Anything But Umno (Part 2) — Ali Kadir

September 17, 2011

SEPT 17 — Humility is a virtue which everyone of us should aspire to but many of us prefer pride.

So we should not be surprised that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Barisan Nasional are claiming credit for announcing the removal of some laws which the BN government has used for decades to stifle dissent, lock up critics and control the press.

Strange isn’t it that they are silent about being the architects of the ISA and other laws but quite happy to claim credit for proposing their demise.

This is like a factory owner or dare I say rare earth plant, which pollutes the neighbourhood for 20 years, and then congratulates itself for shutting down the factory, not saying sorry for the increase in the number of deaths from cancer.

But it’s OK, by claiming credit Najib and BN are behaving just like humans or like desperate governments anywhere in the world.

I just have a few points to make.

One, this is a proposal, a whole bunch of nice words but only words.

Two, the test of sincerity of any policy or initiative is timing. If Najib proposed these changes and implemented it within his few weeks in office, then he could make the argument that his DNA is that of a reformer.

But he and BN are only doing this now because it is his last gambit, not because he believes that Malaysia is a mature democracy.

The real mature people are the Malaysians who have fought with blood, sweat and tears for a better country.

Remember the Hindraf men who were detained for speaking up for their community, the Sin Chew journalist who was jailed for alerting Malaysians to the racism of Ahmad Ismail, politicians who were deprived of sleep and tortured for no other reason that they didn’t agree with the government, Raja Petra Kamarudin who was detained because he was too troublesome.

Many unnamed Malaysians fought evil and refused to be scared of the might of the powerful. They deserve our respect and gratitude.

If Najib and BN want to claim credit, we can’t stop them. But we don’t have to join in their frenzy of self-congratulation.

We have more important work to do, namely regime change.

* Ali Kadir reads The Malaysian Insider.