Malays can dispense with Umno

If Umno president Najib Tun Razak loses in Pekan, the person who defeats him will be a Malay, in which case how can Malays lose power?

COMMENT

In 2004 when the Malaysian people gave Abdullah Ahmad Badawi Umno’s its greatest victory, they were actually rejoicing at the exit of Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

It has been downhill for Umno ever since.

That victory has proven to be the pride before the inevitable fall.

Now, Mahathir – the man whom I described as one who can walk on water – is giving out unsolicited advice.

He’s asking Umno leaders to discard self-interest and acts of sabotage to ensure a Barisan Nasional (BN) victory in the next general election.

Mahathir is back to the scare tactics for which he is an accomplished master.

Asking Umno people not to sabotage and to disown personal interest is like asking a camel to go through the needle hole.

Indeed if they are practised, Umno ceases to be Umno.

The intent of Mahathir’s exhortations and pleadings are clear – Malaysia is finished without Umno and Malays are finished without Umno.

Nothing can be further from the truth.

‘Dirty job by dirty people’

When the Congress Party of India was defeated, that didn’t stop India from growing further; when the Liberal Democratic Party (Japan’s Umno) lost, the Japanese rushed forward without missing a heartbeat.

When Indonesia’s Umno (Golkar) lost, Indonesia appeared to be placed on a better footing.

Umno and Malaysia are no exception.

Malaysia does not depend on Umno to survive. And Malays can dispense with Umno.

We can’t depend on a party whose survival depends on the continued peddling of pornographic material in the media.

We can’t stake our future on a party led by a Larry Flynt (owner of the Hustler Magazine).

Incidentally, a most memorable quote from Flynt: “Wherever there is a scandal, we try to get involved.” This is also Umno’s philosophy.

Now you have people like “Ustazah” Umi Hafilda, Ezam Mat Nor, Hassan “Aqidah” Ali and Zul Nordin fighting for Umno’s cause.

The dirty job done by dirty people.

How can Malays lose power?

Mahathir just doesn’t get it – people don’t want the continuation of BN administration in the country.

People see BN as the perpetrator of empty promises, people see BN as the abuser of power.

BN especially Umno is the embodiment of corruption and deceit.

Umno is no longer the preferred choice as the political platform to advance the cause of the greater good.

And Mahathir’s scariest statement of all is: “Defeat of Umno would be akin to the Malays losing power in their own country.”

Now how can Malays lose power?

If Umno loses, the people replacing them will be other Malays.

If Umno president Najib Tun Razak loses in Pekan, the person who defeats him is a Malay. So how can a Malay lose power when it’s another Malay replacing the Umno reject?

The writer is a former Umno state assemblyman but joined DAP earlier this year. He is a FMT columnist.