When rightist Akmal breaks silence to oppose KL mayor poll as “a DAP ploy to usurp Malay powerbase”

 

SELECTIVE criticism best described firebrand UMNO Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh after he joined his PAS counterpart to outrightly denounced the proposal to hold an election for the Kuala Lumpur Mayor as a hidden agenda by DAP “to supress little Malays who live by the outskirts by controlling the city centre”.

Even though he did not specifically name the UMNO’s arch foe-turned-Madani ally DAP, the self-proclaimed staunch defender of race and religion rose to the occasion ‘to rubbish’ the idea after having been voiceless on two viral corruption cases involving his brethren:

• The detention of Islamic banking figure Tan Sri Dr Mohd Daud Bakar by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption (MACC) for allegedly defrauding investors of RM300 mil in a ‘high return’ scheme; and

• Remand order on the Environment Department’s (DOE) director-general (DG) and deputy DG to assist a MACC probe into alleged corruption linked to e-waste management.

This is despite Federal Territories Minister Hannah Yeoh having given the assurance that the idea may or may not even take off pending a feasibility study which ironically will be conducted by the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) instead of independent think tanks lest they will be accused of being linked to DAP.

Unfounded fears

But instead of looking at the practicality of the mayor election proposal, the Merlimau state assemblyman chose to join hand with PAS to trumpet the unfounded fear that this is merely a DAP’s ploy of usurping power to send shivers down the spine of his brethren.

“We must not be lax. Just as we rejected and thwarted the URA (Urban Renewal Bill 2025) and PBT (local authorities) elections plans before, we must also reject and thwart their plans this time,” penned Akmal on his Facebook page.

“While we’re busy fighting among ourselves for power, they’re united for power. Wake up, my brethren.”

The narrative rendered is very much in sync with that of PAS Youth which cast fear of (i) who controls the country’s strategic cities; (ii) who controls planning, land, licenses, power and revenue; and (iii) who ultimately determines the direction of Malaysia from the grassroots up.

“Today, we see DAP increasingly becoming the “big brother” in the (Madani) government. Others are just spectators, cheering when instructed, remaining silent when reprimanded,” berated National PAS Youth election director and Sura state assemblyman Dr Tengku Muhammad Fakhruddin Tengku Md Fauzi.

The government that was once marketed as “reformist” has now lost its fangs. When the old agenda resurfaces with a new face, all that remains are excuses, studies and linguistic cosmetics.

The Malays cannot remain unmindful. When the city centre is controlled, eventually the outskirts will be suppressed. When local government is politicised, the common people will be squeezed.

Hard truths

For the record, FT Minister Yeoh has justified that a mayor election is a more practical solution to electing many city council members through local government elections.

She explained that the existing administrative structure involved too many units with the capital city currently being administered simultaneously by a mayor, MPs and the KL City Hall (DBKL) advisory board.

“If I were the mayor, whose advice should I listen to? Do I need to listen to elected members of Parliament, DBKL advisors or city council members?” China Press quoted the Segmbut MP in an interview.

On the UMNO-PAS rejection of the mayor election proposal, Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng has challenged both Malay-dominant parties “to publish their own research openly to prove their claims”.

Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng

“Not playing with political sentiments but a study based on facts and data. Present it to the public and let the KL-lites judge,” he pointed out in a media statement.

“If UMNO and PAS truly fight for the interests of the rakyat, they should not be afraid of a transparent and open study. If they refuse to publish the study, the rakyat have the right to ask what exactly they are afraid of.”

‘No more coffee money’

This is when semi-retired journalist-turned-political observer Andrew Sia questioned UMNO’s motive of “protesting against the rights of Bumiputera-majority KL to elect clean leaders”.

“Are you sure you want to defend the rights of KL Malays? Or to defend politicians’ coffee money rights in this rich city?” chided the former The Star environment section editor in retaliation to Akmal’s opposition to the KL mayor election idea.

KL is no longer a Chinese city like in 1970. Bumiputera are now the largest group (Bumi: 47.7%; Chinese 41.6%; Indians 10%). This is the government’s own figure (Statistics Department) in 2020. By now, the Bumi must have exceeded 50%.

Maybe UMNO is also scared because the urban Malays support Pakatan Harapan (PH). Of the 11 KL parliamentary seats, five are held by DAP and five by PKR including Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, Zahir Hassan and Datuk Fahmi Fadzil.  They are Malays, wow, not Chinese.

UMNO only has one seat. Afraid of losing a lot of money in KL, hence this is why all the grumble is about, isn’t it? ” 

- focus malaysia