Analyse this- Najib for President?

UMNO PEKAN’S IMBROGLIO.

On the 17^th of July, the kampung Ubai UMNO branch held its meeting. It was at 9 o’clock at night. The next day, what transpired at Ubai was splashed over the news. It was treated as an earth shattering event.

The branch had passed a resolution asking Dato Najib to contest the post of UMNO president. Kampung Ubai is a branch within the DUN of Pulau Manis in Pekan. The Pekan supremo is Dato Seri Najib. He is the DPM.

Dato Najib has made a pact with Dato Seri Abdullah. Both agreed that Dato Seri Abdullah will pass the reins of power to Dato Najib. The planned handover is in June 2010. Dato Najib has reiterated it- he is committed to the handover.

I have tried to tell you the story of UMNO kampung Ubai. The resolution passed should not be made into a mountain from what is but a political molehill. But for those itching to see a fight and would like to see Pak Lah and Dato Najib wallop each other, the Kg. Ubai episode will be treated as such. Many writers ask expectantly-will other braches follow?

I will now tell you a little secret. All the 139 branches in Pekan will have their resolutions. They are either spoken as an emergency resolution of submitted as written un-debated resolutions. All these are then vetted by a committee filtering the resolutions. All resolutions touching on personal matters are discarded. The rest of the resolutions are given their proper burial and compiled into a thick bounded document to be given to UMNO delegates at the divisional meet. That is how most of the resolutions meet their ignominious end. End of story.

Dato Najib’s nightmares are not over yet. I want to see how those overenthusiastic bloggers treat the subtle messages that are coming from other branch meetings. Allow me to cite the example of the meeting at the Bandar Baru Jaya Gading Branch.

The Bandar Baru Jaya Gading branch is also in Pekan parliamentary seat. It is located on the 9^th mile Kuantan- KL road. In front of the army camp. It held its meeting on the 19^th of July at 3pm. The meeting was held in a dilapidated building encircled by a few warungs. The branch has over 200 members but today probably around 80 attended.

The leader of this branch is Encik Zakaria bin Yaakob, 60-ish who wielded considerable personal influence in Jaya Gading. The population here is around 3000 people the majority of whom are Kelantanese. Encik Zakaria himself originates from Besut but had made Kuantan his home since 1960.

Encik Zakaria spoke at this meeting. He asked what’s wrong with the UMNO leadership? The points he raised were:-

There was sabotage within UMNO in the 12^th GE. But the bigger blame must be allotted to the UMNO leadership. Incumbents who were dropped were never told they are going to be dropped. After chopping their heads off, the UMNO leadership wants them to help campaign?

The arrogance of UMNO leaders and representatives. After being appointed they became arrogant. Encik Zakaria was greatly annoyed that his own ADUN who was to officiate his meeting did not turn up even after the said ADUN promised to do so.

Economic issues such as the cost of petrol and inflation. Encik Zakaria scoffs at the government’s insistence that inflation is around 3%. Perhaps the government statisticians would like to come to Jaya Gading in Kuantan to look at grocery prices eh?

The weakened government falls prey to agitated demand from ethnic groups. The UMNO led government is seen as a capitulator. UMNO has betrayed the Malays as can be seen in the revised quota for scholarship.

UMNO has failed to defend attacks on Malay rights. En. Zakaria cites the example of the talk carried out by the bar council questioning the existence of a social contract between the various races.

What do these issues raised by an insignificant branch leader indicate? They indicate that our branch leaders are not mere passengers on the Clapham Omnibus. They do read in between the lines and are aware of the duplicity that being purveyed around.

This branch under the wily Encik Zakaria has also submitted a written list of resolutions. Analyse these!

1. The branch calls for the abolition of the UMNO quota system in the selection of its leaders.
2. Allow the top posts be contested
3. Supports Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah for UMNO President
4. Supports Dato Najib in his post as deputy president
5. Supports Muhyidin Yassin in any post he desires.

What do we make of these? What do you make of items 4 and 5? Indeed, the people of Jaya Gading are not mere passengers on the Clapham Omnibus. In answer to the other bloggers- watch out for the mixed signals from the DPM’s backyard.

Fallaces sunt rerum species- the appearances of things are deceptive.