Oil royalty, hudud unmasks Umno’s ‘hypocrisy’

Malay, Muslim unity agenda nothing more than desperate ruse by Umno to extend their political life.

GEORGE TOWN: Sabah and Sarawak receive their share of revenue from resources mined in their states as stipulated by the Petroleum Development Act 1974, but Kelantan has been starved of these funds for years.

If Umno truly believes in Malay unity, then why does it not prove its sincerity by paying the RM12 billion in oil and gas royalty that the Kelantan Government claims is owed to them?

For Umno to now speak of unity when it is they who have marginalised the Malays in Kelantan for continually supporting PAS is not only unethical but also disgusting, said Bukit Bendera MP Zairil Khir Johari, “especially when they purport to do so in the name of race, religious and country”.

“Another example of Umno’s double standards is its sudden support for the implementation of hudud in Kelantan.”

Throughout the years, successive Umno prime ministers have always maintained the law’s unconstitutionality and unsuitability in Malaysia, added Zairil who is also DAP Assistant National Publicity Secretary. “However, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s weak leadership and waning popularity in recent years has seen the ruling party suddenly resorting to supporting hudud.”

This was reiterated just last week by Umno Deputy Minister and Supreme Council Member Razali Ismail who pledged that Umno “will continue to support the Islamic party on the implementation of Hudud in Kelantan”.

Once again, Umno’s sincerity on this issue is highly questionable, cautions Zairil.

If indeed Umno is so supportive of hudud, then why have they not implemented it in the states that they control?

Why the sudden pretence in supporting PAS when they could have implemented it at the federal level, having commanded two-thirds majority until 2008?

In truth, continued Zairil, all Umno has proven through its racial and religious posturing is that the party is willing to prostitute itself for narrow political gains.

In this light, he stressed, Umno’s decision not to participate in the Chempaka by-election on the pretext of Muslim unity is simply an excuse to hide the fact that they would probably lose their deposit if they do so.

After all, he reminded, this is not the first time that they have refused to nominate a candidate for a by-election, most recently in the Bukit Gelugor by-election last year.

Was that also for the sake of unity?

“The fact is that the Umno/Barisan Nasional (BN) regime has long outlived its welcome and is no longer supported by Malaysians, as evidenced by their clear popular vote defeat in the last general election,” said Zairil.

“After years of corruption scandals, abuse of power, financial mismanagement, and faced with gloomy economic prospects especially in the light of the upcoming implementation of the Goods and Services Tax, it is obvious that the Malay and Muslim unity agenda is nothing more than a desperate ruse by Umno to extend their political life.”