As expected and as usual, UMNO has used the latest Orientation Week for new students at all the universities in the country to spread its propaganda. Each year without fail, UMNO leaders march off to the colleges and make rousing speeches in a bid to try to convince the 'freshies' that they need to trust and continue to support the UMNO-BN for the greater good of the 'Bangsa, Agama dan Negara'!
Needless to say, this year was no different. If anything, there was greater hype and urgency but as the saying goes - the higher one climbs, the steeper the fall. And UMNO was not spared this maxim. While the 'freshies' were mostly shy and polite, many wore bored and even exasperated expressions at the overt and long-winded way at which the UMNO people tried to pitch their agenda.
Every specially invited guest was asked to give a speech. Some of the speeches were blatant propaganda while some speakers tried using a psychological approach in their attempts to convince the students. But in the Internet world where communication via SMS, email, cyber chat rooms are daily routine, Malaysian youngsters are anything but naive. Don't expect the Gen Y to swallow your bait hook, line and sinker!
Savvy and wired-up, many of the newbies wore sneers on their faces as the speakers wound through their boring speeches that invariably ended with the most simplistic rationale for why everyone in Malaysia must support UMNO-BN or the country would be 'destroyed' by the 'crooks' in the Opposition. Yes, to a man, the BN-friendly speakers talked rubbish. The students were not interested at all; they were tired and sleepy and many dozed off midway unable to keep their eyes open due to the sheer verbose hurled at them.
Enter the youngest son
But insensitive as ever, UMNO is seizing on this year's Orientation Week as its last chance to brainwash the students or to debrief them from the Opposition's 'dark' agenda - depending on which side of the divide one is viewing the situation.
One of the most controversial speakers this year was Mukhriz Mahathir - yes the Deputy International Trade Minister and youngest son of former premier Mahathir Mohamad. Mukhriz was invited to speak to the new students at the Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) last Thursday, September 6 and what an uproar he kicked up!
Mukhriz not only tried to paint a rosy picture of the economic situation in the country but his explanation is flawed and self-contradictory. He claimed that the nation was on the right growth track due to 'wise' financial management, without reliance on heavy overseas borrowings.
“The government has about RM800 billion in borrowings. Of this figure, foreign borrowing is only 17 percent. The bulk is from local financial institutions," the Edge reported him as saying.
Bankruptcy Shocker!
Worse was yet to come. Mukhriz went on to electrify the audience with what must surely be among the most foolish-ever statements made by a minister. The more critical in the audience even went so far as to describe him as being naïve, unintelligent or of lower intellectual capability than the most mediocre of UMNO members.
“We do not have to worry whether the country will be bankrupt or face negative effects from the giving of assistance to the rakyat. The money is from wise economic management and effective tax collection,” blurted out the 46-year-old Mukhriz.
PM of the future? Save Malaysia, Stop Mukhriz!
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Of course, the public objection to such a scheme was too strong and Mahathir had to scale down his ambition for his son. Even so, a deal has been allegedly knocked out amongst the UMNO elite that allows Mukhriz to become the next Kedah Mentri Besar or chief minister. Provided UMNO-BN regains the state, that is!
Mukhriz also failed to mention how the UMNO-BN planned to pay back the national borrowings - which at RM800 billion is no small figure. For a deputy Trade minister, had no clue as to how the UMNO-BN would reduce this debt to a more manageable level.
Some of the more financially alert in the audience were also shocked as Mukhriz appeared to have 'accidentally' leaked out some alarming information. So far, the press has reported the National Debt figure to be around RM560 billion but now Mukhriz has said, total debt is in fact RM800 billion!
Vicious circle and Professor Kangkong!
Instead of creating a virtuous circle, where money is circulated to the people through genuine economic activity, corrupt leaders at BN have instead created a vicious circle. Spending plans and projects are unveiled, borrowing is undertaken but the money that comes in is siphoned out and only a minute percentage is passed back for circulation amongst the people.
Indeed, if there had been wise economic management, the Malaysian people would have a lot of money to spend by now and they would not need any handouts! Malaysia is a very wealthy oil producing nation. How can we be poor if not for bad financial management and fraud?
So the 'very privileged' guys like Mukhriz, whose huge bungalow is often the topic of many private conversations around town, should keep his mouth shut if he does not have the knowledge and substance to talk about economic matters.
If he is trying to polish his speech-making skills, then he should talk to himself in front of the mirror in his bathroom and not in front of university students, insulting their intelligence and belittling the Malaysian people as a whole with his condescending and hypocritical assumptions.
One wonders what UUM Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Mustafa Ishak, who was in the audience, has to say about Mukhriz's speech? Please do not let the youngest son of the country's most politically ruthless leader tarnish the standard and reputation of the university.
Show that UUM has the standard to dissect and analyse into the claims - whether true or false - put forth by any domestic or international leader. In other words, don't let UUM be swamped and cowed by 'Professor Kangkongs'!
Malaysia Chronicle
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