From 1Malaysia to 1Melayu, Umno is in a MESS

The just concluded UMNO general assembly shows the biggest Malay party is still in a mess.

It was clear that they did not have a clue why BN majority was reduced in the 13th general election and why Pakatan Rakyat was gaining momentum.

They continue to believe that it is their right-wing policy that saved the day for UMNO and BN, and it will continue to do so and as such, it is the right path to go. No wonder NGO like Perkasa is still getting prominent coverage and role in ‘advocating’ their so-called version of upholding Malay rights and defending Islam.

There is little doubt gauging from the debates of UMNO delegates that they still trust that they can deploy the same-old fear tactic to tighten their grip on Malay voters in the 14th general election.

This is why some actually mooted and agreed to change UMNO President Najib Razak’s multi-millions dollar promoted slogan 1Malaysia to 1Melayu.

They wanted exclusiveness, instead of inclusiveness. They believed by being exclusive, they could hold on to power forever.

In the general assembly, no one gave a damn about Goods and Services Tax (GST). No one complained about petrol hikes.

Yes, some touched about electricity tariff hike, but that was likely political rather than a ‘real-mean-it’ thing.

Why? That is because nobody had directed the decision to raise electricity tariff at Najib. Instead they trained their guns on Tenaga Nasional Berhad.

But, could TNB have raised the tariff without the nod from Najib?

And, would Najib dare to approve it and ask the people to bite the bullet if an election is near?

No way. So, it was all for a show.

To divert attention away from the rapid rising cost of living, some saw it fit to bring back the already-died-down Shitte controversy into the foreground.

It was just another re-used of an old strategy that worked well against the Malay community.

By diverting attention to a common fear created out of nothing, they believe everyone will lose focus that it is UMNO that causes and will cause intense bleeding to their wallet with their ‘right-wing financial policy (protecting the lifestyle of the elites by making ordinary Malaysians pay).

Ordinary Malaysians, where the large bulk of it is Malay, will suffer the most for the intense bleeding.

Will UMNO’s strategy work again?

That can be judged by how media and Malays will go frenzy again issuing statement on Shitte and forget about the floods and suffering of ordinary Malaysians due to rising cost of livings.

If suraus and mosques start to focus the debate on whether there are really some Shitte leaders in PAS instead of the current sufferings faced by the people from various price hikes after the GE13 and the slowness in delivering flood aids – then it just proves that the Malays have taken UMNO’s bait yet again.

And now, it will be up to PAS and Pakatan Rakyat to devise a strategy to stop the effectiveness of this old tactic by maximising its own UMNO detoxification program via the new media and internet.

The real battle for Malay votes has started.