookshops, for the value of the voucher, minus RM50 for ‘administrative’ purposes. The crony recoups the cost of the voucher from the government but is richer by RM50. The student may have received some petty cash but the loser is the taxpayer, who funds these poorly managed schemes.

9. Umno Baru rewards Malays

Umno Baru conned the rakyat into giving money to the government, as if it were doing the rakyat a favour. In exchange, the rakyat’s money was used to fund the lifestyle of the jet-setting ministerial spouses, on their expensive foreign junkets and fashion shows. The ordinary rakyat have to make do with a nasi lemak bungkus and stale curry puffs, when they are ferried in coaches, to attend Umno Baru ceramahs.

10. Urban Malays are pro-opposition

The urban Malays are made up of middle-class Malays who are content in their comfort zones, and the very poor, who are desperately trying to survive. Many urban Malays are mesmerised by the lies perpetuated by Umno Baru. They enjoy the glamour of rubbing shoulders with Umno Baru leaders at government functions.

The urban Malays may have access to the alternative media, but have no time to think about injustice, human rights, good governance and equality. They are happier pursuing material goods.

Umno Baru and the selfish agendas of its leaders, sacrificed the nation’s interest and betrayed generations of Malays. If Malaysia is to progress, we must overcome the two threats posed by Umno Baru and the complacent Malays.

MARIAM MOKHTAR is a defender of the truth, the admiral-general of the Green Bean Army and president of the Perak Liberation Organisation (PLO).