By Sakmongkol AK47
June 05, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

JUNE 5 — Umno’s worse nightmares are now becoming a reality. PAS is transforming itself into a credible and viable alternative. If it links up with likeminded people from other parties and the combined forces are led by someone with stature, they will form the next government.

Will PAS implode? It will only if it has the Umno culture. What differentiates PAS from Umno is the existence of an eternal idealism. To see the application of more Islamic content in the running of the country wherever and whenever they are applicable.

The recent victory of the Erdogan faction in PAS is also a reflection that PAS has succeeded in attracting more libertarian members into the party. The change in leadership character in PAS can only be possible as a result of a change in the character of the men and women who have become PAS members. If they have enlisted into the PAS army, then Umno has lost people of this calibre from its ranks.

What will happen to Umno? Very soon, Umno members will consist of the riff-raffs and contract hungry divisional leaders and class F contractors. Umno will continue to be dominated by leaders and followers who make high pitched noises when they can’t get something out of the MRT and Pudu Jail redevelopment projects.

PAS is showing it’s ready to take the bull by its horns. It shines where Umno leadership falters. PAS doesn’t fear leadership transformation. Umno shows it does.

Umno talks but its PAS who walks. The party is now made up of more professionals. They are trained in the secular skills but the people with the skills have spiritual credentials. Plus, they are younger and are being groomed to take over PAS leadership.

Umno reins in its young fearing backlash from powerful warlords in the party. It doesn’t even have the stomach to fill in positions with elected members. Some who lost in the last elections continue to be given positions in government. For all the talk about transformation, the party has shown it’s all just rhetoric.

The Umno president can only offer a meek excuse that Umno members do not want Khairy and therefore he is let out to pasture. Which members?

In the meantime, the young and restless will continue to be drawn to PAS now that more people with libertarian views are going to PAS. Those not moved by PAS will continue to shy away from Umno. Because Umno hasn’t shown it’s ready to jive in with young. It misleads itself into believing giggly young girls rushing to shake the hand of the PM will convert into votes that will ensure Umno stays in Putrajaya.

Who in Umno can speak to the young with credence? Let’s be realistic enough. Khaiiry Jamaludin with all his imperfections and perhaps impetuousness can link up with the young. No other Umno leader can provide the emotional tie up. He is articulate and highly intelligent. His character flaws can be corrected if the Umno leadership shows more maturity and coolness in decision making. The Umno president underestimates his own influence on Umno psychology. If he decides KJ to be given a position in government, the others will follow.

Instead he follows the whispers that blow in the wind. They come from Pro Umno bloggers who may not be and are not even Umno members and whose Malayness are questionable. These people continue to berate and cast aspersions on the character on the one person capable of galvanizing the young and capturing their emotions.

Instead the Umno president relies on people like Mukhriz Mahathir whose support comes mainly from conceited MRSM alumnus who think the hell about themselves. The only semblance of intelligence that Mukhriz has is his receding hairline, fitting the conventional description of professors with balding heads. Well, you can get balding heads by placing your head consistently on a strategic location of the human anatomy of the opposite sex.

Umno talks about transformation but PAS is the party that converts that into action. Umno does not even dare hold its party elections fearing that the party will be more divided. Umno hasn’t got the stomach to get rid of its old blood. If PAS doesn’t break up despite having party elections, the Umno leadership will have a tough time defending why its postponing party elections.

Even Umno people will go away convinced that holding back elections is really an excuse by the Umno leadership to self-perpetuate. Hence all the cock and bull story about disunity and all that.

It’s strange to get the impression that Umno can stay in power provided the ulamas dominate PAS. Since when is Umno so chummy to people of the robes? Such reversal of affection can only suggest that Umno hasn’t got a soul. Or it can also suggest the plight of a person going into old age and conscious of his mortality and who now mourns for spiritual salvation.

Does ageing Umno see spiritual salvation in PAS? If it does, there’s no future for people like Ibrahim Ali.

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