Why I disagree with Anas Zubedy

In a letter to Malaysia Today, Anas Zubedy, who I have never met but heard much of through mutual friends, proffers the view that the approach of the Asalkan Bukan UMNO initiative is, to borrow his words, not the ‘right way to go’.

I do not share Anas’s viewpoint, not because I am directly involved in the ABU initiative, but because, with the greatest of respect, his rationale for his take is not only fundamentally flawed but, often, bordering on the ridiculously hilarious.

The ABU initiative looks to displace UMNO / BN from Putrajaya through the 13th General Election, by ensuring that the people wisen up to the wholesale looting of the national wealth that has taken place throughout UMNO / BN’s rule, particularly beginning since the days of Dr M up to the present and, to not allow them the requisite number of MPs in parliament so as to form the next federal government.

Implicit in Anas’s assertion is the erroneous assumption that ABU is anti-UMNO and pro-opposition.

ABU is determined to see UMNO /BN removed from Putrajaya post the 13th GE, not because we are pro-opposition, but because we are pro-rakyat.

And anyone who  sincerely has the interests and welfare of the rakyat at heart knows full well that until the cancerous UMNO /BN is removed from Putrajaya, we, as a nation, are well on the way to becoming a banana republic.

Anas opines that not all in UMNO are bad. What if the UMNO candidate is better than the opposition? Who should we vote for?

Respectfully, Anas overlooks that today UMNO has become a whorehouse and a sanctuary for robbers and thieves. No decent soul would care to be associated with this lot for even one more day than they have to.

Kuli, I hope you are reading this.

Good men in UMNO?

They swear to defend, uphold and preserve our constitution before they take their seats in parliament, then shamelessly pass laws that would be struck down as unconstitutional if this nation were served by judges who feared God more than they did UMNO.

Remember the Peaceful Assembly Act?

Remember the constitutional amendment, in December 2007, to extend former EC chairman Rashid’s tenure by another year? To serve the welfare of the rakyat, or the best interests of UMNO / BN?

Yes, Anas, not all the whores, robbers and thieves in UMNO are bad.

But whores, robbers and thieves, nonetheless.

Anas seeks to caution that we should not be hasty in trying to bring about change in this country of ours lest, as he put it, ‘we throw the baby out with the bathwater’.

I do not know about the baby going out with the bathwater, but what I do know is we want UMNO / BN out lock, stock and the bloody, rotten barrel.

ABU will promote an ‘unthinking decision making process that is potentially destructive’, Anas warns.

Quite the contrary, actually.

Anas should get his hands on a copy of the DNBN Kuburkan BN video which seeks to present to the pakcik and the makcik in the kampungs the hard truth about UMNO and BN’s pillage of the nation’s wealth over the last 40 years that the mainstream media has overlooked to mention.

If anything, we may see a more informed vote in the Malay heartland this time around.

I will close this post with a reference to what I found to be the most hilarious of Anas’s proposals.

I quote : “We need to change Malaysia in the right way towards the right goal. It will be slow but sure. Let’s do it one MP at a time”.

Funny fella!

- The People's Parliament

To read the article by Anas:

Why I disagree with ABU

Anas Zubedy

With all due respect to those who are promoting ABU (Anything But UMNO/ Asalkan Bukan UMNO) especially Haris Ibrahim, someone who I have high regard of; a genuine change agent– I do not see ABU’s approach as the right way to go. I would like to offer an alternative point of view.

Let me explain. 

When we try to use an all-or-nothing approach, we are essentially giving license to the other side to slack.

An effort like ABU takes the assumption that everyone in UMNO is bad and everyone in the opposition is good; but what if the UMNO candidate fighting for the same seat is a better candidate, who should we vote?

An all-or-nothing, blanket approval or dismissal for any party is like giving a blank cheque to the candidates and the party. I see it as an irresponsible, unthinking way to choose our MPs and ADUNS. 

While I support the ideals ABU wants to promote, it is the approach I find questionable. For the change we want we cannot be in a hurry. Some may see that we need to reduce UMNO’s influence in order to change our nation for the better, but we must be careful with our action, lest we throw the baby out with the bathwater.

This is why a more balanced approach is needed. We ask people to be thinking voters, to scrutinize individuals from all parties, and choose the best among them, not the party. If the non- UMNO candidate is better, by all means choose him or her. But if the UMNO candidate is better, he or she deserves our vote. 

We must understand that while the backing of a good structure, processes and systems (of political parties) can help an MP/ADUN perform well, an excellent candidate without a good party will still be able to serve the rakyat with heart and soul. It is like an excellent teacher in a school without amenities and support. That is why we must give foremost consideration to the individual calons, not his/her political party.

Instead of taking an all-or-nothing blanket approach, an approach that is based on reason, conscience and the Constitution is recommended. We must not allow any candidate or party a free ride. A ‘No Free Rides’ campaign is the better approach. In that way we will get only the best people as MPs and ADUNs. 

We need to change Malaysia in the right way towards the right goal. It will be slow but sure. Let’s do it one MP at a time.

Finally, the ABU campaign has a longer term danger. It promotes the kind of unthinking decision making process that is potentially destructive. This campaign may be the catalyst for more unthinking divisive positions like ABC – Asalkan Bukan Cina or Asalkan Bukan Christian, or ABK - Asalkan Bukan Kafir, etc etc. 

Is this the way we want to go?