The Najib Manifesto

The first two of Dato Najib’s 7 point manifesto, goes like this:-

1. I will defend Malay supremacy to the last drop of my blood if I get the delegates mandates this march 2009.

2. that was my promise to my father before he died.

He says he will defend Malay supremacy( ketuanan Melayu) to his last drop of blood. Because that was a promise to his father.

Sans promise Dato- why do you want to defend Malay supremacy?. A filial promise between son and father( and a great father to the nation pulak) is something we don’t want to go into. But if you were intending to use that statement to show you are a dutiful and filial son, well, that’s OK.

Ketuanan Melayu means what? That you will defend the constitutional position of rulers, Islam, language, Malay culture and the social contract? These things need to be spelt out instead of impressing us with writings on globalisation and coining the term GLOCAL. What does it mean really?

Speaking before the pemuda/pemudi and puteri UMNO’s huddled together for 3 or 4 hours, each thinking of any possibilities of making out later that night, is just like casting pearls before swine. Sorry for this expression.

After 62 years, UMNO seems to fail in the first instance of preserving the constitutional decorum of Malay rulers. I use the term decorum because with the privilege comes responsibilities. It must an unspoken AXIOM that rulers must behaved with decorum and probity.

This means rulers too must live by an enforceable code of ethics and behaviour.

The primordial contract between Sang Sapurba and Demang Lebar Daun states( this is the Malay Great Charter- Magna Carta).

Demang lebar Daun for the rakyat said;

O Your Highness most exalted; from henceforth, all my issues and progeny will forever be loyal and subservient to your highness. If they transgressed, verily must they be reformed and made good. Even if he has committed a wrong most high, never humiliate, never be made to suffer venomous rancour , and that only if the wrong committed is against Sharak( Islamic law).

In return Sang Sapurba for the Kings, asked:-

Even to the end of time, your issues and progeny shall never rise against my own issues and progeny, even if tyrannical.

To which, Sang Sapurba to his credit, enjoined:-

It is agreed. BUT if your Highness’s progeny breaks this pact, my progeny reserves their right do the same.

Dato Najib must go further that the groundwork laid down by Tun Mahathir. Is Dato Najib up to it given that he is also of aristocratic background?

Suppose a king or crown prince has committed a grievous bodily harm to an ordinary rakyat. What recourse can he or she gets? Its nice and public relations friendly to say, there is a special court by royals for royals. It acts as a filter anyway to filter pleadings brought upon it to bear.

Where will the complainant go? Will he or she get a certificate of locus standi to bring before the royal court?. Must the complainant secure a certificate from a judge first or must he enjoin the AG to purse his/her redress?

Will Dato Najib honour his pledge to preserve ketuanan Melayu by first of all, to take a closer look at the most supreme institution that symbolises Malay-ness, the Monarchy?

Will Dato Najib free himself from the usual mindset of comforting Malays by Legislating progress and focus instead of providing the blueprint for progress? Sakmongkol has said this many times- you cant legislate progress , but progress demand work and brains. No amount of articles in a piece of legal document, can make people WANT to work. The WANT to work must be self generated.