We have a big question mark here. Did the Barisan Nasional (BN) a coalition of political parties currently ruling this nation really promote unity in this multiracial country of ours, be it socially, economically or politically? The answers that we got most, were a big No. The BN coalition which has been running this country for more than 55 years ago have never ever come up with an actual identity which would really identify all of us as Malaysians nor calling us Bangsa Malaysia instead of looking at our particular race or skin colour.
In order to see what is really in the BN coalition, let us all check in on some of these BN component parties who has been dominating the coalition's politics all this while.
UMNO : This party is actually called United Malays National Organization (Baru), a major dominant Malay-based political party in the BN coalition. Umno is a political party with only Malays in its membership, but of recently, it has amended its party constitution to allow the entry of some groups of Bumiputras into its rank, mainly the Malaysian Thais, Portugis, Orang Aslis, Indian Muslims and natives from Sabah. However, until today, the party is still emphasizing on Malay supremacy as one of its agenda in order to gain or regain support from the Malay ground. Its most recent subject is Malay unity.
It also claims to be championing the Malay community and Islam in particular by projecting itself as the defender of these two agendas. Most of the time, Umno's politicking are mostly focusing on one particular race and religion, has been frequently reminding the Malays that the community and their religion is under threat from the Chinese particularly from the Opposition DAP.
Umno is also responsible for the implementation and continuation of the New Economic Policy (NEP) in order to protect the "interests of the Malay community" but in actual fact, the NEP only protects the elites, political and economic establishment of Umno. If not, why are the majority of the Malays and Bumiputras in this nation are still under develop?
MCA : This party's full name is Malaysian Chinese Association, said to be the second largest component party in the BN coalition. Basically, the MCA is said to be representing the Chinese community in our nation, looking after the wellbeing of the community, its socio-economic structures, the Chinese education and their rights.
However, in aftermath of the 2008 12th general elections, the influence of the MCA has been deteriorating and the Chinese community has began to shift their support over to the Oppositions. It has been noted that MCA has became so irrelevant due to the fact that its party leaders has became subservient to the leaders of Umno, ignoring the plights and grievances of the Chinese community at large, failing to address issues which has been affecting the community, and not being able to stand out to speak up for the community at large on several issues.
As at now, MCA only serve and emphasize on unity amongst the Chinese community and dialects.
MIC : It is called the Malaysian Indian Congress, projecting itself as the third largest component party in the BN coalition, claiming itself to be representing the Indian community but in the end, the party became too irrelevant for the community after MIC was eventually turned into a political party for the Indian elites, the Indian grassroots has been ignored completely.
Apart from that, MIC had also failed to address some major issues related to the community, particularly those who are unable to obtain their citizenship by birth and the socio-economic wellbeing of the community has also been deteriorating.
Like its counterpart from Umno and MCA, MIC also serve and only emphasize solely on unity within the Indian community.
GERAKAN : Its full name should be Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia. The objective of Gerakan is particularly on non-racial approach in politics and focusing on promoting the Bangsa Malaysia concept which they have been struggling for since the formation of the said party. However, the membership of the party remain Chinese-dominated.
But of recently, Gerakan has also became irrelevant due to the fact that it has not being able to project its ideology to the BN leadership as the coalition is still being dominated by race-based component parties, particularly Umno, MCA and MIC.
Another problem with Gerakan, is in most of the time, the party has not being able to succumb to the pressure and racist supremacy expounded by Umno. Gerakan leaders are also seen to be too weak to take on even an Umno divisional leader on certain issues related to race, religion and politics.
Gerakan lost its strongholds in Penang and Perak to the Opposition in the 12th general elections on 2008.
PPP : The People's Progressive Party was once a prominent opposition party in Perak, Selangor and Penang, who had won many seats during the municipal council elections, and its then party president was even elected as a City Mayor once. Eventhough PPP has projected its image as multiracial, but the party remain an Indian-dominated party until today. It has been seen as a rival to MIC on certain issues.
However, the influence of the PPP had deteriorated once the founding brothers passed away and the party was later embroiled in leadership tussles for decades. In the last general elections, PPP lost all the seats it has contested.
PBB : This is call Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu, a Sarawak-based right-wing dominant within the Sarawak BN coalition. The membership of the party consist mainly of Malay Melanaus, Bidayuh and Ibans. However, the Malay Melanau faction is the largest and dominant in the PBB leadership and party structures.
As at now, PBB still maintain many of its strongholds in the rural areas and villages in the forests and mountains.
SUPP : The Sarawak United People's Party is typically a Chinese-based political party in the Sarawak BN coalition. For decades it has claimed to represent the Sarawak Chinese community until recently most of its leaders, including the then party president was defeated by DAP in the last state elections.
In aftermath of the state elections, the SUPP's influence declined further and the party was later embroiled in several factional infighting with some factions jostling for party positions and attempt to dominated branches in the statewide party elections.
As at now, SUPP is still hoping to regain some of its lost grounds and the party's focus are still on the state's Chinese community and the party is insisting that they are still relevant.
PRS : Parti Rakyat Sarawak was originated from the now-defunct Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) which has been de-registered by the Registrar of Societies (ROS) following a leadership tussle. PRS is claiming to be representing the Dayak community in Sarawak. Seen to be subservient to the dominant PBB in the state BN coalition.
SPDP : Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party was originated from the currently defunct Sarawak National Party (SNAP) which was also being de-registered by the ROS following a tense leadership tussle within. SPDP also claimed to be representing the Dayak community and the party is also seen as a rival to PRS on issues concerning the Dayaks.
PBS : The Parti Bersatu Sabah was once one of the dominant party in the Sabah BN coalition. Prior to that, PBS was an Opposition party having defeated the then BN leading party, BERJAYA in the state elections. PBS left the BN coalition once and returned to its fold later following mass defection of its party leaders and the party's influence had began to decline. As at now PBS is still claiming to represent the Kadazandusun Murut community.
PBRS : Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah is originally a splinter party as the result of mass defection from PBS. The defections and formation of PBRS took place, following PBS' departure from the state BN coalition. Although PBRS claims to be representing the Kadazandusun Murut community the party has not being effective since its inception into the state BN and the party remain a subservient to the Sabah Umno.
UPKO : United Pasokmomugun Kadazandusun Murut Organization and its previous name Parti Demokratik Sabah (PDS) is also originally a splinter party as the result of mass defection from PBS following the later's departure from the state BN coalition. PDS was later changed to UPKO in order to rival PBS (later rejoin BN) in its representation of the Kadazandusun Murut community.
LDP : The Liberal Democratic Party of Sabah is predominantly a minor Chinese-based political party with its origins in Tawau, Sabah. It claims to represent the Sabah Chinese community but its representation has not been effective because of the emergence of the stronger DAP in most urbanized areas.
So, in the BN coalition, most of the component parties are particularly race-based, where each of these political parties are only focusing on one or two races which they claim to be representing, while the other two component parties, GERAKAN and PPP both projecting themselves as multiracial parties but their objectives of upholding Bangsa Malaysia has not been successful at all
As the 13th general elections is already approaching, these BN component parties had started to jostling for seats to be contested, whatever they asked, they would not obtain them entirely, some BN component parties will have to accept some rejection or disappointments over some decision of the seats allocations, infightings within the coalition and the component parties itself also continues, thus making their politics on top of the communities which they claim to represent. None of these component parties talk about being Malaysians in Malaysia when coming to politics within their framework.
In this case, does the BN coalition really emphasizing on unity? Did the BN component parties really understand what a Malaysian or Bangsa Malaysia really means in the larger context in Malaysia?
Well, the BN coalition has been overly complicated because of its race-based divide and rule concept within its combination, not as an organization.
In order to see what is really in the BN coalition, let us all check in on some of these BN component parties who has been dominating the coalition's politics all this while.
UMNO : This party is actually called United Malays National Organization (Baru), a major dominant Malay-based political party in the BN coalition. Umno is a political party with only Malays in its membership, but of recently, it has amended its party constitution to allow the entry of some groups of Bumiputras into its rank, mainly the Malaysian Thais, Portugis, Orang Aslis, Indian Muslims and natives from Sabah. However, until today, the party is still emphasizing on Malay supremacy as one of its agenda in order to gain or regain support from the Malay ground. Its most recent subject is Malay unity.
It also claims to be championing the Malay community and Islam in particular by projecting itself as the defender of these two agendas. Most of the time, Umno's politicking are mostly focusing on one particular race and religion, has been frequently reminding the Malays that the community and their religion is under threat from the Chinese particularly from the Opposition DAP.
Umno is also responsible for the implementation and continuation of the New Economic Policy (NEP) in order to protect the "interests of the Malay community" but in actual fact, the NEP only protects the elites, political and economic establishment of Umno. If not, why are the majority of the Malays and Bumiputras in this nation are still under develop?
MCA : This party's full name is Malaysian Chinese Association, said to be the second largest component party in the BN coalition. Basically, the MCA is said to be representing the Chinese community in our nation, looking after the wellbeing of the community, its socio-economic structures, the Chinese education and their rights.
However, in aftermath of the 2008 12th general elections, the influence of the MCA has been deteriorating and the Chinese community has began to shift their support over to the Oppositions. It has been noted that MCA has became so irrelevant due to the fact that its party leaders has became subservient to the leaders of Umno, ignoring the plights and grievances of the Chinese community at large, failing to address issues which has been affecting the community, and not being able to stand out to speak up for the community at large on several issues.
As at now, MCA only serve and emphasize on unity amongst the Chinese community and dialects.
MIC : It is called the Malaysian Indian Congress, projecting itself as the third largest component party in the BN coalition, claiming itself to be representing the Indian community but in the end, the party became too irrelevant for the community after MIC was eventually turned into a political party for the Indian elites, the Indian grassroots has been ignored completely.
Apart from that, MIC had also failed to address some major issues related to the community, particularly those who are unable to obtain their citizenship by birth and the socio-economic wellbeing of the community has also been deteriorating.
Like its counterpart from Umno and MCA, MIC also serve and only emphasize solely on unity within the Indian community.
GERAKAN : Its full name should be Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia. The objective of Gerakan is particularly on non-racial approach in politics and focusing on promoting the Bangsa Malaysia concept which they have been struggling for since the formation of the said party. However, the membership of the party remain Chinese-dominated.
But of recently, Gerakan has also became irrelevant due to the fact that it has not being able to project its ideology to the BN leadership as the coalition is still being dominated by race-based component parties, particularly Umno, MCA and MIC.
Another problem with Gerakan, is in most of the time, the party has not being able to succumb to the pressure and racist supremacy expounded by Umno. Gerakan leaders are also seen to be too weak to take on even an Umno divisional leader on certain issues related to race, religion and politics.
Gerakan lost its strongholds in Penang and Perak to the Opposition in the 12th general elections on 2008.
PPP : The People's Progressive Party was once a prominent opposition party in Perak, Selangor and Penang, who had won many seats during the municipal council elections, and its then party president was even elected as a City Mayor once. Eventhough PPP has projected its image as multiracial, but the party remain an Indian-dominated party until today. It has been seen as a rival to MIC on certain issues.
However, the influence of the PPP had deteriorated once the founding brothers passed away and the party was later embroiled in leadership tussles for decades. In the last general elections, PPP lost all the seats it has contested.
PBB : This is call Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu, a Sarawak-based right-wing dominant within the Sarawak BN coalition. The membership of the party consist mainly of Malay Melanaus, Bidayuh and Ibans. However, the Malay Melanau faction is the largest and dominant in the PBB leadership and party structures.
As at now, PBB still maintain many of its strongholds in the rural areas and villages in the forests and mountains.
SUPP : The Sarawak United People's Party is typically a Chinese-based political party in the Sarawak BN coalition. For decades it has claimed to represent the Sarawak Chinese community until recently most of its leaders, including the then party president was defeated by DAP in the last state elections.
In aftermath of the state elections, the SUPP's influence declined further and the party was later embroiled in several factional infighting with some factions jostling for party positions and attempt to dominated branches in the statewide party elections.
As at now, SUPP is still hoping to regain some of its lost grounds and the party's focus are still on the state's Chinese community and the party is insisting that they are still relevant.
PRS : Parti Rakyat Sarawak was originated from the now-defunct Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) which has been de-registered by the Registrar of Societies (ROS) following a leadership tussle. PRS is claiming to be representing the Dayak community in Sarawak. Seen to be subservient to the dominant PBB in the state BN coalition.
SPDP : Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party was originated from the currently defunct Sarawak National Party (SNAP) which was also being de-registered by the ROS following a tense leadership tussle within. SPDP also claimed to be representing the Dayak community and the party is also seen as a rival to PRS on issues concerning the Dayaks.
PBS : The Parti Bersatu Sabah was once one of the dominant party in the Sabah BN coalition. Prior to that, PBS was an Opposition party having defeated the then BN leading party, BERJAYA in the state elections. PBS left the BN coalition once and returned to its fold later following mass defection of its party leaders and the party's influence had began to decline. As at now PBS is still claiming to represent the Kadazandusun Murut community.
PBRS : Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah is originally a splinter party as the result of mass defection from PBS. The defections and formation of PBRS took place, following PBS' departure from the state BN coalition. Although PBRS claims to be representing the Kadazandusun Murut community the party has not being effective since its inception into the state BN and the party remain a subservient to the Sabah Umno.
UPKO : United Pasokmomugun Kadazandusun Murut Organization and its previous name Parti Demokratik Sabah (PDS) is also originally a splinter party as the result of mass defection from PBS following the later's departure from the state BN coalition. PDS was later changed to UPKO in order to rival PBS (later rejoin BN) in its representation of the Kadazandusun Murut community.
LDP : The Liberal Democratic Party of Sabah is predominantly a minor Chinese-based political party with its origins in Tawau, Sabah. It claims to represent the Sabah Chinese community but its representation has not been effective because of the emergence of the stronger DAP in most urbanized areas.
So, in the BN coalition, most of the component parties are particularly race-based, where each of these political parties are only focusing on one or two races which they claim to be representing, while the other two component parties, GERAKAN and PPP both projecting themselves as multiracial parties but their objectives of upholding Bangsa Malaysia has not been successful at all
As the 13th general elections is already approaching, these BN component parties had started to jostling for seats to be contested, whatever they asked, they would not obtain them entirely, some BN component parties will have to accept some rejection or disappointments over some decision of the seats allocations, infightings within the coalition and the component parties itself also continues, thus making their politics on top of the communities which they claim to represent. None of these component parties talk about being Malaysians in Malaysia when coming to politics within their framework.
In this case, does the BN coalition really emphasizing on unity? Did the BN component parties really understand what a Malaysian or Bangsa Malaysia really means in the larger context in Malaysia?
Well, the BN coalition has been overly complicated because of its race-based divide and rule concept within its combination, not as an organization.
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