Melayu di Kampong: Jangan lupakan mereka!

From what I see on the net it would seem that most bloggers view UMNO with equal measures of fear and loathing. What UMNO offers is all skewered towards race and religion or religion and race – depending on how one views it! And surely the Rakyat are more intelligent that to be sucked in by the rhetoric’s of UMNO on these issues? But are they?

From the brazen attempts by Muhyiddin to proclaim himself as a Malay first and maybe a Malaysian probably closer to the 13^th general election -  to the crass buffoonery of Ibrahim Ali with his mindless sloganeering that makes him an irresistible target for derision - it would seem that UMNO is bereft of any high morality or vision in its attempt to hold on to power yet again! So focused are UMNO in this that they are now the target of many who mocked their inability to understand the need to be a government for all – not just for the Malays.

But does this make UMNO less politically dangerous?    

What does Pakatan Rakyat offers? Negative politicking! No vision but open, responsible and accountable government! I tell Pakatan Rakyat to not tell us what we already know! We know we need open, responsible and accountable government! We want more!

We want hope and we want that feeling of looking forward to a brand new day! We want a new beginning! We want to forget the past 50 over years of UMNO and Barisan rule. We want promise of a future that will bring us a new beggining to our life – to our hope of a prosperous and decent future. A future that we can tell our grand children that WE had a hand in giving them.

I do not feel these things when I think of Pakatan Rakyat! So you see my friends we need to be careful of what UMNO is now doing.

UMNO understands that the Malays are convoluted. Any person, any race any country have dreams of grandeur. Dreams of being first amongst equals. Dreams of greatness and being a TUAN! And so UMNO promises the Malays KETUANAN! How hard is it to understand that this might just resonates within enough Malays to give UMNO victory in the coming general elections? And it is this possibility that Pakatan Rakyat must take cognizance and prepare to neutralize.

Do not mock UMNO for you may remember that there were many who mocked Herr Adolf Hitler. For like what Hitler had promised the Germans then, UMNO too offers a vision for the Malays when no one else is able to offer one.

What UMNO articulates is an enticing vision for the Malays. Vote for UMNO and you will be TUAN over all that we survey. Over OUR country, over all the other races and over all the wealth and opportunities within OUR country! The question now for Pakatan Rakyat to consider is this: How many Malays will vote for UMNO when they offer them this tantalizing vision of Ketuanan Melayu? How many?

Yes you may giggle at Ibrahim Ali. Giggling does not make him less dangerous politically! What Ibrahim Ali articulates is indeed laughably simplistic and yet its attraction to the masses is undeniable. The masses of Malays that Pakatan Rakayat seems to have forgotten! This mass of Malays whose only stake in the economy is now only through Felda, Risda, through the various rural initiatives started by UMNO …and of course this stake in Malaysia’s economy can only be maintained and possible increased only through UMNO!  This is what UMNO promises the rural Malays – and for now they believe that UMNO has the solution. They believe that for now only UMNO can do this. This reality will become Pakatan Rakyat nemesis if it does not address it comprehensively because the votes that these rural Malays cast will decide who governs this country of ours.

What we lack in Malaysia now are Pakatan Rakyat leaders who are able to offer an alternative vision for these Malays – to all Malays. 1 Malaysia is a vision that the non-Malays can hold on to, understand and aspire to. Not for the Malays that matters. I do not matter in this equation because I can understand the intangibles of what 1Malaysia promise. The rural Malays cannot – and they matter in this context. And I despair at how Pakatan Rakyat is failing to meet this need to make these rural Malays understand what we all already understand.

It would require an extraordinary effort from Pakatan Rakyat to change this. There are to many Malays who are can see no one else but UMNO as their savior. And many of them understand that UMNO now needs for them to decide who they can rely upon to take care of their interest  - UMNO or DAP - yes my friend not PKR not Pakatan Rakyat but DAP! Is that not how UMNO puts the matter to these Malays?

Go ask any kampong Malay who they will give their vote to and you will then understand that we who are with ABU do have a problem! A problem that needs to be addressed here and now by Pakatan Rakyat!

You are one. With me we are two. Who else will join us?