PAS & PKR poised to replace Umno Baru: A new paradigm in Malay politics

In truth, the split in UMNO happened in 1988 when UMNO Baru was formed and had riven further in 1998 when Anwar Ibrahim was ousted as deputy prime minister and UMNO member. UMNO has never been cohesive since then and has to depend on the support of non-Malays to survive in elections.

The frailty of the present UMNO Baru administration can partly be blamed for the wrong choice of leaders within the party since 1981. UMNO has not been able to find able, selfless, clean and sincere leaders after the departure of her first four leaders – Jaafar Onn, Tunku Abdul Rahman, Abdul Razak Hussein and Hussein Onn.

Money politics

What has torn apart and ruined UMNO Baru most today is money politics. Money politics and business interests are taking such an important role in the political reality of the party. Leaders climb up the political ladder not because of their honest intentions in struggling for the welfare of the rakyat and nation.

Status, financial standing and the use of money to buy support from members have clouded UMNO Baru.

The era of nationalistic struggles has long past in UMNO Baru. Since 1981 the frailty of UMNO administration can be attributed to the wrong choice of leaders within the party. Money politics started to rear its ugly head since then.

Political and business interests in UMNO have made the party irrelevant to the ordinary Malays. UMNO is seen more for the Malay elite groups more often than not supported by rich non-Malays.

Money politics is no more considered evil in UMNO. Aspiring UMNO candidates are seldom poor. They have to resort to money to survive and in many cases wealthy non-Malays will be behind these candidates and of course not without rewards after the candidates have come to power.

There must be a wealthy Chinese

A former UMNO leader cynically jibed, “Behind every rich UMNO Baru politician today there must be a wealthy Chinese”.

For this reason, it is seldom found UMNO leaders who are not filthy rich today. They drive posh cars, live in palace-like mansions, stay in exclusive hotels when overseas, own huge properties and businesses and their family members can be seen enjoying the same.

Some even go to the extent of boasting to the media that they are “rich and powerful”. They become a “celebrity” of sort in the eyes of some feudal Malays.

With power they have known to have demeaned critics as insignificant “mosquitoes” and feel that they have become the “untouchables” in the society.

This sort of arrogance by some UMNO leaders has made the rakyat abhor UMNO Baru. Today, the desire of every UMNO aspirant is to enrich oneself, get elected as leader and with some luck become a minister or hold high positions in government bodies. To prop them to higher positions in politics money is needed.

When they have achieved this, they surely have to pay back those they owe – those who have helped them financially to be where they are in now.

Not a culture in Pakatan Rakyat

Money politics has not become a culture in PAS or PKR. The trend among Malays today is to appreciate the way PAS and PKR approach politics.

PAS is essentially a “poor” party where leaders have shown more integrity in their struggle for the past 55 years. In PAS, politics is seen as part of religious obligation. It’s this humble factor that has made PAS more acceptable by the rakyat today.

Those who get elected to higher posts in PAS are not bought with money. For this reason they have become unpretentious leaders. “Behind every PAS leader cannot be found a wealthy Chinese”. The ordinary Malays are aware of this.

PAS being an Islamic party is against any form of bribery or corruption. Buying votes or money politics is against their faith and struggles in politics. Since the 2008 general election not a single PAS lawmaker has crossed over to any other political party or could be “bought” over with money to leave PAS.

Party members work for the party selflessly expecting no monetary rewards for their sacrifice. They serve the party as part of their religious obligation. This has made many Malays and non-Malays begin to cherish PAS more than UMNO Baru. PAS is perceived as a clean party with clean leaders.

As for PKR, this party is still young, having been born in the aftermath of the jailing of Anwar Ibrahim. Yes, it was founded to fight for justice for Anwar but the party has since expanded and grown.

Initially, PKR was the butt of jokes for its messy organization compared to the established political parties including DAP and PAS - its partners in the Pakatan Rakyat opposition front.

But PKR has managed to capture the interest of the young professionals of all races, notably the Malays, and this is a core worry for UMNO Baru which has failed miserably to top up its talent bank with credible and youthful leaders.

PAS and PKR do not condone money politics and they remind the rakyat of UMNO before 1981.

Less of UMNO Baru’s concern

The ordinary Malays are less of UMNO Baru’s concern. UMNO leaders understand the psyche of the ordinary Malays who are feudalistic. The rich politicians with the help of rich businessmen can easily “buy over” the ordinary Malays with little cash given to them before an election.

Bribery comes in different packages. Of late, it has also come to be known under different brand names – BR1M. 1Malaysia People’s Taxi (TR1Ma), 1Malaysia book vouchers etc.

Paying a one-off RM500 to the ordinary poor Malays, they believe is enough to make them vote for UMNO Baru.

To convince the taxi drivers just give them tyre vouchers. And to sway students, give them book vouchers. The list goes on just to entice the rakyat to vote for UMNO Baru. But the amount given to the needy is pittance when one considers the escalating costs of living in the country.

Despite all these gestures the ordinary Malays feel that they are not being cared enough by UMNO Baru. They perceive that top leaders are playing with big money when the ordinary poor are given pittance.

Political analysts opine that this modus operandi is not going to ensure votes for UMNO Baru or Barisan. Those given the money in any form would accept the “gift” but this will not guarantee that they will vote UMNO or BN in the next general election.

They are aware that the money given to them does not come from UMNO but the rakyat. It’s the rakyat’s money UMNO Baru is disbursing.

Backed by wealthy non-Malays

UMNO since 1981 has been closely intertwined with money and business interests. Today money has taken such an important role in UMNO Baru leaders’ political life. This has often been backed by wealthy non-Malays who have huge business stakes in the country.

Of late, the UMNO leader has even the gut to declare that RM40 million was “donated” to UMNO Sabah by some “unrevealed” sources. But the people of Sabah know that the state is being exhausted of precious timber almost every day.

They know who are involved in this timber business and trading. And they can guess where the RM40 million ringgit or more comes from.

UMNO Baru values are dominated by attitudes that are money oriented which are, more often than not, associated with some shady outside characters. This is ruining the party more than anything else.

Willing to spend millions of ringgit

Gone were the days of nationalism and the struggle to help the poor in UMNO. Past leaders of pre - and post-independence eras considered their political roles as a form of sacrifice and a struggle for the ordinary Malays and the country.

UMNO then was dominated by school teachers and village elders who perceived their leadership roles as a calling and an obligation. Money politics did not cross their minds at all. In fact, the three post-independence prime ministers of the country – Tunku, Razak and Hussein – passed on relatively poor.

They were leaders of the rakyat and had no bad records in embezzling the nation of its wealth.

UMNO Baru politicians of today are willing to spend millions of ringgit just to gain position of leadership in the party. And behind them will be some rich tycoons – Malays and non-Malays. Position in the party is no more considered a form of sacrifice and a commitment to serve the people.

This obnoxious characteristic of money politics in UMNO Baru is fortunately not found in PAS

UMNO Baru has been transformed from community type leadership based on respect, personal and informal qualities to politics of rewards. Some wealthy non-Malays are aware of this faintness in UMNO Baru and they exploit on this weakness for their selfish ends.

There is no free lunch

It’s not uncommon for UMNO leaders to rub shoulders with rich and opulent non-Malays and the latter will have no qualms about “footing the bills” for them. Of course there is no free lunch in political friendship and business. Help and support do not come free but with a “fee”.

Those who have helped them will be rewarded financially when comes the right time.

Money in UMNO Baru has become the evil that is nursing the devil. The devil cannot survive without the help of this evil.

UMNO Baru’s struggle is no more a struggle for the ordinary people but for the privileged, those with social and class status, the financial providers, cronies and family members. Nationalistic ambitions or social significance has become secondary.

It’s now all the hurry burry within the party among members to catch a ride on the gravy train.

Every individual in UMNO is being cultured to look forward for financial rewards by being a party member. The poor ordinary Malays are left out in this game involving the financial Philistine warriors associated with the warlords in UMNO Baru.

UMNO Baru has been reputed to entertain the concerns of selected Malays and non-Malays in the business community denying the fact that the kingmakers are the ordinary Malays in elections. And these peeved ordinary Malays have gradually abandoned UMNO for PAS.

Pave the way for PAS and PKR

UMNO has never been united since 1981 and had to depend on the support of the non-Malays in past elections. There are factions within the party and this has made UMNO Baru rather insubstantial and fragile.

With PAS getting more support from the disenchanted Malays, UMNO will soon have to pave the way for PAS to represent the majority electorate in the country – the Malays. In the present scenario, PAS is also getting the support of the ordinary non-Malays.

With a population of about 60 percent the Malays and the much touted NEP UMNO Baru claims not have to have achieved the needed equity ownership for the race. But the rich among UMNO Baru members, leaders and cronies are getting richer by the day.

Blame UMNO Baru for this misfortune. When leaders and their associates are well-heeled the ordinary Malays are living scrapping the bottom of the barrel.

UMNO has been in the midst of a spiteful internal power struggle since 1981 and money has played an important role in deciding who among the members would reign supreme – a culture deeply entrenched in the party now.

Apparently money talks in UMNO Baru when members jostle for party posts.

PR has earned the respect

Going by the perception index of money politics, the political leadership as a form of selfless service, sacrifice and struggle has become irrelevant in UMNO Baru. Monetary expedience has turned the party into a peripheral entity in the eyes of the ordinary Malays.

They have today lost respect for UMNO Baru leaders.

PAS being a party based on religious values has stayed away from money politics and has earned the respect of ordinary Malays as well as the ordinary non-Malays.

PKR is making waves with the dynamism displayed by its youthful and talented Malay leaders. It is a beacon of hope for multi-racialism in Malaysia and is leading the charge for change to a more equal and equitable society, where what you can do counts more than who you know and whether you are a Malay or not.

Both PAS and PKR are ready to replace UMNO Baru as the party that will represent the majority electorate.

Malaysia Chronicle