The next General Elections: be careful with what you wish
Friday, 7 January 2011
Everyone is talking about the next general elections nowadays. PM Najib is also eager to hold an election. Incoming PMs are always eager to have a new mandate. So that he can form a new team. Members associated with the old team are worried. Those who have overstayed are also jittery. Those tainted with all sort of allegations are feverishly anxious. Those thinking it's their time to step up are busy impressing the boss.
With PM Najib it's not difficult to impress him. The doctors, who planned to take over IJN the last time, presented their case in medical jargon and he was impressed. Now the rich doctors are running IJN and on most airline flights, flight attendants will go around collecting donations for IJN.
For UMNO people, it's time to be more Malay than other Malays. The more vociferous the better. Despite his declared preference for people with merits, DS Najib is human and will succumb to 'careless whispers' from those encircling him. If Nazir Razak were to put in some sanitized remarks about Azman Mokhtar, he shall be made a minister. After all as Nazir said, Azman is cheese to Anuar Aji's chalk.
What is the size of DS Najib's 4th floor? Only God knows. By the way, I thought people were aghast at the size and influence of Pak Lah's 4th floor boys. Well boys, under DS Najib, the single level 4th Floor has become a duplex 4th floor.
Will the 13th general elections be held soon? That is the question haunting many people. The telltale signs are there. The postponement of UMNO party elections. This has always been a prominent indicator as UMNO can't afford to go do battle as a divided force. Then there are the numerous bonuses here and there.
There are also danger lurking. UMNO can't go out in the battle field believing it's ready. What UMNO believes and it believes in its own hype is one thing. What people believe of UMNO is more important.
Winning isn't dependent on UMNO feeling whatever nowadays- the more important determinant is how do the people feel. People are not bothered for example with what Rais Yatim believes in. he is forever changing modes. People will not want to believe Nor Mohamad Yaakob anymore. Two of his aides were caught out with millions of Ringgit and a string of properties, that it's difficult to believe NMY isn't aware of these things.
Acceptance and belief in UMNO by the people is many times more important that what UMNO people and leaders psyched up themselves with. Downing all kind of strength-enhancing herbal drinks does not seem to help anymore.
Look at what's happening in Selangor. If UMNO has to now depend on organizations like GAP to win back power, its future is doomed. First, you have got it wrong. You don't change a government by asking the MB of the ruling government to resign. You get power through winning an election. That is the honorable and proper way. That is the right way.
And shouting and demanding Khalid Ibrahim step down isn't an election. He is the MB. Try asking your own ketua kampong to step down? Working on the grassroots perceptions cannot be substituted with organized mob demonstrations. Sorry boys. Work on winning allegiance of the people.
As a former ADUN, I can almost picture the welling of emotions, hardly containable. Incumbents wish the election date is delayed so that they can remain as ADUNs or MPs for as long as possible. Most of the time, those agitating for early elections are those thinking it's now their time. When one is terminated as ADUN and MP, it's not necessarily because of under-performance. It has more to do with internal politicking, intrigues and insidious character assassinations.
Those itching to become ADUNs and MPs will not stop at anything to become one. They will push for early elections in the hope they get off red to stand as candidates.
I want to tell UMNO future candidates and incumbents not to be overzealous and overeager. You are entering this 13th general election under a brand name that has been discredited and which hasn't recovered fully. Those ketua bahagians ousted in the 12the GE and were not selected as candidates then will take every opportunity to even the score by sabotaging UMNO. These are UMNO careerists- who think being at a position long enough, confers special privileges. These are the people most opposed to Najib's grand plans of ETP, NEM, 1Malaysia etc.
Those most attached to their positions and have cultivated the idea of acquiring rights and privileges as of right are the very people steeped in the tradition of special Malay privileges for special Malays. They are t every ones captivated with the idea of getting things without the corresponding efforts. They are in a word the political rent seekers.
They are the very ones Najib must dispense with if he is true to what he stands for- NME, ETP, GTP, or whatever else he has thought and will think of in the alphabet soup.
They will feel no guilt and remorse, because in their minds, UMNO has become another SPV ensuring those with vested interests to stay as long as possible.
So really, PM Najib is at sixes and sevens in facing this coming election. He knows he has to jettison many ketua bahagians and UMNO past shelf lives. The biggest question is does he have the nerves to do that?
Unless those encircling him provide him with the nerves of steel, he will not. The one thing most noticeably absent about his approach to managing Malaysia under his stewardship is the lack of will in doing the most important thing- political transformation. Translate into practice, this means, cutting of power from many UMNO incumbents. Transforming the profile of those in power means, simply, replacing many deadwoods if Najib is serious about wanting to do those things he has announced.
But there are already indications that he hasn't got the courage to do that. He seems reluctant to make the sea change necessary to make his ideas work.
Consider the case of Felda. He has named a new chairman. The controversial Isa Samad who once said, those who have taken his money, will answer on the field of judgment. His naming of Isa as chairman has unruffled a lot of feathers especially in Pahang. Why? Because Pahang is the state with the largest acreage of Felda plantations and some of these people feel, Pahang man should deserve the slot. It may not be right, but that's how the power game is played.
Did he remove Yusof Noor the former chairman? He didn't and in fact retained Yusof Noor as advisor to the minister in charge of Felda affairs which is Najib himself.
What do these thing show? They show, Najib lacks the killer instinct to carry out political transformation. What we will probably see, in naming the UMNO the BN candidates later, are just rearranging of musical chairs. Only the unlucky enough, will have no chair to sit on.
That shows how we chose our leaders. It's the luck of the draw. Willy nilly they come.
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32 comments:
Salam Dato'
Not difficult to impress NS Najib?..Ha ha ha.........
meru
During such times we will see surat layangs, visit to bomohs, bus trips to MBs residence, hadiahs to bosses and tears.
When the names are announced it will be dog eat dog battle among them. Forget the Opposition. The disgruntled will do half the work for the Opposition candidates to win.
This is what they say - untuk banga, ugama and negara. Podah!
SM,
At least the yahoos will hope the adage that the captain stays (or is it leaves?) the sinking ship last will stick.. :)
Again, I ask: Why are you still a believer?
MP of Rembau, what is his story?
What is it with you and the IJN doctors? My father (under goverment subsidies are still eligible for his treatment there). Get a life man!
Assalamualaikum Dato' Sak,
Ah, Dato'...arent you being an alarmist this time?
Here's the good news, Dato'. Methinks that BN will be in power come GE13. The force that was supposedly taking the two party system in Malaysia has ebbed.
The march forward, though, will continue.
What the new age of I.T. has given the masses is the power of memory. In the old days of Dr. M regime, the thoughts of the masses are subtly controlled. The opposing force is dealt with severely, and the news that goes out is one sided. One week is very long in politics (at least then)
I.T. has given us the tools to remember events that goes by, and make our own judgment without being colored by the hysterics of the time.
I was in primary school when BMF happened. It was my SRP (or PMR nowadays) year when Memali incident occurred. Two years later, UMNO self destruct. I was doing my English prep when judicial crisis broke out. TR and his APU/Gagasan, subsequent 1997 events, DSAI, PKR, are all in the past millennium.
When I first heard BMF scandal, I cant make heads or tail of it. I remembered flipping Utusan, reading the oficial version of it. Ditto with Memali (and various other scandals - F5Es, Perwaja, Ops Lalang etc) was just a passing event.
But today, I can just google the event to find out what happened. All of them doesnt paint a good picture of a government that know how to govern. It tells a picture of crooks becoming sheriff, and a story of corruptions, cronyism and collusion that is ravaging the country.
Now, the memory remains. Each and every actions that hurt the people become an induction for future reference.
However, this government will stay come GE13 because the have east Malaysians.
They dont fully realized it yet, but they got the short end of the stick, and a big one in their backside. Project IC, land grab, threats etc is working now - so the next GE will still be a BN government.
But the memory of being stuffed from behind and stiffed will remain. The young one will remember. By learning, the association with uncaring government is Umno led BN.
The only hope is for Umno to change. But as mentioned by countless debaters on your site - the point of no return has been crossed. Too many points has been made, too many suggestions (yours can fill many volumes) has been made. No Action. Talk Only.
On the people who want to change side : We will work to expose people to the reality of living under Umno led BN from all angles - economy, education, government, scandals, dirty tricks etc, until the day where there's critical mass. I love Malaysia, and Im doing it for the sake of my children's future.
Dont I feel grateful what BN has done? They bring development, education, health etc.
I do, Dato.
But Malaysia can be many steps in front without these leakages and injustice. We gained independence being on par with Korea/Taiwan, and Singapore was Singapura. Without all these leakages we could at least be at par, or not too far behind.
Melayu Baru
Melayu Baru 19:36
Niceeeeee One.
Umno simply has to change to retain power kick them under performer in the cabinet.
Yeah I.T will and always be around to paint negative/positive picture.
- Ikan Tongkol -
Najib has no gut to move away UMNO old timer. He lack of political well.
Dear all,
I pray that there are many more like Melayu Baru - who thinks with common sense about Malaysia and Malaysians' future to be on par or close behind other asian countries especially those with less resources, land, etc.
Malaysian of all cultures need to vote for a government that services them whole heartedly as elected representatives to make Malaysia a truly great country for all Malaysian to call home and be proud to call themselves Malaysian at HOME and abroad.
Salam Dato,
How can you continue to be a member of such a willy nilly party called UMNO?
Aku hairan :-)
Being associated to UMNO itself brings shame and disgrace to oneself.
It is beter to be party-less.
Think about it Dato.
Idris
Wahai Melayu Baru,
You said, "Here's the good news, Dato'. Methinks that BN will be in power come GE13. The force that was supposedly taking the two party system in Malaysia has ebbed."
How can the above be achieved by BN/UMNO? you already know...popularly known as pengundi hantu and undi pos.
the greed and dirtiness of UMNO/BN knows no bound. They will go all out to retain power even if it means killing the innocents.....
Never mind....time has changed.......these animals in the circus called BN/UMNO will be wiped out one by one through the acts of nature or acts of God - while they are in the air, on the road, on the sea or simply while they are asleep.
Dosa2 yang gitu banyak kalau tak di tanggung sendiri tentulah di tanggung oleh anak2 mereka. Biarlah mereka belajar...ni kan ajaran yang paling bagus....
ikan gurame
Melayu Baru,
If u love M'sia, you should vote BN out.....they have been getting more n more garang at corruption with each passing day.
Not only that, the country is not safe for our children anymore.
Look at the mat rempits....how many pregnant women and women have they killed. Any the tak guna punya polis tak berani tangkap si rempits tu.
celaka lah...
saudara aku di langgar rempit sampai mati kat kelantan. babi betul!!!
Passing remarks. The deadwoods are....
1. Hishamudin
2. Minister of Education...
By Transformer
Khazanah & 4th Floor destroyed whatever is good of Pak Lah's regime.
Now,Idris Jala ( 4 bil loss maker) and his merry band of drivers will destroy the COUNTRY.
Everyone reports to him and the 4 bil loss maker is the king in the world of the blind.
UMNO must be daring enough to stop the EPPs nonsense,The world is laughing and even louder when we go bust.
A: 'Sir, you've been mighty quiet these days.'
B: 'Just tired of everything, Sofea. Especially politics and life.'
A: 'Aww, don't be like that, Sir. It's all in the mind.
Yes, i would agree things are getting a bit jaded but that always happens towards year end and beginning. Just like how marketing and press people feel when they erase last year's record and start all over again. You stare at another blank slate and dread the repeat cycle of life.'
B: 'But soon there will be a new spike in price hikes, Sofea, and the common folks will be suffering even more.'
A: 'You always care for the rakyat, Sir. Now, what do you think of what the blogger has written?'
B: 'To his credit he's fighting a one-man battle to reform his party which is more than what can be said of other members.'
A: 'Do you think Najib thinks carefully about what the blogger writes?'
B: 'Thinking, acknowledging and doing are three different things, Sofea.
There are five issues on human resources that Najib faces should he execute the creative destruction needed to revamp the party.
One, does he have enough of the right new people for the wrong old jobs? I don't think so. If Badawi didn't have not so long ago, do you think Najib would have had so soon after the devastation of GE12? Look around you. Not just in the supreme council and the ministries but also the GLCs. Can Najib even say he has a few good men? People who are competent, committed and non-compromisable?
As the simplest of the most recent examples, what was going on in his head when Isa was put up for Felda and Khusrin for sel state sec? It's like putting Toyo up for ministry of billboards.
And look at the great human resource legacy of Umno. Take Rais. He's been running helter skelter trying to find the archaeological roots of our malays but what has happened to that site excavated in Johor and what has happened to Hang Tuah in our history books?
I have more than KKK to tell you that Vogel had at the end of the 19th century traced the roots to the Philippine islands. So what does that make of the social contract? Is any contract and its implied foundation legal when there has been misrepresentation from the start initiated because of colonial geopolitics to control the region at that time?
Back to Rais as channel minister. Look at the policies for our local movie-makers. They are so crimping and backward. Doesn't that explain why reel after reel gives you only the same staid plots and naive acting when others elsewhere have already moved on? So how can viewers get fresh ideas to think new thoughts that will help foster the change in their minds for them to be better citizens which in turn will make it easier for Najib to exercise more political will to improve his administration and change the party? It's a catch-22 feedback loop with multiple causes and effects strangulating all the good potential of this nation.'
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A: 'Sir, people will say local films are just for entertainment.'
B: 'Sofea, i was actually implying the MSM. In particular, Utusan.'
A: 'What are the other four issues?'
B: 'You already know them, Sofea so let's skip them. If you're still curious, why don't you go ask that guy in Putrajaya who remains the strategist and brains behind everything done by Umno so far after GE12? You know, from bush fires in Penang to the Perak coup detat to Hulu Selangor and the others, and onwards to all the great escapes using the Umno system.'
A: 'You want to say some more about this guy?'
B: 'No. But only because i know he's reading this and should thus remember how the conscience of a single man can change the fate of a nation.'
A: 'You're subtle today, Sir. But i sense you are deliberately omitting to say something.'
B: 'Eh?'
A:'That we have become a nation of silo potato brains incapable of seeing big pictures anymore. That this fight between the forces of politics and economics is redundant because our politics and our economics are themselves irrelevant in the world today. Which has already moved on far beyond us. Which explains why our rakyat have lost hope and gained fear. Fear that Malaysia, her economy, society, and industries, have been marginalized. Which explains why so many of those who know the real situation have left. Leaving behind those in our little pond who will be drowned by the global competition made the bigger in effect for the incompetence and silo view of our politicians, their lackeys, cronies and race policies.'
B: 'Lately you can add another thing, Sofea. It was race and religion before. Now something else is rearing up.'
A: 'And what's that, Sir?'
B: 'How to run a school canteen.'
A: 'You lost me, Sir.'
B: '(cough) How can i lose some one i never had, Sofea?
Say we have a school. It's multiracial. Whatever that means, hahaha. Ok? The school is run by an administration. There's a headmaster. He himself is recruited by what was last known as a democratic process. Since children attend the school, their parents recruited him by some popular vote.
Now, the last canteen operator has retired. Whether it was because there was no tuna in the free sandwiches we don't want to dwell upon the matter, bad as it itself is.
Because it was open tender, the headmaster submits a list of candidates in some order of priority. But it appears another list was submitted and somehow the trustee of the school approved that list. Naturally, the headmaster was flustered. In fact he looked flustered on tv. And while his flapping around was kinda weak, it shows he was rankled by something that had been done wrong. Can we blame him? He's the headmaster. His head will roll if the new canteen operator again supplies free sandwiches without tuna. So he makes a flap. And it is taken badly by the same tv and other channels run by people who want to see this new canteen operator be emplaced in a school they don't run. But what was the consequence of his flapping? He was slapped for it. The trustee or proxy asked why the headmaster didn't solve it with the other people before the paperwork was rubberstamped. One would think it's pretty hard to solve a problem when one didn't know it existed in the first place, wouldn't you agree? Now that the new canteen operator is ensconced, how is the headmaster to trust he won't for being in the school compound duplicate all the keys so that more tuna can be removed from free sandwiches? Surely even the best boards of trustees would honor the concerns of parents for the dietary satiations of their charges who after all will become parents in the future to make sure the school continues to be run ably and intelligently? Not silo-ly with form and pomp over substance and satisfaction.'
3
A: 'I have no idea what you have just said, Sir.'
B: 'Some people will say i ramble a lot. Maybe they should help me a bit. Take another matter. I am puzzled by it. This new requirement by the MOE to make it mandatory that teachers of year 3-6 in vernacular schools to have pengajian melayu qualification. Like the bilingual qualification, it only tells the rakyat that the intent or niat is to change the complexion of those schools to fulfill a racial agenda the rakyat will never accept. Because so far, dear Sofea, nothing that those promoters or their ilk has done shows they know the meaning of fairness, justice, quality or standard. Only incompetence, racism and 0Malaysia. Betul tak? You see, Sofea, those who know the real history of this country would know when the cabinet committee report was first drafted under that "man"'s administration, the first recommendation was the complete elimination of vernacular schools in this country. Now, if the same little napoleons continue to do their mischief in this and other pillars of Najib's administration, they should be ready to answer why in GE13 Barisan will lose another 100,000 votes. You want political reality? That's political reality. And the poor MCA can then join Gerakan at the next thaipaithorng, whatever that is we can ask our chinese friends.'
A: 'I think we have given Najib, maybe our blogger too, new food for old thought, Sir.'
B: 'I'm tired of thinking, Sofea. I just want to backpack and go to some remote place. And start a colony of my own'
A: 'Sir!'
B: 'Yes?'
A: 'You can't!'
B: 'Why not?
Anyway, with apologies to malaysiakini and the author, let me post something below from someone and it is written really well; it hits the heart of all matters. And Najibco knows it is completely true. So wtf is he and his band of bad merry men gonna do about it?
Sofea, our country is finished. Bring on creedence clearwater revival instead.
"Malay problem root of nation's problem: AB Sulaiman Jan 6, 11
COMMENT About a year and a bit ago, the Old Boys' Association of the Royal Military College otherwise known as 'Old Putras' organised an evening of discourse.
The forum noted that the Malaysian people were fragmented, the economy at a virtual standstill, and democracy eroded by dictatorship, returning feudalism, and theocracy. Those present wanted to analyse the degeneration and like good citizens we were to come up with some solutions.
It was then that one speaker, Mohd Dahan if I remember correctly, who stood up to say, “Solve the Malay problem, and you solve the country's problem.” Now we are in the first month of the second decade of the 21st century, the ring of truth in his statement still prevails.
But at this time, 53 years after independence and 10 years to becoming a high-income country, it appears we are still embedded deep in a long list of unsolved national problems, with many getting worse than before.
Here are but some of them: A restive and fragmented population, high migration rate, poor rate of growth, broken public institutions like education and the judiciary, high crime rate, degenerating personal and public morality, price increases, inflation, and a generally authoritative, intimidating and arrogant government. Our comparative indices with other countries like in areas of transparency, human rights, education, are all on the downward swing.
4
And corruption, the perennial social cancer, taking place at the highest possible level, involving amounts that would make Carlos Slim (currently the richest man in the world according to Forbes) and Bill Gates almost poor by comparison.
Hope lies eternal, so let's see whether we can try to solve at least some of the national problems, by first solving some Malay problems, for this coming year.
But first, what exactly is the 'Malay problem'?
Unable to break the inertia
My observation of this matter stemmed from the collective Malay lack of knowledge and of modern technical skills and thereby negatively reflected in the country's wealth distribution scenario.
In 1957 the record books indicated that Malay economic involvement was no more than at a paltry 2 percent. This is not good at all as viewed and agreed on by the founding fathers and every meaningful citizen of whatever ethnic background.
Since then the Malays have been given all opportunities to be more fruitfully involved in the country's economic activities. In 1970, a name was given to this ground-breaking exercise known as social engineering under the New Economic Policy.
Lavishly-funded government policies and programmes were introduced to even the playing field for Malay incursion into the national economy.
But try as they might, the Malays could not manage to break the inertia and achieve any planning targets. (Please spare me the need to repeat even some of the details for they have been pretty well and regularly documented by proponents, supporters and critics alike.)
This was to me the first time the Malay problem surfaced. It's that the perception that Malay economic backwardness (and 'problem') is solely economic in its cause and could largely be solved under the NEP.
In fact its architect, Abdul Razak Hussein (right), asked for 20 years for the project implementation; surely thinking that this period was enough to see the Malay through.
Sadly, history has indicated there has been a fundamental flaw in this presumption. In reality, his economic ineptitude being one, but far more is his psychological or mental deficiency.
Psychological or mental? Yes. He has this innate inability to realise that upon independence the country was morphing progressively into a new era: From old to new, rural to urban, agrarian to manufacturing, ancient to modern. From a life aligned with nature and the natural featured by myth, magic, miracle and mystery, to one surrounded and led by technical principles and science. It was an era of change.
Change requires a few mental subtleties. First there must be awareness or consciousness of the advent of change, and second, it requires a willingness to adapt to it. Without these two, any change is but a natural progression. The mind must therefore be equipped to be conscious and be aware of change. This is what the Malay did not have.
Ketuanan Melayu
History tells us that the Malay has not been able to produce the thinking faculty to recognise the coming of change to begin with. Hardly surprising therefore for him to show an inability to adapt at the appropriate time. He has no ability to accept and adapt to change.
So this is to me the root of the 'Malay problem'.
This inability to change again to me reflects the inner features and characteristics of Malay thinking:
i) It is ethnocentric: it believes in the superiority of its own type over all other types.
ii) It is non-scientific: it believes in not yet ascertained truth and in non-provable ones.
iii) It is quick in denial.
iv) It is not aware of its mistakes.
They would produce the following end-product or behaviour patterns:
v) The Malay is a superior race.
vi) Islam is the one and only religion that gets approval from God Almighty.
vii) These are irrefutable truths.
viii) Anyone denying the above is a traitor to the race and an apostate to religion.
5
Items (i) to (iv) indicate that the Malay is racially conscious and highly religion bound. Items (v) to (viii) reveal his racism and religious tendencies. They in turn at least partially explain the favourite Malay ideology 'untuk agama, bangsa dan negara'.
They have also been personified by the ketuanan Melayu entity, and giving rise to the Perkasa movement.
Doubters to this contention might wish to counter check: Are ketuanan Melayu and Perkasa not ethnocentric? They are for championing 'Malay rights' when the constitution says it's only Malay 'special privileges'.
They are also non-scientific for championing Islam, or at least the government-approved version of Islam: Sunni sect, Imam Shafie line, and until recently, Islam Hadhari variety.
Who then are ketuanan Melayu members? To me, the ketuanan Melayu entity comprises those who generally harbour the eight features just mentioned above. As individuals they are:
i) The ruling party members, especially Umno leaders;
ii) The civil servants running the government machinery;
iii) The officers and personnel running government agencies like the police, military, customs, immigration, etc.;
iv) The ulama whose job is to protect and propagate Islam;
v) Political chiefs aspiring to get to the top of the party ladder.
It's eerie to think the obvious - that this list would net almost the entire educated, urban, middle class, Malay population. And they are the embodiment of the Malay problem!
In other words, the root, core, essence of the Malay problem is the Malay collective culture!
Shameful performance
How has this collective culture been performing as the top leaders and managers of the country? Well, unless I am grossly wrong, you can't create something good out of something rotten. Ketuanan Melayu (i.e. racism and religious fundamentalism) to me is something definitely rotten. So Malay supremacy has been able to create in the last decade or so the following:
a) Bending the laws to suit Malay interests. In this case the constitution has been amended a record 40 times (with 650 individual amendments) since 1957. Compare this with the US that has amended its constitution about 27 times since its founding. Or, Singapore, four times. Racism is institutionalised in this country!
b) Breaking the thin line between Syariah and civil laws. The supremacy of the constitution has been eroded.
6/6
c) Breaking down of institutions like the check and balance features of democratic governance. Democracy is all but dead. Have the periodic general elections, and that's it, democracy is observed. Whatever happens in between is another matter altogether.
d) The flagrant use of lies, deceit, hooliganism on the part of the ruling elite against its own people. There is this massive breaking down of individual and public morality.
There are countless thousands of others.
We come back to Dahan's wisdom. Now that we have re-acquainted ourselves with the Malay problem, how do we go about solving it?
This is no easy task for the obstacles are enormous. On the one side we have a people under the ketuanan Melayu ambit digging deep into the fortress of race and religion and not at all ashamed to use the political power available at its disposal. To the Malay, the saying that the ends justify the means is enshrined in gold.
The government and ketuanan Melayu are not about to let go easily. They are deep in the quagmire of lies, deceit, corruption, even sin and criminality. Only by them staying in power will they be able to prevent the law from taking its course.
On the other side we have the 21st century world demanding a 21st century open and flexible mind. Some of them are: Technical ability, professionalism, openness, honesty, fairness, justice, morality, transparency, responsibility, accountability and integrity.
Solutions
Whatever programme we have to solve the Malay problem, two elements must be present: The secularisation of the Malay mind and the restoration of basic human rights to the peoples of Malaysia.
It has to be repeated that it won't be easy.
But hope against hope, the government must restore power to the people; the ulama must come to terms with universal realities. Civil servants too should reorient their thinking to serve the people rather than the politicians.
And the people, the average Malay down the road, must come to realise that the world is not an oyster, that individualism is the key to any personal or national development.
How can all these be achieved? Thinking influences behaviour - the ketuanan Melayu Malay mind must change from its ethnocentricity and non-scientific features to one of openness, fairness, rationality and respect for other men.
Develop the sense of the individual in him. Secularise Malay thinking. Open his closed mind. Go for secular education. Teach philosophy in schools. Do not teach children about religion until they are able to think for themselves.
Do anything to make the Malay more receptive for change. Then perhaps we can begin to solve the Malay problem, in 2011 and onwards."'
Dato,
Very good insight into the problems facing UMNO. It appears you have accetpted the many issues facing UMNO from feedbacks in your blog. LOL.
When an apple has become rotten from the inside, how do you treat it? Just replace it with a fresh one.
I dont think change is possible anymore. The entire UMNO structure is just unsustainable.
The BN kind of coalition is also another unsustainable structure where UMNO remains the dominant power while others are just lackeys.
The fall of UMNO has a lot to do with the fall of the lackeys whose communities now are more awakened unlike before.
The British way of dividing and rule will not work anymore and they are playing now the racial/religious and disunity to stay in power while the country sinks.
Carrying on with the current Ibrahim Ali's kind of model will just drive away the very people who make this country ticks and it is already happening.
The funny part is, just because they shouted syiok sendiri rhetorics, they suddenly are able to win the elections. Silly.
Ask themselves/ourselves, what has really changed materially other than shouting unity slogans here and there while prices of things go up without the rise of income.
Real income is going down while we shouted here and there about rising income to be a developed nation!! Really lah, we just have to scratch our heads how the cows they can do it when ALL factors are indicating otherwise.
Unlike in the eighties, Malaysia is no more the only place to place your factories in this area. Before Malaysia was united and most stable among ASEAN countries. Today, we are more like Burma kind of environment with political, racial and religious problems.
All these purposely created just to stay in power. How sickening can one gets. A country destroyed, just because a few want to stay in power and continue to get freebies.
I feel it is too late. There are just too many problems to tackle. Not even PR can overcome these.
We are resigned to our fate and meanwhile take measures to cushion the inevitable.
Already parents are telling the children to stay put overseas! CAn you imagine that? Parent prefer their children NOT to live with them for their own good?
Just what has this country become since the time of Tungku Abdul Rahman?
The likes of Ibrahim Alis think they are protecting their race/religion when in fact they are destroying the very foundation(already rotten) that feed them.
There is no such thing as FREE LUNCH.
Pak menteri bn suruh rakyat pangkah bn.
Tapi dia sendiri tak pangkah bn.
Dia pergi pangkah bibik.
Leaders can't outsource thinking.They can only outsource work.
Why do we need Khazanah and Pemandu?
Khazanah should be purely be a government investment vehicle.The strength of the companies should reside in respective BODs and Management.Khazanah true role is`nothing more then a glorified postmaster and report writer i.e an unnecessary layer of overhead.
Pemandu is also in a similar role.It acts as the postmaster,lobbyist for big business as well as a feel good reporter for PM.The govt has all the Ministries,the machinery etc to do the same..so Pemandu is just another layer of unnecessary overheads.
Sadly,PM needs this armoury to encapsulate his need to be seen to be action orientated.
But rakyat is`not as dumb..
We want leaders who can think and have the courage to lead the charge.Outsourced operatives do not create the spiritualism of leadership needed.
Sorry..my vote goes to ANY opposition.
Dato Sakm.,
Saya menghadiri satu mesyuarat AMENO baru-baru ini. berikut adalah aturan mesyuarat.
Pengerusi tetap :ada apa-apa cadangan baru untuk diketengahkan keperingkat negeri.
Ahli 1:saya cadangkan Ketua Pembangkang kelak adalah daripada wakil AMENO selepas PRU13.
Ahli 2:saya sokong, malah Timbalan Ketua Pembangkang pun hendaklah dari kalangan kite juga.
Ahli 3:saya cadangkan, cadangan ditutup.
Semua yang hadir:Setuju'
Pengerusi Tetap:Baiklah, klau semua dah setuju saya akan bawa keperingkat negeri. Wakil pusat apa komen tuan.
Wakil AMENO pusat:cadangan yang bernas, saya akan PANJANGkan cadangan saudara kepada Presiden parti.Tapi tang Ketua Pembangkang kat PARLIMEN saya tak berapa pasti samada Presiden kita berminat kat tidak..Rakyat..He3..
-sender Rakyat Penang lo.
Dato',
You wrote about Najib as follows: "The one thing most noticeably absent about his approach to managing Malaysia under his stewardship is the lack of will in doing the most important thing- political transformation. Translate into practice, this means, cutting of power from many UMNO incumbents. Transforming the profile of those in power means, simply, replacing many deadwoods if Najib is serious about wanting to do those things he has announced.
But there are already indications that he hasn't got the courage to do that. He seems reluctant to make the sea change necessary to make his ideas work".
Dato, you are being very kind to Najib. Why don't you just shorten your article and be honest in calling Najib a COWARD and a WIMP because that's what he is.
I guess by the end of today's meeting with the BN MPs, Najib would have formed an opinion whether it's wise to call for polls soon.
Tun Mahathir is not in favor of an early poll saying the current government has still a way to go to finish its term.
But Najib is raring to get a new mandate and affirmation of his policies. Then there is the economy which some predict will not get any better this year and next.
By today Najib will know which MPs have not done their job. And these MPs should be honest in reporting to him the feeback on the ground.
Najib must also be brave to let go all the long-servers and choose new winnable candidates.
Rais must go despite the untruthful reports of him raping his Indon maid.
It is a voice from God for him to quit now. Sacrifice the seat for the good of UMNO.
UMNO could not afford to have this as a campaign issue.
I am a non-believer of prophets of doom and alarmists that it's tough for BN, tougher than 2008.
I really don't think so. Sak says be careful with what you wish.
I still wish BN will get a clear mandate to rule and will not end in a hung parliament.
Seriously I don't thik PR will make inroads except retaining some of their seats.
What I fear is infighting among UMNO and BN, especially those not chosen or asked to vacate their seat.
So the ball is really at Najib's feet to choose the best to transform the country.
P.S. Sak, it's really laughable that Yusof Nor was sacked as Felda supremo but retained as adviser.
Shows Najib weakness in fearing antagonizing the UMNO leaders.
About Najib's fourth floor duplex people, I understand its peopled by retired journalists.
One of them Hardev Kaur has already flummoxed on the church issue and have to make an apology statement.
Luckily she admitted that it was her fault for asking to remove the church crucifix.
Ini yang dikatakan memandai sendiri untuk mengampu.
Doing more harm than good to the BOSS.
Another P.S. Rosmah is not touring Saudi Arabis, Oman and Bangladesh.
Wonder will she will some Arab petrodollars to help fund the campaign.
Did you hear Raja Petra's audio on the Christmas Eve meeting at Istana Terengganu?
The evil design was to unite PAS and UMNO so that UMNO can continue to rule ussing the pretext of Muslim unity.
The sultan walked away when Nik Aziz spoke on the issue of Allah.
My question is why the King involved in politics? It's getting clearer by the day that the Rulers are clearly taking side in politics. This is bad.
Anon 20.20
What is so wrong about the Agong initiating peace between PAS and UMNO.
That shows concern, not involving in politics.
All the Rajas Melayu are now very concerned about the split among the Malays and the way the Sultans are being castigated by the opposition.
They have a right, being defenders of the religion and the Malays.
I am all for a unity government between UMNO and PAS. After all PAS is a splinter party of UMNO.
Unity among Malays will lead to unity among other races.
Of course RPK or DAP or Keadilan are not happy about this development. Who cares??
Dato'
Well said !
DS Najib lacks the killer instinct to transform UMNO into a meaner and nimble political giant.
At best UMNO is more like an awakening giant after the March 8 2008 GE.
In the case of Malaysian politics, slow and steady may not win the race.
One chap, your state-mate, Saifuddin Abdullah, got it right! Vary the AUKU. DSN must allow the students to participate in the political process. That is the only way that UMNO (as a name) can survive 2016-18. By blooding them earlier, you cast your net wider for your candidates.
The youth is lost in between the political protagonists. It can still go either way, though today, it looks like it will be BN's.
Going with the youth, effectively cuts with the old of "cari makan" within the BN. The young will come out and support BN, and canvass for votes. Lessons from Obama
Dear Dato,
Knowing you and the personalities you named, I could not agree more!
May God Bless Us.
Quiet Despair, it is historically true that PAS is a splinter from UMNO as the ulama faction broke away from them due to UMNO not following the true ways of Islam.
However, the history of PAS does not start from the moment the ulama faction broke away from UMNO. It starts from the formation of Hizbul Muslimin in 1947. They are the 1st Islamist party in Malaya, until the British banned them for alleging they had ties with the Communists, which is just absurd.
Sure, you are for Malay Unity, but I am for Islam-based unity. When the religion among the citizens, more specifically the Malays, are strong, it takes care of everything else. Why not we disband UMNO and everyone in UMNO joins PAS so that the Islamic state can be set up and implement the hudud laws? Then only the objective for Muslim unity can be achieved.
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