UMNO UNDER NAJIB: Pedigree or pariah?

Here are some reasons why UMNO, despite being the ruling party and dominant in Malaysian politics, are getting the brickbats from Malaysians as a whole.

It has nothing to do with race, religion or royalty.

Hopefully, after doing some soul-searching, UMNO leaders will realise what they have done is largely to be blamed for the people’s strong response towards the party.

Good Examples

For example, when the controversy about the ‘Pat your dog’ hit the news, it did not even concern the Chinese or the Indians. Dogs are, after all, man’s best friends.

Tracking dogs have been used by the police force to track down drug smugglers at the airports. They are also involved in emergency rescue or tracking down some criminals, especially when they have disappeared into the jungles.

Never was there an issue with the use of dogs in the police force, but why suddenly, dogs become like ‘criminals’ in this country?

One of the major critics, Harris Ibrahim, in his comments said: “…after all, this country is going to the dogs!” The remark by this founder of “Anything But UMNO” clearly shows that it is a Malay gentleman and a Muslim himself, who is condemning UMNO, although this controversy did not necessarily involve the political organisation.

Recently, another UMNO senior minister, Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor received his brickbats from the members of the public who were opposed to his proposal to ban the Soup Kitchens.

His rationale? Simple: because these charitable groups who volunteered food for the homeless poor were the cause of a dirty city. Tengku Adnan had complained that food wrappers were thrown all over the place, after the food was consumed.

The UMNO Secretary General was lambasted by critics from all corners. He should have realised that, with or without the feed stations, illegal dumps exist almost anywhere in the city of Kuala Lumpur.

Compared to the amount of construction debris that are discarded by the roadsides, the rubbish generated by the Soup Kitchen is hardly of any significance. In fact, it can be managed easily with some verbal reminders to the street people.

The homeless exist in nearly all major cities, including London, New York and Paris. Why should Kuala Lumpur be any different? Didn’t Tengku Adnan at least have some common sense and realise that there can be no law that can stand up against charity?

With the inflationary pressure affecting everyone’s pocket, prime minister, Najib Tun Razak’s appearance with a One Ringgit chicken is certainly an insult to one’s intelligence. Until today, I have never been able to buy a hen for One Ringgit!

Even the toy chicken that my son plays with costs more than RM10 per piece!

How to respect Najib when Perkasa, Isma make a public fool of him?

Wouldn’t I feel like lambasting Najib, despite his being the prime minister of Malaysia and someone who is supposed to be respected?

Under such circumstances, would anyone not feel cynical with Najib? Being a public figure and UMNO’s top man, Najib should have at least used some common sense that chicken retailing for One Ringgit is not sustainable. What made him so sure that other Malaysians who read the news would be able to buy a chicken for One Ringgit?

And, all this, happening at a time when Malaysians were anxious about the missing MH370!

Now, UMNO should be doing and saying the things that are now said by non-governmental organisations that suddenly appear like mushrooms. The more prominent NGOs are Perkasa and ISMA.

Court jester Ibrahim Ali

Perkasa’s Ibrahim Ali appears more like a court jester than a true politician. A true politician, who is well-respected by the people is someone like Hulu Kelang state representative, Saari Sungib.

Anything that Ibrahim said in public is seen now as UMNO’s own voice, because Najib gave the nod to Ibrahim and former Perkasa deputy president, Zulkifli Noordin to contest in the last General Election.

How then can UMNO gain the people’s respect, when one is a court jester and the other is a religious bigot, who made fun of the Hindu deity? Most people believe that Perkasa is made up UMNO members, and even if ISMA does not comprise of UMNO members, the smear campaign that it carried out against the Christian community recently, has hurt the non-Muslim voters.

Abdullah Zaik, an international Islamic thinker - don't make Muslim world laugh!

And, when ISMA tried to paint its president, Abdullah Zaik as an international Islamic thinker, it started to tickle me! Who is Zaik, by any comparison to the other well-known Islamic scholars?

His name is not even listed amongst the Wikipedia’s list of international scholars, whereas PAS spiritual adviser, Nik Aziz Nik Mat is placed under the category of well-known Islamic scholars in East and Southeast Asia.

Now, it is not only in West Malaysia that UMNO is getting a bad name. From Kinabatangan, our Saudara Bung Mokhtar, too, is making a mockery of the party that he represents with his antics.

Please Wake Up!

Hopefully, with more lambasting from the public, UMNO will do some soul searching and wake up. It should have more attentive ears to listen to the people.

After all, in Malaysia, UMNO considers itself as the Apache and the rest of us are only little Red Indians. The Apache should place his ear to the ground at all times.

Only the wise would listen, but the fools will continue with their foolishness. It is my hope that UMNO will not continue using harsh approach to win over their opponents. The use of Sedition Act will surely backlash on the party and the BN coalition during the coming General Election.

If Anwar Ibrahim is imprisoned, news will spread far and wide, and the Opposition leader would win half the battle even though he may have to suffer in prison. He will be another Nelson Mandela in the making, and another Mahatma Gandhi being moulded.

The rest of the battle will continue outside of prison, with people being passive resistant towards the BN Government. If it is the passive resistance that UMNO is afraid of, and rightfully so, then it has to wake up and listen to the still small voice of the silent majority. - MAILBAG