The current state of UMNO

Now, the Oracle of Syed Putera is the alter ego of Tun Daim Zainudin. I enjoy the privilege of meeting this character at least once a month. Usually our meeting lasts on average for one hour.

During these sessions I get to share some of the thoughts of Daim Zainudin as transmitted through his alter ego. Daim remains an elusive figure, lending his presence only occasionally.

It was probably one and half months ago, Utusan Malaysia published an interview they had with Tun Daim Zainudin. I was again privileged to read the hardcopy of the interview before publication. Again by courtesy of the Oracle.

The interview carried a series of questions and answers posed by Utusan Malaysia to TUn Daim Zainudin. Tun Daim Zainudin or TDZ as I refer him as, was a onetime Finance Minister of Malaysia. He served under the loved by many, Tun Dr Mahathir. I have often described Tun Mahathir as the man who can walk on water- and I used that description as a mark of amazement and admiration.

When I first read the scripted interview, I remarked to The Oracle, this is an endorsement to PM Najib. Coming from TDZ I said, it's worth more than the Malaysian stock market. That's how valuable the thoughts of TDZ are said I. that's real power

When we want to know what power is- it's when a diminutive 70 something young man in crumpled shirts wearing sandals speak eliciting awed and respectful response from people.

Everyone was laughing and many were even disparaging TDZ when he said 5 states were in jeopardy at the 2008 (12th) GE. Khir Toyo whom TDZ actually identified to be the Selangor MB, were among the many who said TDZ was out of touch, a pensioner, a has been and all other unpleasant epitaphs. When the results of the 12th GE came around, people quickly realized how prescient the diminutive TDZ was.

So, now when TDZ speaks, Malaysia pays attention. Probably if he sneezes, Malaysia catches a cold. It must be with great welcome relief to hear TDZ giving so many complimentary comments about PM Najib and his government.

This is a much welcome endorsement from TDZ I said to the Oracle.

Read carefully and more importantly, critically cautioned the Oracle. TDZ wanted me to pass to you so that you can read.

Yes said I, clearly, on an overall basis, this is endorsement.

Sure, said the Oracle, but TDZ can't be as openly critical as you are when speaking about a government of which he was a member once. He can't also be openly critical to Najib. Read between the lines.

Of course said I, this piece of interview is replete with conditions and preconditions. UMNO can win provided this. UMNO can win provided that. UMNO can win provided the UMNO president manages firmly and shows more robustness.

Yes, continued the Oracle. Winning is predicated by so many conditions. The machinery must be ready. The PM and DPM must go down to visit the Bahagians and listen to the UMNO members directly.

Don't trust the ketua bahagians. They tell only the good stories. Don't trust the intelligence sources completely. Don't listen to opinion polls by independent survey groups. You pay the piper; you determine the tune to play.

So when we read Najib's speech at the '65th 'birthday celebration of UMNO on the 11th May 2011, did we see the admonitions of TDZ being heeded? UMNO would have been 65 years old, if we assumed away, the formation of an UMNO Baru in 1988. In that year, the original UMNO was declared an unlawful party. The causes for its illegality will forever be debated. Otherwise, the UMNO we celebrated on the 11th May 2011 is a new UMNO with a different character and philosophical underpinnings.

We must not forget the description of UMNO (this UMNO, his UMNO) by Dr Mahathir as a party rotten to the core. By rotten to the core he must have meant it's a corrupt party. Corrupt from the top to the bottom. It's not I who am saying this- its Dr Mahathir. He said the party is corrupt from the top to the bottom in an off the cuff speech as a gathering cum luncheon of ex ministers.

In his speech at the celebration of UMNO's 65th anniversary, the UMNO president implored UMNO members to carry out bigger transformation in order to earn support from the rakyat.

But the UMNO president needs to be reminded that transformation must begin at the core- at the leadership circle. Get rid of the fakes. The faked Tengku for example whose roots I searched cannot be traced to any royal families in Pahang. How on earth did this Achenese who was a one-time carpet salesman who was married to a Pahang Royal Family member became a Tengku? If he can become one, everyone else can also become one.

But in a land where even a Chinese can be referred to as Tengku, perhaps, I cannot call this strange any longer.

Is UMNO split up into factions?

Then I remember, in the state the size of an ape's spread-eagled legs, there are at least 4 factions. UMNO Perlis for example is split up into camps belonging to Isa Sabu, Radzi Sheikh Ahmad, Shahidan Kassim and Azmy Khalid. UMNO cannot win.

The Oracle said that if Najib wants UMNO to win in Perlis where as many as 9 state seats are in danger, he must eliminate all these factions.

Then you have the infamous factions in Terengganu between Idris Jusoh and the pugilistic Mat Said.

In Selangor, when Noh Omar calls for a meeting, Mat Taib's people, Khir Toyo's faction, Zain Badak's group will not turn up. How to regain Selangor like this?

In the meantime Dr Mahathir has complimented the current MB of Kedah who is from PAS. The current UMNO Ketua Perhubungan is there because of his friendship with the UMNO president. The UMNO president was reluctant to appoint someone else fearing this chap will revolt. The original plan was to appoint MUkhriz Mahathir. But that appointment, if he had taken place wasn't premised on rational reasons but would have been done on the basis of an attempt to placate the man who can walk on Malaysian political waters.

So, I hope UMNO people will ponder over the ominous exhortations of its president.

"Kalau kita bersatu, tiada politik puak-puak dalam Umno, kita merupakan parti yang lebih kuat daripada parti-parti lain. Apakah semua (perjuangan) kita sudah selesai? Belum... kenapa masih ada cakap-cakap, masih ada lagi politik puak-puak, apa guna kita sambut ulang tahun 65 tahun kalau kita tidak bersatu?