Archive for category UMNO
Malays should not fear the DAP
— Sakmongkol AK47
The Malaysian Insider
Jan 02, 2012
JAN 2 — I am not going to respond to the xenophobic responses around news that Aspan Alias and Sakmongkol are about to join the DAP. No explanation will be able to change preconceived biases. So why bother? So we are about to join or have joined the DAP.
The DAP is a democratic party committed to the rule of law, good governance and good government. It abhors corruption and abuse of political office. To me those are attractive propositions. Umno, on the other hand, has turned its back on these. It harps only on one primal worry of Malays — when Umno is threatened it shares the threat with Malays at large. So a threat to Umno is translated mindlessly into a threat to Malays as a whole. Nothing can be farther from the truth. That is how Umno has approached politics in Malaysia basically — make its fears public, make the gains private for selected Malays within Umno.
I have only one message to that; those salad days and that halcyon period are over.
Umno is trapped by its own successes. Indeed its supporters and leaders assume ownership of the wrong things and end up digging in to support the wrong choices.
My answer is, if we do indeed change our political vehicle that is what we are actually doing. Don’t read our move as blasphemous or treasonable. The DAP is more relevant and functional in achieving a more democratic and abuse-free society. As a Muslim, we are changing wadah not aqidah.
So, I thought it would be more substantive to answer my critics by writing an article, why shouldn’t Malays embrace DAP politics? That’s the only way to dominate and conquer your fears.
How has DAP politics been inimical to the general political health of this country? Can any DAP Chinese leader be a PM when it’s contesting only at most 50-55 seats? Can any DAP non Malay leader harbour the dream of becoming a PM in a country dominated by Malays? Has the DAP threatened the institution of the Malay Rulers? The DAP has never done that or will not be mad to countenance such rebellious idea, but Umno, on the other hand, has insulted the Malay Rulers way back in the 1998 constitutional crisis. Can we reasonably accept the allegation that the DAP is instrumental in claims that Malays are being converted into Christians when most DAP members are themselves not Christians? We have to do better than that to take Malays as imbeciles. Only Umno seems to do that. Read the rest of this entry »
Merdeka sudah, tapi jiwa masih terjajah
Posted by Kit in Corruption, UMNO on Friday, 30 December 2011
— Aspan Alias
The Malaysian Insider
Dec 30, 2011
30 DIS — Rakyat sedang menghadapi terlalu banyak masalah yang berat akibat kelakuan dan sikap pemimpin kerajaan kita yang tidak mempunyai disiplin kepimpinan serta pemikiran. Sebagaimana yang telah selalu saya katakan masalah yang kita hadapi ini berpunca dari masalah kepimpinan negara.
Sekarang ini kepimpinan negara sedang menghadapi krisis keyakinan yang paling getir dalam sejarah kemerdekaan negara. Krisis ini sudah lama menular tetapi kerajaan dan parti yang memerintah masih boleh menyangkutkan kesinambungan kuasa yang dipegangnya melalui saki-baki sokongan dan kuasa yang masih berada di tangan mereka.
Umno tidak lagi mempunyai kepimpinan yang jitu kerana akhir-akhir ini krisis keyakinan ini ditokok dan ditambah oleh isu-isu baru, kesemuanya berkait dengan salah guna kuasa dan rasuah. Tidak ada pertembungan di antara dua atau lebih dalam Umno berkaitan dengan perjuangan. Semuanya kena-mengena dengan wang ringgit dan laba harta yang tidak berkesudahan.
Selepas isu NFC dengan Shahrizat Jalil, timbul pula isu Awang Adek dan sebelum itu isu menteri yang menjaga agama yang tidak amanah menggunakan wang zakat untuk membayar kos guaman peribadinya. Shahrizat pula menambah lagi dengan berkata tidak ada pemimpin dalam Kabinet atau parti yang tidak bermasalah. Ini semua berlaku dalam beberapa minggu ini dan jika hendak diluruti sejarah satu dekat yang lalu timbul pula wang rakyat dan negara telah dilarikan keluar negara sebanyak RM1 trillion.
Sekarang ini kita tidak lagi menyebut jumlah yang berbillion. Kini kita menyebut jumlah kecurian yang berjumlah trillion-trillion ringgit. Masyaallah, rupa-rupanya negara kita negara kaya sehinggakan dalam tempoh sepuluh tahun sahaja sebanyak RM1 trillion telah dibawa lari ke luar negara oleh mereka yang tidak bertanggungjawab kepada negara. Read the rest of this entry »
Berdayakah Najib dan kepimpinan Umno mengenepikan Shahrizat?
Posted by Kit in Corruption, Good Governance, UMNO on Thursday, 29 December 2011
— Aspan Alias
The Malaysian Insider
Dec 28, 2011
28 DIS — Isu Shahrizat Jalil dan NFCnya masih tidak terlerai dan tidak ada apa-apa keputusan. Ia tidak akan terlerai dalam masa yang singkat ini kerana yang terlibat ialah seorang Menteri Kabinet kerajaan persekutuan. Di Malaysia seorang menteri itu bukan senang hendak diketepikan kerana menteri itu merupakan orang yang sangat besar dalam masyarakat kita terutamanya orang kita Melayu ini.
Etika kepimpinan kita sangat rendah dan moral kepimpinan memang tiada. Lima tahun dahulu seorang ahli Kabinet Britain, Blankett ,telah hilang jawatannya semata-mata kerana beliau telah mempercepatkan proses permohonan teman wanitanya untuk mendapatkan permit kerja untuk “maid”nya. Beliau telah dikatakan telah menggunakan kuasanya sebagai menteri bertanggungjawab kepada permit pekerjaan mempercepatkan pemohonan teman wanitanya yang memerlukan permit kerja untuk “maid”nya itu.
Apabila diketahui umum, maka beliau telah meletakkan jawatan kerana beliau telah bertindak secara tidak beretika dalam meluluskan permohonan permit itu. Itu sahaja sebabnya. Begitulah tingginya etika kepimpinan di negara itu.
Sebaliknya di negara kita perkara-perkara yang tidak beretika itu berlaku tanpa hadnya dan jika semuanya mengambil tindakan ke atas mereka yang melakukan kerja-kerja yang tidak beretika itu hari ini, tidak ada seorang pun yang kekal dalam Kerajaan Persekutuan pada hari ini.
Kes NFC dengan Shahrizat tidak langsung menjadi apa-apa kepada Shahrizat. Tetapi sebaliknya beliau masih berada di dalam Kabinet sehingga hari ini, malah beliau telah menyatakan bukan beliau sahaja yang bermasalah dalam Umno, semua menteri-menteri lain pun juga bermasalah. Read the rest of this entry »
MACC should interrogate Shahrizat about the corruption scandals affecting all UMNO leaders
Posted by Kit in Corruption, Najib Razak, UMNO on Thursday, 22 December 2011
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) turnabout, announcing that it is investigating allegations surrounding the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) despite previously saying it would not probe the matter, signifies two things:
• The political heat of the RM300 million cattlegate/cow-condo scandal, involving the Wanita Umno leader and Minister for Women, Family and Community Development, Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil is becoming unbearable for the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak; that her days are numbered and it will be a surprise if she could politically survive into the new year although it is only nine days away;
• A big “black eye” to end the third year of operation of the MACC, plunging public confidence in the independence, integrity and professionalism of the MACC to an unplumbed low, after the earlier series of “black eyes” like the MACC deaths of Teoh Beng Hock and Ahmad Sarbaini Mohamed; MACC used as political pawns to persecute Pakatan Rakyat leaders/activists like Teoh Beng Hock, Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim and former Perak Pakatan Rakyat Speaker V Sivakumar; abysmal failure to check “grand corruption” highlighted by Malaysia’s worst Transparency International (TI) Corruption Perception Index 2011 ranking of No. 60 and score of 4.3 in the past 17 years.
The MACC Chief Commissioner Datuk Seri Abu Kassim Mohamed should resign for the disgraceful cop-out of MACC of no investigation into the RM300 million cattlegate/cow-condo scandal, and the about-face six weeks later, ostensibly after getting the “green light” from the political masters who found the escalating “heat” from the scandal increasingly unbearable and intolerable, especially with the coming general elections around the corner. Read the rest of this entry »
In about face, MACC now says probing NFC
Posted by Kit in Auditor-General Report, Corruption, UMNO on Thursday, 22 December 2011
By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal
The Malaysian Insider
Dec 22, 2011
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 22 — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) announced today it is investigating allegations surrounding the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC), despite previously saying it would not probe the matter.
The MACC earlier referred the case to the police, who are now conducting an investigation into possible criminal breach of trust.
But in a statement today, the commission revealed that a special team headed by MACC investigations director Datuk Haji Mustafar Ali has been formed to investigate claims of misappropriation of NFC funds.
“The commission would like to stress that the collection of evidence and testimony has begun since the issue was reported in the Auditor-General’s 2010 report and appropriate action has already been taken on issues raised (in the report),” it said, without detailing the commission’s actions so far.
The statement confirmed the receipt of the latest report concerning the NFC, but said the commission could not divulge any details of the on-going investigation. Read the rest of this entry »
So, this is Malay leadership
Posted by Kit in Najib Razak, UMNO on Wednesday, 21 December 2011
By Farah Fahmy | December 20, 2011
The Malaysian Insider
DEC 20 — If our politicians are to be believed, the Malays are under threat these days. Our religion, culture and power are steadily under attack from all and sundry. Everyone has it in for us, from Christians to the Chinese. We are even warned about a so-called “Malaysian Spring” being orchestrated by “anasir-anasir Barat” (and quite possibly, the Jews, who of course, have always had it in for us).
“We won’t surrender an inch,” said the Melayu champion-in-chief (who also finds the time to be our prime minister) during a speech to Pekida recently. Malays, we were told, will never be oppressed in our own land so long as Umno is in power.
Well, glory be. I’m sure there are many others who can sleep more soundly at night knowing that there are so many out there making sure we Malays are not stripped of our position and power in our land.
But … hang on a minute.
Read the rest of this entry »
Feeding on people’s fear
Mohd Ariff Sabri Aziz | December 18, 2011
Free Malaysia Today
The recent Umno general assembly proved one fact, which is that the party survives ‘by fabricating lies and manufacturing stories’.
COMMENT
Let me ask you this question. How does Umno sustain itself? You get the answer if you analyzed what just went on in the recent Umno general assembly.
Umno gets on by making Malays believe that they are being besieged, attacked, assaulted and victimized. That’s how Umno can survive. How does it do that?
By fabricating lies and manufacturing stories. The Chinese are going to eat you up. The Chinese are going to Christianize you. They are going to wipe out the sultans, ban use of Bahasa Malaysia, and abolish Jawi and so forth.
You feed on people’s irrational fear. You want to maintain stupid and mute people.
Can you sustain whole people like that – turning people into xenophobes? I say this is a recipe for destroying Malays, not cultivating them to become self-confident people. Read the rest of this entry »
Umno’s missed opportunity
Posted by Kit in Corruption, Finance, Najib Razak, UMNO on Saturday, 17 December 2011
Awang Abdillah | December 17, 2011
Free Malaysia Today
Issues of national concern were not discussed at the recent Umno general assembly. Delegates also failed to call on Najib to step down for Umno to rise again.
COMMENT
Frankly, the recent Umno general assembly was the best venue and probably the last chance for Umno leaders to show their sincerity in addressing party and national concerns.
Instead of adopting the Mahathir doctrine or rather its despotic policy, Umno president and Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak should have discussed with the party leaders on how best to tackle the party and national problems.
Disgruntled members should have urged Najib to step down as one of the solutions for Umno to rise again. Personal leadership, party strength and national issues and problems are all inter-related.
Glaringly missing at the Umno general assembly were discussions on issues of national concerns. Read the rest of this entry »
Putrajaya having a cow, but Shahrizat saved?
Posted by Kit in Corruption, Muhyiddin Yassin, UMNO on Saturday, 17 December 2011
— Gomen Man
The Malaysian Insider
Dec 16, 2011
DEC 16 — Umno has decided to save Shahrizat Jalil and paint her husband as the main actor behind the scandal of the year, the National Feedlot Corporation aka the government’s transformation programme (cows to condo).
Leading her defence is the man who helmed the Agriculture Ministry when the NFC project was promoted, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, best known as a defendant in the Stamford Hills controversy (please Google and read up). His main argument is that why single out the minister when she had no role to play in the NFC.
I suppose that sounds fair except that we still don’t why Muhyiddin and his ministry officials approved this project to greenhorns. If the opposition does some digging, it will realise that as early as two years ago government officials felt that NFC was doomed.
Also, as the disclosures by the opposition show, Shahrizat’s expenses were paid by funds from NFC and that her husband and children were paid silly money every month. They also set up some restaurants and the beef from the NFC made its way there. Read the rest of this entry »
Najib’s split personality
Posted by Kit in 1Malaysia, Najib Razak, Religion, UMNO on Friday, 16 December 2011
Mariam Mokhtar
Free Malaysia Today
December 16, 2011
Najib plays different tunes for political purposes but in the process, it is causing a rift in Umno.
COMMENT
At the Selangor Taoist solidarity dinner on Wednesday night, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak recalled Tunku Abdul Rahman’s long-term vision and praised him for being “far-sighted in administering a complex nation such as Malaysia”. His remarks were at odds with the opening speech at the 62nd Umno general assembly, a fortnight ago.
The solidarity dinner saw Najib urging Malaysians to emphasise the similarities in their respective religions, for a stronger and more united Malaysia. He espoused universal qualities like courtesy, filial piety, trustworthiness and diligence as shared values.
“If we can emphasise on the common values, then we will have similarities between us. We can develop good citizens regardless whether they are Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, Taoists… what is important is being good citizens who love the nation, are loyal to the country, respect the law and other religions.”
At the Umno party conference, Najib was playing a different tune. He told delegates that if Umno were to lose power, the Malays and their religion would be threatened.
Using the favoured “3R” strategy of race, religion and royalty to win over the dwindling Malay support, he warned: “Who will preserve the sanctity of Islam? Who will protect the Malays and its agenda and who will protect the rulers?” Read the rest of this entry »
Christians used as ‘pawns’ for votes, say church leaders
By Clara Chooi | December 13, 2011
The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 13 — Many Christians feel victimised and are convinced they are being used as political pawns to win Muslim votes in the next general election, a number of church leaders have said.
The church leaders told the New York Times in a report published today that there was generally a feeling of Christian-bashing among the community which makes up less than 10 per cent of the population and consists of most major denominations.
“I think Christians are generally feeling that there is kind of a Christian-bashing going on,” Council of Churches Malaysia (CCM) vice-president Rev Thomas Philips told the newspaper.
The report pointed out that recent events had worsened religious tension here, particularly after the controversial August 3 raid on the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) in Petaling Jaya.
Read the rest of this entry »
Pengucapan bebal disana sini
By Sakmongkol 47 | December 12, 2011
The Malaysian Insider
12 DIS — Dalam dua minggu ini, saya ingat saya sudah mendengar semua kenyataan tolol dan bebal dalam negara kita. Rupa2 nya saya salah. Tiba2 senator Ezam Mohd Nor mengeluarkan suatu kenyataan yang mengatasi kebebalan kenyataan2 yang sudah2.
Mula saya ingat Muhyiddin Yassin sudah tebiat bila menakutkan orang Melayu mengenai ancaman keatas Melayu oleh bangsa lain. Setelah itu, ketua penerangan Umno mengukuhkan lagi rasa cemas pemimpin parti yang kian tenat bila menyatakan pandangan bebal yang sama. Jika DAP dan orang Cina memerintah negara habis lah orang Melayu, habis lah Islam dan habislah Raja2 Melayu.
Sana sini orang bercakap. Adakah pemimpin Umno sudah jadi bingung? DAP yang bukan Kristian mahu mengkristiankan orang Melayu? Yang sepatutnya di soalkan orang Melayu ialah mengapa terjadi nya murtad di kalangan orang Melayu? Adakah kebajikan mereka tidak di jaga oleh pihak yang berwajib? Mengapa aqidah mereka teruk sedangkan masyarakat Melayu di lemaskan dengan 1,001 program keIslaman?
Read the rest of this entry »
Parallels between Russia and M’sia
Posted by Kit in Elections, Foreign, Mahathir, Mariam Mokhtar, Najib Razak, UMNO on Tuesday, 13 December 2011
By Mariam Mokhtar | Dec 12, 2011
Malaysiakini
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton received the brunt of the wrath of former KGB spy and ex-president Vladimir Putin, when he blamed her for encouraging Russian street protests.
When BN cranks up its dirty tricks, will Clinton risk the fragile relationship of trade and investment with the Malaysian government by telling its people to take to the streets, as she did in Russia?
Premier Putin’s desire to return to power as president next year, with the United Russia party ‘winning’ the elections, reminds us of Umno wanting to prolong its 54 years of power. The parallels between Malaysia and Russia are too many to ignore.
With reports of ballot box-stuffing and ‘carousel voting’ fueling their anger, Russians took to the streets to protest. Carousel voting is when people are driven from polling-station to polling-station to vote time and time again.
Read the rest of this entry »
Chameleon politics
— Tan Teck Huat
The Malaysian Insider
Dec 12, 2011
DEC 12 — If anyone wants to know the chameleon nature of the Najib government or perhaps even the prime minister, you just have to look at the government’s attitude towards Singapore.
On one hand, Najib talks about closer ties with Singapore and his upcoming retreat with Lee Hsien Loong, where some great announcement is going to be made about a joint announcement in Iskandar.
We are supposed to be good pals after years of difficult ties. But before anyone starts celebrating, there is Najib’s good friend, Senator Ezam Noor, warning undergraduates that the DAP is bent on turning Malaysia into Singapore!
Let there be no illusion about Ezam’s close connection to the establishment. A political maverick like Ezam can only be accepted back into the system and be appointed as a senator only with the blessings of the prime minister. Read the rest of this entry »
A single spark starts the prairie fire?
Posted by Kit in Corruption, UMNO on Monday, 12 December 2011
— Sakmongkol AK47
The Malaysian Insider
Dec 11, 2011
DEC 11 — Dengar cerita CEO NFC (suami Sharizat) dpt gaji 100k sebulan, anak sulung (age 31) dpt gaji 45k sebulan, anak kedua (age 27)dpt 35k sebulan, anak ketiga (age 25) dpt 35k sebulan. Jika ini betul, ia sesungguhnya memalukan. Ambil duit rakyat buat bayar gaji besar.
Anak saya pun graduate juga. UPSR, PMR, SPM dapat semua A. Umur 24 tahun. Kerja swasta. Dia pun work hard. Balik kerja paling awal jam 9 malam. Kadang2 sampai 1 pagi. Gaji dia RM2,700/sebulan. Adakah anak saya akan sokong BN/Umno kalau begini keadaannya? Saya dah tahu jawapannya. Umno tak boleh kelentong orang cerdik. Umno is not capable of changing, not with the current leaders.
When more than 50 per cent of our working population is earning less than RM2k/month, tak tahu malu ke mereka-mereka ini. Merompak siang dan malam, 7 hari seminggu. Perompak Ali Baba P. Ramli pun ada cuti hujung minggu.
8 December 2011 15:12
Even if we refuse to admit it, the above is an outpouring of bitterness. Although Umno people will wish it’s confined, it’s personal anecdotes such as this that strikes fear in Umno. Maybe it’s already that single initial spark that has ignited the prairie fire.
Shahrizat Jalil can huff and puff and weave her tales as her mythical namesake did in 1,001 Nights. While she can fool Umno delegates by employing attack as the best form of defence, her actions are only an exercise in futility. For her, the writing is already on the wall. Whatever she does will not extinguish her blackened image. Read the rest of this entry »
Umno/BN no joy for babies
Posted by Kit in 1Malaysia, Corruption, Education, UMNO on Sunday, 11 December 2011
Dean Johns | Dec 7, 2011
Malaysiakini
I’ve always had a soft spot for babies, and thus have found the fathering and nurturing of several in the course of my somewhat chequered marital career to be life-enhancing experiences.
So I was far from surprised that, of all the lovely people I was privileged to meet at the Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia dinner in KL last Saturday night, the new acquaintance I found most utterly enchanting was the youngest ‘member’ or at least attendee, a three-year-old aptly named Joy.
There were two reasons why my heart went out to this delightful little sprite. Firstly, her spirit of frolic and fun that inspired me to play so many silly games with her that I ended up limp with exhaustion and soaking with sweat, while she was still as fresh as the proverbial daisy and ready for more.
And secondly, she reminded me of my own similarly joyful daughter Sammie, whose birth in Malaysia 16 years ago transformed me from an appalled but passive expatriate observer of the local political scene to an outraged critic of the evils I saw her as having to face if she stayed in Umno/BN’s Bolehland.
Happily she’s been spared most of such problems, thanks first to the efforts of her mother, maternal grandparents and some very good teachers in Malaysia, and also her subsequent relocation into the admittedly far-from-perfect but at least somewhat more progressive Australian educational system. Read the rest of this entry »
Umno Baru at a crossroads again
Posted by Kit in Corruption, DAP, UMNO on Saturday, 10 December 2011
— Nur Jazlan Mohamed
The Malaysian Insider
Dec 10, 2011
DEC 10 — The recently concluded Umno General Assembly came and went and offered little in terms of the new manifesto of the party. The public were disappointed with the lack of new policy initiatives. Many Umno delegates who had to sit through many stale and uninspiring speeches were left with little enthusiasm to return to their respective constituencies to rally their fellow members in preparation for the impending 13th General Election soon.
The uninspiring lack of ideas put forward by the members best describes the state of the party at the moment. Umno has the largest base of members and voters of any political party in the country. It is the party that claims to have the most support from the Malay population which is the largest ethnic group and expected to be about sixty per cent of the population by 2020.
But as a party that claims to represent the majority race in the country , it doesn’t seem to able to break away from the “Malay under siege mentality” rethoric it has used since the fight for independence to attract support from the public. The party is frozen in time and is paralysed to steer the nation through a more challenging future.
The party has failed to offer new ideas to attract the young Malays to support its idealogy which in recent years has drifted more to the right. The Prime Minister, Dato Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak, through the concept of One Malaysia has tried to bring Umno back to the centre space of national politics where race and religious tolerance is at equilibrium. Read the rest of this entry »
Demonising the opposition
Posted by Kit in Najib Razak, UMNO on Thursday, 8 December 2011
Jeswan Kaur | December 8, 2011
Free Malaysia Today
Instead of using the opposition as its punching bag, Umno has to wisen up and engage in some soul-searching, that too if there is any of it left.
COMMENT
The recently concluded Umno general assembly had the trappings of all things fake, from the speech and rhetorics of its president-cum-prime minister Najib Tun Razak to the personal hidden agendas of the delegates.
For Najib and the rest, the 62nd annual general assembly was nothing more than a misused platform to do the despicable – condemn and ridicule their adversaries, i.e. the opposition led by dethroned former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim.
Such immature acts of trying to so very hard to make an impression among the people that Umno has everyone’s interest at heart is pure gibberish. The truth is that Najib in all his desperation is playing to the gallery for the sake of his political survival.
Using the Umno general assembly to announce that the 13th general election is just round the corner is not going to win Najib and Barisan Nasional the rakyat’s votes, going by the track record of the premier, Umno and BN.
To childish attack on the opposition for one reason or another merely reflects Umno’s desperation and BN’s anxiety at the fate that awaits them at the coming national polls. Read the rest of this entry »
Umno in the fierce light of day
— Rama Ramanathan
The Malaysian Insider
Dec 08, 2011
DEC 8 — I am restless. I slipped into this condition when I started observing the Umno general assembly last week.
The word which best describes the theme, tone and thrust of the assembly is racism (of the Malay superiority variety).
I shudder when I think of Umno leaders: Prime Minister Najib, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin, Home Minister Hishammuddin, de facto Law Minister Nazri. They spew racism. They speak as if Malay means Umno. They methodically attack other Malay parties, PKR and PAS, saying the latter will sell their racial privileges. Meritocracy. Many years ago I believed fear of meritocracy was the primary engine of Umno’s racism.
In “The Malay Dilemma”, probably the most racist book I’ve read, our former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir even suggested Malays are dim due to inbreeding! Mahathir, of course, has been proved wrong. Malays now dominate the civil service, the judiciary, the armed forces and the majority of large Malaysian public companies. You don’t dominate by being dim. You dominate by using power and threats.
Egotism. Prior to the Umno assembly, I thought the primary engine of Umno’s racism was egotism, i.e. a grand sense of self-importance, with boastfulness. What did they boast about? They boasted about remaining entrenched, sustaining the “special position” of the Malays, maintaining “national security” and retaining Islam as the official religion (as if it was ever under threat); boasts which are more implied than spelt out. The venue, dress, food, cars, etc helped reinforce the wealth of Umno leaders. Read the rest of this entry »
The oxymoronic world of Umno’s politics
Posted by Kit in Elections, Najib Razak, UMNO on Wednesday, 7 December 2011
by Edwin Yapp
The Malaysian Insider
Dec 07, 2011
DEC 7 — Oxymoron.
That’s the word that has been on my mind of late. Why? Because that’s exactly what we, Joe Public, are being fed on a daily basis.
Etymologically speaking, the word is derived from the fifth century Latin “oxymoron”, which in itself is derived from the ancient Greek to mean “sharp, dull,” according to Wikipedia. The noun describes “a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction.”
And therein lies the connection — such is the frequency of contradictory ideas and terms used in today’s local political sphere that it’s almost as if our government has nothing else to worry about.
Case in point: The highly controversial Peaceful Assembly Bill passed last week in Parliament, and our Prime Minister’s declaration that the Bill is “revolutionary,” and that the amendments follow international norms. That’s oxymoronic.
Also, the war cries of one Umno leader last week that labelled those who support opposition parties as “bangsat” (bastards) and that a vote for DAP is a vote for the destruction of Islam. Hmm… that’s another one.
And finally the PM’s quote in his closing speech, “When I started 1 Malaysia, I did not say — let’s neglect the Malay agenda.”
I can go on, but I’m sure you get my drift. Read the rest of this entry »
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