Sakmongkol AK47
The Malaysian Insider
May 11, 2011

MAY 11 — Umno and its mathematics.

I was “bad” at math when I said out of 10, 11 do not believe. I almost believe that I was terrible at math until I scanned the mainstreams papers screaming that DAP wants a Christian PM and Christianity to be made an official religion.

I know, the trappings of power have made some people soft. What I didn’t realise as quickly as I should have is they have made some people soft in the head.

We have 222 parliamentary seats for grabs. DAP contests, at most, 40. Assuming they win all the 40 parliamentary seats, perhaps Umno mathematicians can tell me how, with 40 seats, DAP or anyone else can form a national government? You have 82 seats and even you can’t form a national government.

Malays number 17-18 million. They form 60 over per cent of the population. Even if DAP marshals the entirety of the Chinese support, can 20 per cent of the population outnumber the 60 over per cent? Perhaps the Umno mathematicians can enlighten me.

Next we have the screamer who says “hidup Melayu”. There is no way we will allow DAP to take over the country. If that makes you happy, please scream some more. We can’t argue much against such emotions and illogic.

But PAS is also Malay. So “hidup Melayu” can also mean “hidup PAS” in as much as it can also mean Umno. Umno people have this self-conceited idea, borne from uncontested arrogance perhaps, that Umno is Malay and Malay is Umno.

Hello kawan, you can’t even marshal support from 1.5 million Umno members to support you and Umno candidates got around only two million votes from the 5.7 available in the 2008 elections.

So the Malays live but they do so without needing Umno. I hope many will realise that every Malay wants to live with the slogan “Hidup Melayu,” but the Malays can now do so with choices. That’s what democracy is all about.

Pray tell, how on earth can a party which contests 40 seats and is not sure of winning all of them form a government, what more to rule Malaysia as PAP does Singapore?

Christianity and other issues

A government minister asks, what’s wrong with a Christian PM? He isn’t wrong there. Nothing wrong if the PM is a Christian in a majority Christian country. Nothing wrong if the Christian PM is accepted even in a Muslim country.

In the context of Malaysia, he is saying that probably because he is also a Christian and he if were to become a PM he thinks he can take care of all the people. So what’s wrong with a Christian thinking that way of himself and of the coveted position of PM?

Secondly, he is probably thinking that way because he knows such a proposition isn’t going to work in Malaysia. Malays who are Muslims dominate the parliamentary seats and they hold the bigger number as legislators.

Unless, of course, these Malay legislators can be bought out with money and women. Or the entire Malay population can accept a Christian as PM.

Supposing many Malays are comfortable with the idea of having a Christian as PM. What does that tell you? That tells you that Malays are disillusioned with the Malay who is a Muslim, who is PM. Think about that.

Thirdly, the majority of the population are Malays who are Muslims and who are most likely to NOT support such a proposition.

So what that Christian Minister says is not wrong because he knows it’s an impossible dream.

But it’s good for the minster to say so because it throws the Umno people into a frenzy and extreme paranoia.

Christianity as the official religion replacing Islam?

Islam is the official religion or, if it isn’t formally so, it’s so in substance. Again it is so because the majority of people here in Malaysia are Muslims.

The Malays make up the greater number of the population. The sheer number will prevail over any attempts by the minority to make Christianity the official religion.

But let us for a moment pursue the proposition. By official religion, what do they mean? Do they mean that they want to ask that Christianity be accepted as a constitutionally guaranteed religion practised by a section of the Malaysian people? For they also know, by doing, that a constitutionally guaranteed religion deserves to get funding and all that.

Then even if they do mean it that way, that is a valid proposition as Christians, too, form a legitimate section of this country. Christians have a right to be fearful that the religion they practise will be obliterated. They want recognition and I think that is valid request. As to funding, I don’t think they want any from the government.

I find it unbelievable that the majority who can never be dislodged from the seat of power on account of the sheer numbers is paranoid over an unconfirmed report of this so-called Christian plot.

On a serious note, the government should go after those responsible for causing this distress and sedition.

If it is evidently clear their conduct was done with malice aforethought, place them under ISA. Perhaps a brief sojourn as guest to the government can make some people lose weight and other people learn the art and science of anger management. — sakmongkol.blogspot.com

* Sakmongkol AK47 is the nom de plume of Datuk Mohd Ariff Sabri Abdul Aziz. He was Pulau Manis assemblyman (2004-2008).