by Augustine Anthony
22.3.09
(This article was written in anticipation of the Court of Appeal judgment in Nizar vs Zambry)
The judgment of Justice Abdul Aziz Abd. Rahim in the case of Nizar vs Zambry has attained clairvoyance status.
It had positioned the institution of rulers above politics, dignified the sultans and preserved the revered constitutional monarchy for generations to come.
In the ancient times the announcement of gestation or birth of crown prince will usually send sages and spiritual leaders into solitude in meditation and prayers in the harsh wilderness with the hope that the ruler to come will be benevolent to the subjects. History bears testimony of such adoration with monuments and poems of virtues and valour of such kings.
Today more than a billion souls, Hindus, Christians and Muslims all in India salute the great emperor Asoka knowingly or unknowingly when they rise in veneration of the majestic Indian national flag, the centre of it bears the wheel of Asoka.
But not all Rulers invite admiration. Scorn and disdain of the people witnessed the extinction of absolute monarchy in many parts of the world and replaced with power to the people by new systems of constitutional monarchy or an outright republic of a nation.
Power is placed in the hands of people’s representatives but authority is given not to deny the will and wishes of the people.
But the hearts of men are so easily corrupted.
Neither constitutional monarchy nor the presidency of a republic could remove the abuse of power and expansion of corrupt playing fields of those in whose hands the people have placed their power and authority that were removed systematically from the absolute monarchs.
Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely, so the saying goes.
The creation of constitutional monarchy and a system of parliamentary democracy with people’s power concentrated in the hands of UMNO in the last 52 years only goes to show that indeed UMNO enjoys the goodwill of the people of Malaysia.
But all that is about to change.
The epicentre of UMNO’s power shattering phenomenon is hidden deep in the emotions of the Perakians. It may well be UMNO’s fault line that may trigger the next and decisive Tsunami. A sea of people with their emotion translated into tidal waves of anger may well bring about permanent destruction to the once invincible fortress that now lies damaged at the shoreline built by UMNO painstakingly for more than 50 years led by many of their visionary leaders of the past.
But wait! Alas, those political leaders opposed to UMNO who now ride these tidal waves of anger (except for some notable veterans), are poor surfers unable to comprehend the deep current and direction of the waves. Tidal waves are fast and furious. Either you surf it or sink in it.
Many of these surfers are amateur opposition new kids on the bloc with the new found fame of Yang Berhormat. They try very hard to impress the undecided and uncertain people who had swung to the opposition in anger during the 2008 general election.
These YB’s must bear in mind that it takes more to continue winning the hearts and minds of the people than apple distribution in parliament house or bicycle paddling to the parliament entrance or constant holding of candle light in vigils and screaming “Saya YB, Saya YB” when apprehended by the law enforcement officers or even offering prayers to the ghost of unknown Ghengis Khan descendant who was blown to smithereens.
Many of these meaningless publicity stunts exhibited by these poor surfers are not only amusing but alarmingly annoying.
Internal squabbles aplenty, in short the Opposition’s value to people is fast descending to junk bond status.
While the surfers struggle at the high sea, close to shoreline the current Chief Architect surveys the damaged fortress and the coming of the tidal waves. Both he must confront and contain swiftly.
This Chief Architect is formidable, commanding an army of bureaucrat’s allegiance. His monumental fortitude sends uncluttered vibrations that he is determined to stay for more than one term as the commander in chief of the government of Malaysia.
The RAHMAN theory must die or UMNO will die. Die UMNO, this, the Chief Architect cannot and will not allow.
Najib Razak is a bangsawan pedigree. A Razak creation. Born and bred in the ways of leadership. As the son who enjoys the unseen goodwill left behind by the then chief architect of NEP in the 1970’s, he now enjoys the ancient cryptic command of the universe; the Vedas call it positive karma.
His reading of people’s anger is correct. He knows that he needs time to waft like gentle breeze to soothe the angry and humid emotion of the people. His weekly meet the people sessions is just about the right antidote in times like these. Just like his father.
His less than one hundred days in the seat of power shows that he is moving in the right direction.
Will Najib initiate the correct moves to dissolve the Perak State Legislative Assembly? Every thought is pointing to the inevitable. Dissolution of the Perak State Legislative Assembly is imminent.
To save UMNO or to squander the goodwill of the Malaysian?
It is your turn to think, YAB Dato’ Sri Najib Tun Razak