Unity government: Najib's CONSPIRACY against Umno rivals & the NATION?

In some countries, a unity government is formed to prevent a national crisis, for example when no single party has the required number of seats to form a government. Otherwise, the country may be in turmoil.

A unity government is thus a way out to save a nation and not to serve the interests of those in power. If done in the most amicable way, the party having the largest number of seats can form the government by forming a coalition with the Opposition parties without having to waste time in political disputes and maneuvers. They can save money and other resources by absolving the need to hold another general election. Therefore the business of managing the country can continue without too many hitches.

However, the proposed ’unity government’ in Malaysia purportedly proposed by Prime Minister Najib Razak to Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim is viewed skeptically by many in the country. We have seen before the style of unity government practiced by Najib's UMNO-BN coalition when PAS was coaxed into joining on the pretext of ensuring and enhancing Malay interests. Naïve PAS should have realized that it was only in the interest of UMNO, and of no benefit to them at all!

Datuk Mohd Asri was the PAS president responsible for bringing the Islamist party into the Umno-led Barisan Nasional in 1973. This ‘unity government’ was a sham as there was no power-sharing at the federal level. It was proposed to ensure UMNO-BN could have the control over Kelantan via PAS. The ‘unity’ ended in 1978.

Bad record

Before we continue further, there are four points to bear in mind. Firstly UMNO-BN has won every election in a controversial way, accused of unscrupulous methods, without which they might not be able to win at all especially the recent May 5 general election. UMNO also has not and will not fulfill all the demands made by free and fair polls monitor BERSIH. With these two factors in the background, it would be wise for Anwar to view any action by UMNO with suspicion and utmost caution.

Secondly, despite all the tricks in GE-13, UMNO-BN managed to secure 133 parliament seats or 7 less than the previous general election in 2008 and won only 42% of the popular votes.

Thirdly, while UMNO won more parliament seats compared to 2008, the MCA, Gerakan and MIC failed to perform. As a result MCA, Gerakan and MIC are of not much value to BN. They are beyond rescue, thus there is no effort by UMNO to help strengthen these three major parties.

Moreover there is every reason that MCA, Gerakan and MIC should be dissolved or may be forced to leave BN and join the Opposition. BN is in deep trouble and UMNO needs to find other partners, but it only wants those which it can manipulate and destroy, just like the current BN trio.

BN in crisis

Now, since UMNO-BN can form the government albeit without a two thirds majority of the seats in Parliament, why is UMNO with its track record of selfishness and unwillingness to accept a two-party system suddenly considering a national unity government? Is it looking ahead to ward off the crisis that is swelling up in BN?

Of course, if unresolved, the impending implosion in UMNO-BN will have a drastic impact on the country and this could eventually lead to all sorts of related crises. But let's not put the cart before the horse,

The first question to ask is who really wants the unity government? Is it Najib, UMNO-BN or Pakatan Rakyat and why?

Obviously, PR can live with being the Opposition. DAP, for example, has never known what is it like to be in the federal government. All 3 parties, PKR, PAS and DAP know that it is a long, winding and treacherous road before they can finally win the general election. PR is also quite confident that they can defeat UMNO-BN at the 14th general election. They can wait and the majority of people are with them. After all PR won 51% of the popular vote!

BN bloodsucker

It is more likely UMNO that realizes that they have to do something about BN or face a certain ouster in GE14. UMNO has written off MCA, Gerakan and MIC because it has already sucked all the blood out from these 3 foolish parties.

Gerakan is already dead. The MCA is going, let down by unscrupulous leaders like Chua Soi Lek who prefer to sleep with UMNO leaders even though UMNO is systematically and deliberately destroying everything that MCA founders had hoped for and built through the decades for their party.

So UMNO now needs to find new partners who can reinvigorate BN. It need to repeat the same act it did with PAS in 1973.

Wasting the nation's time for his personal vanity

Now, Prime Minister Najib Razak is not know for his intellectualism. UMNO insiders say all he wanted was a 'simple' deal and PKR was his best fit. He wasn't keen to deal with all the problems and demands that a real unity government would entail.

And this is why of all the prime ministers, Najib is the most destructive for Malaysia. His brand of 'slow kill' hits Malaysia where it hurts most - in the Father Time department.

Najib is wasting Malaysia's time - precious time that can be used to stop the rot, catch up with the rest of region and the world.

Najib is also trying to score a major coup against his rivals in Umno by getting Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim back into the UMNO-BN fold. What a feather in his cap it would be if Anwar actually agreed!

Najib would straightaway be 'untouchable', snatching for himself a hallowed place in UMNO's history. He would be feted  as the party's 'UNIFIER' versus former premier Mahathir Mohmad's  'DESTROYER' image.

Easy to tell if proposal is genuine or not

Fortunately, Anwar is much more principled and has rejected the scheme outright.

If Najib is sincere, he should just openly declare his intention - which is it to be, national reconciliation or unity government. Whichever he decides, Najib should spell out the general conditions so that there is no hidden agenda and the people are informed and prepared to accept the formation of the first unity government in our nation’s history. Najib must also declare what changes he is willing to make and which demands by the Opposition and the NGOs he is willing to fulfill.

As for Pakatan, obviously it is not to its advantage to accept unless the offer is quite exceptional in terms of the reforms that Najib and UMNO would be willing to embrace. At this point in time, can anyone really imagine such an about-turn from the kleptocratic UMNO? Can UMNO really embrace good governance? Is it possible for UMNO to reject corruption?

Just by answering these questions, Malaysians will know how difficult to achieve is such a concept, how alien it would be to UMNO, how dangerous it would be for the Pakatan to accept.

False hope by a lazy leader

Many people have associated the ‘unity government’ issue to UMNO's internal problems and the coming UMNO election, but who are the people behind this idea?

Some say it is Najib and his advisers who dreamed up this idea so that they can 'seal' his legacy. He would be the most unifying of all UMNO presidents if he succeeded.

Some say the need for a unity government was raised by a group that has been supporting UMNO all these while. As such, this group needs to safeguard their interests. They are worried about UMNO's future notwithstanding who the UMNO president may be. They have a lot of vested interests in Malaysia. But so whata? They cannot take the idea further unless accepted and promoted by the top UMNO leadership.

In any case, whoever originated the idea is not the point. The point is Najib is still trying to make use of it for his benefit in the UMNO poll and to lull the country into a false sense of hope that there can be a way out of the current morass.

Not only are UMNO members doubtful of his capability but the majority in the country are completely demoralized at thought of another 5 years under a bungling, lazy and self-indulgent leader.

By popping out false hope in the form of a 'unity government' especially with Anwar as the carrot, it is a clever but thoroughly unscrupulous way to dupe the nation. It is a con-man approach by a leader who is too lazy to make real effort to better his country. Now, that sounds just like Najib, doesn't it!

Malaysia Chronicle