The price of loyalty? Perhaps around RM2.6b

YOURSAY | ‘Umno Baru has become irrelevant, just like MIC and MCA.’

Umno, what price loyalty?

Kim Quek: In this eloquent piece, Dennis Ignatius has very ably summed up the political monstrosity that Umno has evolved into, hastened most recently by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s grotesquely errant leadership.

Unless sweeping changes - through a replacement of the ruling coalition - take place soon, the country will slide down rapidly in all fronts: politically and economically, causing economic hardships and national disintegration never seen before.

However, regime change cannot take place unless Umno’s traditional supporters, who reside mainly in the rural areas, are awakened to the fact that the ruling party’s present horrid mismanagement of the country will eventually hurt them very badly.

And this is where Pakatan Harapan must now zero in its effort - to enlighten and win over their support - for which Harapan itself must quickly consolidate into a cohesive political force that will convincingly project its collective leadership image.

Such an image is necessary to overcome Umno’s racist propaganda to split the masses along racial and religious lines.

Anonymous_1421806811: Very well written. Umno Baru has abandoned all the values of Umno's founding fathers.

It has become very racist and its leaders cannot even formulate simple replies to very basic questions. The party itself has become undemocratic and a cult-like leadership is being developed.

It has no ideas of how to make the Malays richer through competitive entrepreneurship and blames everyone else for the community’s failure in every aspect of life. It still believes money can buy votes and loyalty. The current woes of the country are its least priorities.

In effect, Umno Baru has become irrelevant, just like MIC and MCA.

Abasir: Dennis has described so very succinctly the disease, its symptoms and the vermin that continues to ravage and lay waste a once-promising country.

Given that "the sanctity of great institutions" have been so ruthlessly, repeatedly and irreparably violated by the pygmies in Putrajaya, 2016 may well mark the final thrust towards a karmic end - a failed 'Islamic' State.

Frank: Dear Dennis, powerful words indeed - a great piece. But there are questions needing answers: how come we Malaysians get to have that man and his party forming the government?

For sure, the problems have not just emerged recently? What have we, the rakyat, done or failed to do to deserve them?

I hope the next piece from you shall be about us - the rakyat (who are hardly the innocent victims).

This is because many of us failed to see that we are partly at fault for not being the kind of people the British, the Indians, the Americans, the South Africans were when those leaders whom you mentioned emerged to lead them to freedom, equality and justice.

Hence, we get what we deserve - and Malaysia and Malaysians need to get worse before the enlightenment may reach us.

Also, to expect the powerful to change is plain naive - it is for us the rakyat who need to change... what say you?

Buttman: You underestimate the power of the dark side. Southeast Asia happens to be the last stronghold of the Asuras or demon kings and their unholy spawn.

Only enlightenment and spiritual maturity (which cannot be found through institutionalised religion) can neutralise and render benightedness harmless.

Roguekiller: The ghost (you guess which one) is haunting PM Najib Razak, the Almighty God is looking into his committed sins and those he had wrongly accused - the opposition, especially former opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim and many more - are after him.

He cannot even run away now, because it is obviously too late and he will be caught eventually.

There were chances for him to step down and go into exile somewhere, but he refused to take any. Now that he has angered so many people, they will not forgive him.

Slumdog: Dennis, a great opinion piece. You hit the nail on the head. I fear to think what Malaysia will be like and where it will be within the next generation.

Boeyks: The price of loyalty? Maybe up to RM2.6 billion for the leaders and up to RM42 billion for advisory services, since no clear explanations have been given for these amounts still.

Alfanso: Dennis, if only they could read or ever read good stuff, we would not be crying out for relief. Their domain is cultured since the 1970s and probably at its peak.

If we do not do anything, it may take a longer time for changes. But for changes to happen, some acts must be done and perhaps writing like this ought to help.

Ib: It’s great to see more senior Malaysians speaking up. Let's share this article widely. -Mkini