By Koon Yew Yin
Malaysiakini
Dec 1, 2014

COMMENT Syabas Dr Mahathir Mohamad – you were undoubtedly the biggest winner at the Umno assembly meeting. Although some observers have dismissed your influence over Umno and party thinking, you knew that your finest hour was at hand. This is why, despite being sick and possibly against doctor’s orders, you made your way to the meeting.

There, surrounded by thousands of your admirers and supporters, your cup can be said to have runneth over.

You witnessed the humiliating surrender of the prime minister in his attempt to repeal the Sedition Act. How dare Najib Abdul Razak dismantle the Act which has been one of your main weapons to ensure Umno’s supremacy in the country? Is the man so ignorant of the country’s political history that he is not aware that the selective application of the Act has enabled the party to muzzle its opponents and extend the party’s shelf life?

You had repeatedly urged its retention. To see the prime minister not only put up the white flag but also announce that the Act would be further strengthened was indeed sweet satisfaction.

As for the other leading speakers in the assembly – Muhyiddin Yassin, Khairy Jamaluddin, Shahrizat Abdul Jalil and the vice-presidents (Vps) – all of them picked up on the themes and messages you have repeatedly put out in your blog site:

*Umno is the best defence against the non-Malays,

*Umno is the only guarantor of peace and security in the country,

*Malay special position and privileges cannot be questioned, and

*The New Economic Policy (NEP) needs to go on forever until Umno decides otherwise.

You had the satisfaction of hearing one of the speakers lambast Najib’s slogan of 1Malaysia. As followers of your blog will attest, you were the first to publicly criticise 1Malaysia. Clearly, Najib had introduced that slogan to supersede your Vision 2020. Imagine, he had the nerve to try to take down your Vision without so much as an “Excuse me!” That has really irked many of your supporters.

It was gratifying to hear one of the speakers at the assembly urge ‘1Melayu’ instead of ‘1Malaysia’. Serves Najib right for not consulting you on 1Malaysia!

Some observers have been surprised that the Umno president did not have it easy at the assembly meeting. But they forget your power and hold over the delegates. You have pointed out that you yourself “was advised to not criticise openly” and in your own words pointed out that “I had given my criticisms repeatedly behind closed doors, especially on bumiputera and Umno problems.”

But it did not work. So you have been forced to criticise openly and to advise the delegates to do the same.

Of course, the onslaught against the BN’s attempt at reform – any reform – policies should not have been unexpected. As patron of Perkasa – some say ‘godfather’ but that’s blasphemous – you had agreed to open the meeting a few days before the Umno assembly meeting so as to show the way on how to protect and ensure Malay rights.

Strategy worked brilliantly

That strategy worked brilliantly. Perkasa is now the tail wagging the dog. The Perkasa agenda is now Umno’s agenda. No Umno delegate or leader will dare to open his mouth too wide on Malay rights or racial and religious issues without getting Perkasa’s approval or prior sanction. Government agencies will have to give priority to Perkasa’s recommendations or they will be denounced as anti-national.

And Perkasa leaders, and other Malay/Islamic leaders can continue to burn Bibles, threaten the opposition parties, belittle other religions, and engage in actions to protect Malay and Islamic special position and rights. After all they are all sheltering under the great man and Malay hero’s umbrella and they know that, protected by Dr Mahathir’s patronage, they are immune from prosecution and the reach of any law in the country.

Congratulations again Dr Mahathir.

And sorry, Malaysians who are not Umno or Perkasa members, as our former prime minister has always reminded us – “I did it my way!” And his way is the only way – ask the former prime minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, and the present one if you do not believe it.