Why do many still support Umno-BN: Are they nuts?

While waiting for my girlfriend to choose, pick and try on clothes during a shopping trip, I took the opportunity to fill time by chatting with a middle-aged sales woman, a Chinese lady whom I noticed showed some telling signs of stress on her face.

This was what happened

It was not until her turn to take a short afternoon break that I noticed a sense of stress and anguish about her. She was looking around for her replacement, who turned out to be beautiful young Malay girl and I guessed could have just finished college. Was the older woman feeling insecure, even envious?

Anyway, I decided to strike up a conversation with this Chinese 'auntie' by making small talk. I told her that the prices of everything were rising and even after discounts the prices were still high. And then, I blamed it all on UMNO-BN for it.

She responded with a stern look on her face and told me that “it is not easy to be a government” and further said that “things are not as simple or as easy as they may seem”. I thought most of the Chinese won't vote for UMNO-BN anymore but this incident really took me by surprise.

I didn't respond to her answer and realized that despite all the wrong doings resulting in everybody in Malaysia suffering tremendous negative impact, there are actually people who still sincerely believe that what UMNO-BN has done is acceptable. The most ludicrous thing is that the ones left behind are also the one who justified the actions of UMNO-BN!

I can accept her point-of-view and give her the benefit of doubt but for those who are better educated - the business people, professionals, school teachers, lecturers, civil servants and NGOs - to still support UMNO no matter what, borders on lunacy to me.

Nonetheless, we have to accept some are afraid to change. Some always want to play contrarian. Some say Pakatan Rakyat will be the same devil. Some say that nothing can be done about the status quo, hence don't waste energy fighting it.

Still support UMNO no matter what

Ever since the PKFZ and Scorpene submarines debacle, more scandals have been exposed nonstop. As we watched each episode of these steamy and torrid tales of UMNO corruption, the urge grows stronger to ask those who still support UMNO a very pertinent question, which is, 'are these people nuts?'

After all, it's not as if they have been living somewhere else when news of these scandals broke. They were here when successive UMNO prime minister and finance minister introduced silly short-term economic policy after policy. The direct and indirect impact of the bad faith UMNO-BN display in the way they govern the country affect us every day. Everyone including the UMNO supporters knows what is going on. Nor are they unaware that billions of ringgit are involved and being filtered out. Yet out they've come, in support of UMNO!

Why do they do it? The answer is not really complicated. Many UMNO supporters have been bred to believe their party elite can do no wrong, that the masters or chieftains know best. This is why UMNO is accused of being a feudal party. It is the right of the elite to plunder and be forgiven by their people. UMNO members consider the wrong doings of their leaders as legitimate.

These members are rudderless and insecure in their thinking that if there is no UMNO, there will be no more savior. So deep has the propaganda been embedded, they don't even see any alternative to the status quo.

Sad to say, many are also refusing to see the truth because they are mere sycophants. They are the ones who have their own self interests to protect. For example, government officers would want to get promoted or at least get easy transfers. It is known that those who are against UMNO will be stationed at the far end of the country if not the world!

As for business people, they need to get contracts for supply of goods and services and construction projects. They need to support UMNO to expand and grow their businesses. Even media people need to earn money and survive since UMNO is controlling their publishing permits. Huge corporations need to maintain their share value.

The NGOs and bloggers are simply being paid to do what they have to do. But for the politicians who jump over, it is simple. They have been bought!