I am a Malay? You mean Malaysian kut?

Even as UMNO goes into their bunker to prepare for their last stand they are hoping that PR will shoot themselves in the foot!  But just as the Israeli bombs and missiles slam into Gaza to pound Hamas strongholds it is the hundreds of ordinary Palestinians that would become collateral victims and thousand of others injured. In Malaysia UMNO’s rampaged to hold on to power is an overkill by a desperate political party trying to hang on to power through the use of any or all government machineries at their disposal to suppress its people. While UMNO blames the escalation of a sense of disquiet amongst the Malaysian population as being due to the opposition propensity to call “WOLF” when no threat exists – the disproportionate response from PDRM and the Special Branch to contain elements that THEY say is a threat to national security, gives rise to concerns amongst the people. We have a government intent upon stifling dissent in a country where there is much to disagree with.

In anticipation of heavy casualties in the coming general elections BN are already preparing for “war”. 'Perjuangan' demi kepentingan bangsa, ugama dan negara - as they like to call it.. The UMNO in front of  all else is silent.

 A war for what exactly?  Not a war for the Malays when the Malays are dismissive of UMNO’s ability to champion their cause. Not a war for 1Malaysia – not when their Deputy President articulates - on behalf of UMNO (after all he is their Deputy President)  the claim that he is Malay first: He is unable to understand that the first generation of any race that immigrates to another country lives in two worlds. One foot in the old and one in the new. It is only when they call themselves Malaysian first and then say I am a Chinese, Indian, Iban or Malay…then we know that they and we are one - all Malaysian. 

 The first rule of war is to know how to conduct it and how to end it. Are they promising to end money politics? Are they going to promise transparency and open government? These are impossible goals for UMNO to achieve. Despite much promises and bluster of doom and punishment from its leaders compliance from its first tier leadership, what more its rank and file, has been zilch! zero! There is an absence of leadership in UMNO to effect this change. What leaders they have now are prepared to look the other way while UMNO sinks deeper into a cess pool of its own making. All its veteran leaders are not able to guide UMNO towards this much-needed renewal – or worse they are seen as the very reason why UMNO is what it is today. Mahathir is a classic example of the pot calling the kettle black.

Given the lack of political will for this to happen – what now? How to end it.? Thank God the people will do that for them during the coming general election.

The very basis of Najib’s takeover from Pak Lah – to consolidate UMNO and make it ready for the challenges ahead – may be moot. Other variables and priorities have come to the forefront - within UMNO, within Barisan Nasional and at the National level. For all practical purposes there is now a two party system in Malaysia. BN and PR. BN is the defecto government in power. PR has the people’s vote and nothing much else. Neither has got on with the business for which they have been entrusted. Each are more adept at and prefer to play politics and are focus on point scoring.

How will the people respond? The people have the vote. They wait to see what PR will tell them they will do once in office. What we want to know is how PR will govern? PR and BN need to understand that things have changed. For BN and for PR the votes from the people must be earned.