Najib is alone in his ideas

Umno must understand that it just cannot rely on the past to stay in power.

COMMENT

It is painfully obvious that the open dispute on Umno’s version of history is an indication of more troubles for Umno.

Umno’s own legitimacy founded on a possible skewed and partisan narration of history is now being questioned.

Unfortunately, the significance behind the controversy created by the antics of PAS deputy president “Marx” (Mat) Sabu, is lost.

Umno must understand that it just cannot rely on the past to stay in power. This is the most important lesson.

If people start disputing your version of history, it means people will also dispute your version of your role in history.

Going around telling people of past glories and all that just doesn’t click any longer.

New loyalties, new allegiance, must be won. The people with old loyalties may have already passed on. That means, Umno doesn’t have a base.

Support system

Other political parties also cannot assume they have their support system, too. That support system must be won. It’s out there to be won.

So Umno better learn lessons from the “Marx” Sabu episode. And that means Umno has a lot of work to put in to earn loyalty and allegiance by conviction.

Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak may have some idea about earning the new support system.

Except, he’s doing it the superficial way – bicycling here and there, walkabouts, and generally hey yo-ying! Mind you, all these he can do, has done and will do.

Except, he has not won the support system on convictions. Conviction is the province of ideas and values. It’s a new game plan.

Scorn and hysterics

Umno doesn’t have a strategic perception of the new game plan. It can’t win the cyber war by scorn and hysterics.

You don’t earn respect and loyalties by invectives and obnoxious words.

The PM has some rudimentary ideas. But he’s alone.

His nascent ideas, however, will be neutered by the war-lordism of Umno leaders. They live in the past, trying to revive the past.

These days old Umno-style recourse is counterproductive.

The writer is a former Umno state assemblyman and a FMT columnist.