When a politician is needled by veterans

Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein has lambasted the National Patriot Association for the latter's pointing out the fundamental truths that best explains the state of our forces today. 

Unfortunately, as it increasingly is turning out to be these days, the minister is attracting even more brickbats for his outburst.

Hishammuddin was upset over the National Patriot Association for giving an honest opinion. Instead of welcoming the feedback with a will to redress, he has lambasted the veterans who had truly placed their lives on the line to entrench a peaceful path for the nation's progress and development over the decades.

National Patriot Association president Arshad Raji would know best.

Arshad is a man who is not only well respected within the fences of the military here but is also a noted leader who won the admiration of Secretary-General of the United Nations Boutros Ghali, the Emperor of Japan and is well admired to this day in Cambodia for his clean leadership during his peacekeeping mission there.

The defence minister who once raised the keris at his political party event crying for the blood of Malaysians who are non-Malays is the last person who should admonish and proclaim that the Patriots are sowing seeds of political division.

For as long as we witness leaders ranting in rage over truth, BN will be pawned by the very men and women who scream in the name of race and religion in a show to defend their party.

Hishammuddin must owe up to the fact that he is first and foremost a defence minister and his role is to prioritise national security. Hence if veterans who climbed the ranks and placed their lives on the sword now speak up in earnest, we should respect the truth.

What is so "hateful" or "dangerous" about admitting that the "military had become Islamic religion-centric view over the years"?

In actual fact, to deny and continue covering up the wrong path taken in the past years is worse. It is akin to weakening our security strength, inside out.

On the contrary, if he had only said, "I welcome the concerns. Let us sit down and find solutions to the problems that may have been created unknowingly", BN would have scored big time.

Or perhaps Hishammuddin is not aware of the harm he is piling up on Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak. - Mkini