Umno is back but it’s not invincible

 

The core feature of Umno is that it is a party for the majority Malay race.

In 1951, its first president, Onn Jaafar, recommended opening membership to other races. Decisively defeated, he resigned. Thus, for 75 years, Umno has championed the communal struggle.

Every facet of public life is perceived through the racial lens. Whether politics, economy, social issues, education or employment in the public services. Even sports.

Umno substantially strengthened its position over the body politic in the aftermath of the May 1969 riots by the introduction of the New Economic Policy (NEP) in 1971.

After the Iranian Revolution of 1979 and the entry of Anwar Ibrahim in 1983 into Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s first cabinet, Umno began to take its strongest opponent for Malay support, PAS, on the religious front.

So the drive to Islamisation - which (former ambassador) Dennis Ignatius deals comprehensively with (in his book ‘Paradise Lost: Mahathir & The End of Hope’) - resulted in Umno emerging in the early 1990s as the predominant Malay/Muslim political party in the land, well eclipsing PAS.

Umno possesses certain identifiable features which contrast it with other political parties of long-standing - whether the Conservative Party in the UK; Republican in the US; Congress in India; LDP in Japan and PAP in Singapore.

First, like revolutions devour their children; Umno devours its leaders. Save for Abdul Razak Hussein, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Najib Abdul Razak, all its presidents left Umno. Many to form other political parties.

Secondly, Umno’s pre-dominance in our national landscape has been so overpowering that it has convinced thousands of public servants over the decades that Umno is synonymous with Malaysia. What is Umno’s interest is in the national interest!

Thirdly, this inter-changeability between Umno and the nation state was best demonstrated by the ways and means Umno attacked the Pakatan Harapan government within weeks of Umno losing power for the first time in May 2018.

It effectively used the racial/religious card, culminating in the holding of the Malay Dignity Congress in October 2019 and the Sheraton Move in February 2020, which Mahathir claimed was the primary reason for his resignation, and the resultant collapse of the Harapan coalition government.

Fourthly, this synonymity between the political party, Umno, and the nation state destabilised the Muhyiddin Yassin coalition, and upon its withdrawal of support, that government too collapsed.

Fifthly, Umno’s entitlement as the ruling party in our political firmament was clinched when the current prime minister took office. One of his first public steps was to welcome to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), his predecessor who has been convicted and sentenced to 72 years.

Therefore, the title of this forum - that Umno requires a revival - is not factually correct. Umno only suffered a temporary setback in GE14; it is back in full harness.

Umno is successful, durable and resilient. Any politician or political party that underestimates Umno, does so at its peril.

Incompetence and misgovernance

But however powerful Umno is: invincible, it is not.

There are two practical constraints to Umno’s continued dominance of the political sphere.

First, with the emergence of Bersatu, Pejuang, Muda and other parties, joining PAS, Amanah and PKR, Umno’s share of the Malay vote has been reduced and will in the coming election. It is a much more crowded environment. Umno’s support now hovers around 50 percent of the Malays in Peninsular and in Sabah. Non-Malays and Sarawakians continue to vigorously oppose Umno.

Secondly, Malay voters may decisively reject Umno in GE15. Employing the racial/religious card is of no use in governing a state. PAS’ lengthy administration of Kelantan is a classic example of mismanagement despite championing the religious cause.

But the better and more current illustration is the terrible incompetence and misgovernance since the middle of last year by the two governments in which Umno has played a key role.

Their handling of the Covid pandemic has been disastrous. We are nearing two million cases and 20,000 deaths.

Millions of unemployed struggle to put food on the table. Cash has dried up. Companies are insolvent and individuals are bankrupt - in the millions. Thousands of businesses have been crushed. Social, economic and health crises engulf Malaysia. Mental illness has never reached such heights.

Therefore, if Malay voters reject Umno in the droves in GE15 because of its pathetic track record in governance, Umno will be soundly defeated.

There is still hope!

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TOMMY THOMAS is former attorney-general. The above is part of a speech given at the launch of former ambassador Dennis Ignatius’ book ‘Paradise Lost: Mahathir & The End of Hope’ yesterday. - Mkini