Umno in need of wind of change

Umno general assembly may just clear the path for Muhyiddin to lead party.

COMMENT

If the results of the last eleven general elections have been a sign of approval of Umno’s rule in Malaysia, what was the 12th and 13th general election results a harbinger of? Beware the Ides of March to the ruling party?

The results of the last two elections could be construed as akin to a “perfect storm” brewing and awaiting to unleash its wrath, spawning tornadoes and rogue waves that create a history of destruction and death along its path.

But with destruction and death come the opportunity for a new beginning. The coming Umno general assembly may just be the catalyst to set off an outburst of violent storm within Umno to clear the path for Muhyiddin Yassin to lead the party.

Events over the years during Najib Tun Razak’s tenure have demonstrated that Najib is a weak leader who is constantly shadowed by his wife in public.

Najib owes its current position as the president of Umno to the privilege of being born as the son of Tun Razak, and to be handpicked by Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as his deputy then. That, he has been a non-controversial figure in Umno came about by default with his lack of courage in committing himself to resolving issues rather than one who brings about positive, beneficial changes for the good of all through wisdom.

His advent in Umno is boosted with deals that may one day come back to haunt him when alliances are cast aside for new ones. The high-handed take-over of Perak from Pakatan Rakyat is one such that could used to nudge him to the Umno exit.

It is only in Umno’s best interest today to question Najib for the party’s poor performance in the 13th general election, and to either drop him from the party presidency or to put the brakes on Umno’s slide towards oblivion.

Umno has started blaming Najib’s attempt to reach out to the other races for the poor showing in the recent election where droves of Indians, Chinese, and non-Muslims turned their backs to the Barisan Nasional coalition. Alas, Umno has lost its luster.

It is indeed surprising that the Umno is not aware of the blatant display of hypocrisy in the attempts to reach out to the non-Malays. Umno is now grieving that the many of the non-Malays are no longer willing to support the coalition.

No mixed signals

The popular consensus in Umno today is that it must abandon all moves to reach out to the other races.

The Malay nationalists now rule within the party. They have made their stand that the Malays must have an iron-clad hold of the country’s political and economic landscape to reiterate their dominance in the country after losing the popular support of the non-Malays.

The direction that Umno is going to take is glaringly obvious.

Umno is insisting that Najib’s ETP will proceed with modifications to cater to the demands of the Malays, where the Malays will be controlling an even larger slice of the economy, and enjoy even more privileges, power, access, and funding.

Umno is on autopilot with Najib, with him no where to be seen or heard. So what else is new with Najib? Is this not Najib being himself?

Dr Mahathir Mohamad has reasoned that the two top Umno posts should not be contested to prevent further fragmentation of Umno. On the back of that, he wants someone to come forward and unite all factions within Umno. And, he must be someone whom he approves of. Who will the person be?

Umno will see the 14th GE as its Custer’s Last Stand or itself riding into the Valley of Death. Either, they could have done better and prevented many demise.

The problem lies with them always poised for a “they and us” battle not because there is a racial or religious cause to be championed but to achieve their personal ambition of attaining position and power in Umno.

While the world is evolving, it is indeed tragic that Umno members are lost in their own little world of intrigues and money politics. Malaysians have moved beyond money politics, corruption and arrogance but Umno choose to ignore these changes. In 2013, the rakyat took charge for a better Malaysia.

Today, we are ready and demand for change. The Malay population has grown since 1969 and the Malays are now embracing all as one. That is why, more have voted for change in the latest election.

Umno should not take this change as a kiss of death and should embrace it instead. The world now knows no ethnicity and boundaries. There are no mixed signals or confusion in the messages that we have sent Umno. Because only with change will the society improve – Umno has to change or be changed.

It is high time that Umno cleanses itself of corruption, money politics, factionalism and arrogance – the elements that brought Umno to its knees.

Are there Malays in Umno who are capable of and willing to take on this task? Certainly! Given the opportunity, they will emerge and steer Umno to the path of change that it needs to embark on to be relevant in the Malaysian society today. And when they do rise to the occasion, the rakyat expect Pakatan Rakyat to put up a stiff fight for the betterment of us all.

CT Ali is a reformist who believes in Pakatan Rakyat’s ideologies. He is a FMT columnist.