With top UMNO leaders in deep denial, refusing to admit to the national infamy of a global kleptocracy and kakistocracy which they had brought to Malaysia before the 14th General Election, and continuing with the politics of lies and fear by falsely blaming the new Pakatan Harapan government of practising the politics of hate, it is unlikely that the UMNO General Assembly at the end of the month will witness any redemption or salvation as a step to UMNO reform and renewal.
The Acting UMNO President, Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi was right when he said after the UMNO Supreme Council on May 22 that Barisan Nasional can look to other countries where long-time parties were defeated but managed to make a comeback, but very wrong when he said that BN will be able to make a comeback against a government that was built on “hatred”.
This was because Pakatan Harapan prevailed in the 14th General Election despite the worst case of the politics of race, religion, hate, fear and lies unleashed by UMNO/BN in the 14th General Elections and the peaceful and democratic transition of power for first time in Malaysian history was an affirmation of the capability of Malaysians for national correction, renewal and salvation.
The Pakatan Harapan Government formed after the 14th General Election is the very anti-thesis of the politics of lies, fear and hatred fanning primordial sentiments of race and religion practised by the previous UMNO/BN Government, as the values which guided the new government are transparency, harmony, freedom and justice to leverage the contribution from the best of the diverse races, religions, langugages and cultures of plural Malaysia.
If UMNO leaders in post-14GE still cannot understand why May 9, 2018 is regarded as a day of “liberation”, giving Malaysians an opportunity to build a New Malaysia, a second chance to reset nation-building policies and directions to fulfill the Malaysian Dream for Malaysia to be a “beacon of light in a difficult and distracted world”, then they will never learn.
I was surprised when the No.2 in UMNO, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein repeated yesterday Zahid’s message, calling on the Pakatan Harapan to stop the politics of hate – a chimerical obession of a small coterie of UMNO/BN leaders which is not shared by the Malaysian populace at large.
When will Zahid, Hishammuddin and other UMNO leaders emerge from their bubble or cocoon to admit that Malaysia becoming a global kleptocracy and the 1MDB interntional money-launderintg scandal were major reasons for UMNO/BN’s disastrous performance in the 14GE?
Untill this is done, it is too far-fetched for anyone to hope or expect UMNO to be capable of reform and renewal at the UMNO General Assembly in three weeks’ time so as to play a positive role in the post-14GE Malaysia.
(Media Statement in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, 7th June 2018)
#1 by Bigjoe on Thursday, 7 June 2018 - 4:30 pm
What is astounding about UMNO Baru today, they do not seem to realize that they see their political agenda really as an entitlement NOT really a duty and service. There is not even an inkling of the actual full context of their origin and past history.. They claim their cause to defend “bangsa, agama, negara” is still noble and just BUT they seem clueless, no one gave them sole franchise to their cause. In fact, they are clueless that THEIR CAUSE AND MEANS WAS GIVEN TO THEM – by their VERY SENIORS that kicked them out of power – in fact, saying even if their cause may still be noble and just BUT THEY ARE UNWORTHY OF IT. There is nothing going on to show they have searched their souls for redemption.
BUT what is truly stark as you hear of those offering to lead the party is there is no inkling of what they have squandered, they in fact think what they were had and given before was so easy to be had. They still think all they need to do is pound the “bangsa, agama, negara” and just because 62% of the population is their target market, they will automatically get enough market share, even majority market share. Do they really believe what was achieved by their past leaders was so easy to repeat? Do they not realize that once they lost their market, in a more liberalized market, many other competitors will fight for for the prize too, not just Pakatan Harapan?
UMNO’s trouble in fact has only just begun. Without the resource of the state they were addicted too, fractionalization will occur, they will have more competition. More parties will step forward to claim to champion “bangsa, agama, negara”. UMNO sad as they are now, will look even worst soon enough..
#2 by good coolie on Friday, 8 June 2018 - 12:42 pm
The reality will sink in when they sit on the opposition benches, soon. Thread-bare, karat speeches will have a way of highlighting themselves when they are delivered from the junior corner of Parliament.
Agama, Bangsa and Negara are all stronger than ever after UMNO’s exit from power and especially since, now, Cash ain’t king. By the way, is the present Gomen going to come out with stupid Alphabet soups and dizzying acronyms to bamboozle ordinary people? I hope the present gomen speak from the heart. Be like Rafidah who reflects the freshness of morning dew.