Umno blames DAP for May 13: Another bid to scare the Chinese into voting BN?

It gets worse by the day. As Prime Minister Najib Razak's Umno party tries to claw for a lifeline ahead of snap polls in which they are expected to under-perform, its leaders have now turned around and accused the DAP of starting the May 13 racial riots.

Coming hot on the heels of Najib's warning during his speech to the Umno assembly this morning, where he told Malays not to be complacent as "among leaders of the opposition are those who incited slogans to insult Malays that led to the May 13 tragedy," there is suspicion that he was either trying to scare the Chinese into voting BN or plotting a reprisal to cling to power in case his party lost the coming general election.

In fact, May 13 has often been blamed on Najib's father, the second prime minister Abdul Razak, who in a power tussle with first premier Tunku Abdul Rahman had allegedly seized the opportunity to foment a riot in the heart of Kuala Lumpur.

Till now, analysts point out that the killings were suspiciously limited to Kuala Lumpur, while it should have been natiowide if Razak's claims were true that it was a pent-up outbreak of Malay unhappiness with the Chinese over the perception the Chinese had a bigger share of the economic pie and were always bullying the Malays.

Very afraid of the Pakatan

Najib is widely expected to dissolve Parliament on December 9 and hold snap polls in January. Already, the odds are stacked against Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim's Pakatan Rakyat with widespread phantom voters and vote-rigging processes reported almost on a daily basis. Nonetheless, despite the odds, a major swing is expected in the Pakatan's favour.

At Parliament on Thursday, the ruckus broke out when Umno MP for Lenggong Shamsul Anuar Nasarah objected to criticism from DAP MP for Ipoh Timur Lim Kit Siang. Kit Siang had rebuked Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin for racist remarks in a "hate speech" made during the Umno annual congress a day ago. Kit Siang also flayed Muhyiddin for accusing DAP of being anti-Muslim.

Quick as shot, Shamsul tried to launch a stinging defense. He accused the DAP of instigating the May 13 incident, where thousands of Chinese were killed by parang-wielding Umno Youth members.

“It is true. May 13, who moved it? May 13, Ipoh Timor. Who moved on May 13?” shrieked Shamsul.

However, he soon ran out of words and began a mantra instead, repeatedly shouting May 13, Ipoh Timor and DAP racist. His words were soon picked up by his BN colleagues. They then accused the DAP of cheating the Malays and lambasted PAS for being under the DAP's thumb.

Umno, a basket case - destroyed by its own leaders

But not only was Umno factually inaccurate, the boorish and uncouth manner in which it hurled its accusations shocked Malaysians.

"They are a gone case, a basket case. The calibre of the Umno MPs is really shocking. How can they be MPs when they are so devoid of the ability to handle intelligent or civil debate," Eddie Wong, a Pakatan Rakyat watcher, toldMalaysia Chronicle.

"AS for Najib, he too is beyond redemption. His legacy will be one of being forked tongue, two-faced, duplicitous, tin kosong (empty vessel), saying one thing and doing another and so forth. The recent Assembly Bill is the best example of his hypocrisy."

The Peaceful Assembly Bill was rammed through earlier this week, and though Najib proclaimed it was "revolutionary" and a "giant leap", local civil society inclduing the Bar Council have condemned it. Foreign watchdogs such as LawAsia, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have also slammed the Bill as being contrary to democracy.

Malaysia Chronicle