The Muhyiddin Gambit

"Melayu tidak memegang janji". When the social media started sharing, liking, favouriting the above clip, it didn't seem to me that Muhyiddin Yassin was throwing his support behind Dr Mahathir Mohamad and the former premier's call for, among other things, PM Najib Razak to resign. I thought people were reading too much into it (see constrasting reports by  h e r e). But I would be in the minority. Even Mr Ong, my financial analyst friend, said after work just now that it is soooo clear lah that the DPM is turning against his younger Boss. Ku Li's words from 2006, when he was tipped to be PM if Abdullah Ahmad Badawi could be made to step down, came rushing back: "Who doesn't want to become Prime Minister?"

It made me wonder. Am I in denial? Were we wrong then to have brought down Pak Lah and put Najib there? Muhyiddin turned down the offer to replace Pak Lah as PM back then (twice, if I'm not wrong) so why would he want the job now?

In times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me. But this time AsH's wisdom didn't get me out of the jam. Her latest posting is troubled cure for a trouble mind.

"... just as constant is the black news about the shenanigans of Malaysian politics and of Malay politicians at home which only serve to cripple the rakyat, especially the Malays.  Harapkan pagar, pagar makan padi." - Anak si Hamid, Musings: Melayu Tidak Memegang Janji, Sunday 19 April 2015

Excerpts:

... It was my abah who, - when I was growing up in Singapore, often reminded me - "Orang Melayu kuat dengki sesama sendiri.   Rela naikkan lain bangsa untuk menurunkan bangsa sendiri.  I have lived and worked long enough in three Malay countries - Singapore, Brunei and Penang - to experience this foible.    No, 'foible'  is not a strong enough word - it should be 'sickness', a canker that eats at the heart and spirit of a people known to be gentle, easy-going and tolerant.  

Malays today - be they belacan Malays or mayonnaise Malays or tahini Malays must take heed of the sincere and honest voices of people like Helen Ang andRidhuan Tee who are concerned enough for their country to remind the Malays that they must keep together.  

Can our 21st century Malays learn from this simple gesture of unity that the Chinese uphold for their bangsa? 

The Chinese in China, like Indians in India, or the Brits in UK will not cut themselves up - despite their political and social differences - in the way that the Malays are doing to themselves in their Tanah-Air.  One country, one culture, one religion and what keeps them apart is the loss of their sense of Malayness - greed, envy, conceit and self-righteousness have taken over asohan budi ...

I did ask Mr Ong, who said the war has begun and that it is sooo clear-lah that Muhyiddin is going for Najib, "... whose side are you on?"

Came the answer, "Siti Nurhaliza."

-rocky's bru