When pig heads fly

They say it is impossible for the Umno controlled BN to lose its grip on power, "when pigs fly" goes the adage. But when the possibility of BN losing looms, pig heads seems to fly left, right and centre.

There is an expression to describe something that is impossible or never going to happen, as the popular saying goes, "when pigs fly".

Being ground dwelling quadrupeds with no biological means of flight, the pig or swine is more likely to wallow in mud pits than ever travel through the air under its own power.

Though cynics have pointed out that one can chuck pigs bodily into the air to make them fly and force a re-examination of that popular adage.

And for well nigh 54 years, the possibility of the ruling Umno-led BN coalition being unseated from its perch of power over Malaysia, is an idea that will evoke such a response.

‘BN will only lose... ya right, when pigs fly'

However such a possibility is no longer so remote after the political tsunami of 2008, when a popular vote-revolt saw the ruling coalition not only lost five states to the fledgling Pakatan Rakyat opposition, but also for the first time since Malaysia's inception, lost its grip on its once ironclad two-thirds parliamentary majority.

Though when the possibility of the Umno led BN losing its grasp on power does come knocking on the door, the immediate remedy seems to be the chucking of pig heads, left, right and centre.

Literally, pig heads seem to have finding their way into mosque gates and compounds of the Muslim house of worship.

By most accounts often vigorously launched through the air, or flying, rather then a more sedate drag-and-dump.

Vice-versa, petrol bombs, though thankfully in most cases clumsy attempts at mixing Molotov cocktails (Molotov cocktails come in glass NOT plastic bottles) and orchestrated red paint seem to fly as well, in some cases raining like manna from heaven on churches and Gurdwaras.

It is not immediately known if the plastic wrapped swine heads, as if to be handled gingerly by Muslims, and the badly mixed Molotovs and bloody paint were an attempt to summon the self-fulfilling when-pigs-fly prophecy of a BN downfall or perhaps to strike the match of a more sinister agenda.

What is worrisome is that like in so many occurrences in Malaysian history, purported sectarian violence, religious strive and racial hatred are seemingly being stirred and mired by parties with sinister purposes, coincidentally, perhaps, always in concert with a crisis in the Umno dominated BN or internecine warfare among its Malay warlords.

As one would recall the incidence of Ops Lalang when opposition dissidents labelled terrorist were swooped up after Umno Youth created a keris-bathe-in-Chinese-blood rumble in the Merdeka Stadium.

Strangely, the Umno leader responsible, now Premier Najib Razak survived without even a strand of hair on his body touched.

Another coincidence, it also seemed to be in concert with a power grab in Umno and quarrels with BN components.

But former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamed said that it was "wholly a police operation", run by "men with guns" that even he as PM could not control.

The good doctor is an honourable man, and as honourable men do not lie, we should perhaps take his account of it as kosher.

Or the earlier May 13 'racial riots' that was said to have been precipitated with an internal Umno power-struggle.

Stories looms of youths being gathered and issued sharp implements, not of the gardening kind, by parties unknown who issued orders probably best left unrepeated under light of day.

Were the three Malaysians of Indian descent murdered in cold blood by the youths gathered at the then Selangor MB's house, radicals who provoked the Malay crowd taunting them of Umno's loss in the municipal elections, or innocent tea-boys delivering packed lunches?

Not for us to know, or will we ever know?

But Najib's father Tun Razak was also an honourable man and as honourable men do not lie, we should perhaps take Umno led BN's account that it was a flashpoint of racial violence, unplanned by any but exploded on its own.

Or if we were to listen to Kulim Bandar Baru MP Zulkifli Nordin's frequent outtakes in parliament, we do have to ask ourselves, was May 13 precipitated by the DAP?

As was seemingly apparent in the "Lancau" laced provocative statements, he attributed to DAP's 1969 marching slogans and happily recites whenever he has the opportunity to do so in parliament would suggest, the socialist party may have provoked the riot.

And Zulkifli as he often posits, is a God-fearing, religious and honourable man, and as honourable men don't lie, perhaps what he likes to repeat is true.

Najib, who is also an honourable man seems to believe that the recent introduction of flying pig heads, Molotovs and red paint are real works of those waiting to engineer racial riots akin to May 13.

He also saw nothing amiss with mushrooming NGOs with mysterious backers championing the rights of a majority race, suddenly appearing to defend already constitutionally guaranteed rights, flout the law and saw no issues with degrading the rights of other races.

Though the "who" behind all those unidentified flying objects and unknown NGOs, remain a 'mystery'.

As Najib is an honourable man and honourable men do not lie, then perhaps he is right. Maybe there are parties unknown that sought to destroy Malaysia's racial harmony and pit us against each other, race against race and religion against religion.

Who would benefit from such a terrible thing?
Perhaps those who will then orchestrate the arrest of opposition dissidents they casually label as terrorists, those who would rally the Malays behind their role as champions of the race.

Or perhaps those who are afraid of losing political power and thus would want nothing more than to declare emergencies like in 1969 or the preceding ones in Sabah, Sarawak and Kelantan, to 'resolve the political situation' and maintain their grasp and control on power.

Whatever the case, pigs, or pig parts are really flying it seems, though what this omens, is perhaps for us the rakyat to decide. Is it time for change? Is it time to change?

But what I know for sure is it is a time for all of us Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Hindus, Buddhists and other religious denominations in this our beloved Malaysia to be calm and act wisely, to remember God and to remember the that all religions asks us to be peaceful and sensible peoples.

It is time for all Malaysians of all descent, be it Malays, Kadazans, Indians, Ibans, Chinese, Muruts, Bengalis and all the rest to unite, Najib may claim to own 1Malaysia but this is our one and only Malaysia.

It is our sacred place that we should dedicate ourselves to preserve and protect from threats to our harmony, from within or without.

Let not these 'pigs', whoever they are take away our land, let they not steal our peace. Let them not stir us against each other, but let us show them resolve, that we our rights and destiny self dictate. To this end, let us unite, let us be one and this our earthly paradise, keep safe.