UMNO and PAS: opposing political culture.

We like it when UMNO appoints a young and energetic information chief. At the very least, he does not carry an historical baggage. The original sin doesn't get passed on to him.

That was essentially his premise in calling for renewed efforts for UMNO and PAS to talk about Malay unity. Ahmad Maslan shares the same leadership trait as Naib Tun Razak.Hurrah for him. 

Najib and he are both aspirational but not unfortunately, inspirational. Ahmad Maslan aspires for unity between PAS and UMNO in order to bring benefits to Malays and non-Malays. 

But he doesn't inspire trust and confidence.

The basis of unity as mentioned in the Quran has always been enjoining and joining forces ;cooperate for the common and public good. Two parties work jointly in the pursuit of the public and common good.

Using that as a basis, I don't think PAS or UMNO has problems working with each other. Having a professional relationship doesn't require merging or abandoning principles. Sharing the same goals is sufficient to elicit cooperation. Two parties don't even have to like each other.

Ahmad Maslan is right when he says, that it's not like UMNO lost. What UMNO and the BN do not have is a two thirds majority in parliament. In other words, UMNO does not actually crave for a unity with PAS. UMNO is still the government. But it aspires to have unity for the common good and also because that will ensure Ahmad Maslan and UMNO stays on in power. Except that 'common good' nowadays is no longer common. Privilege and Shylockian practices must be get rid off.

If UMNO has power, then it must be willing to show some goodwill. It wants unity with PAS, it has to be secured at a price. Let's say, the most desired price is conceding to claims for oil royalty by the Kelantan government. UMNO can prove beyond PAS that it desires common good for the Malays who form the majority in Kelantan.

But Ahmad Maslan doesn't inspire trust and confidence. This is how he doesn't.

The greatest obstacle is the way UMNO operates. UMNO operates on the wrong premises. Consider and evaluate what Ahmad Maslan says indicating clearly how UMNO operates. It operates mainly by knocking off each other. UMNO and PAS need to unite because those responsible for creating the split in the first place have faded to the background. Who does Maslan refer to? Tengku Razaleigh? Dr Mahathir?

If we were to take a poll within PAS on who from within UMNO they trust most- the likeliest answer will be Tengku Razaleigh.

In other words, the basis of unity will be achieved by apportioning blame and discrediting others. In Maslan's thinking- those responsible are UMNO veterans. The present UMNO leadership has nothing to do with it.

That's how UMNO operates naturally. Within UMNO, one goes up by demonizing one's opponent. Kill the other bugger off- digging up dirt, conspiring, forming clandestine cliques, hatching palace intrigues.

UMNO operates by way of back stabbing, reneging on promises and betraying each other. Though the original sin isn't inheritable, it seems the devious conduct is. So Maslan is willing to vilify the veteran political players of old, to achieve his aspiration.

When PAS and UMNO split, the UMNO president then was Hussein Onn. Everyone seems to agree that Hussein Onn was a straight arrow. Dull and bland, but nevertheless a straight arrow committed to principles and doing things the proper way. His deputy then, who Ahmad Maslan says is his sifu, was Dr Mahathir. 
Now Mahathir is a real politician. He is true to the Gaullist description of one who doesn't have permanent friends but only permanent interest. His overriding interest has always been to stay in power. Even now in his closing years his interest is to exercise power.

Now, Dr Mahathir has never been known to be magnanimous to PAS. PAS was only a convenient tool for achieving a purpose. PAS was convenient as a platform when DR Mahathir was expelled from UMNO. Dr Mahathir was never desirous of accommodating PAS and was absolutely against sharing power with PAS.

If the route to achieving unity is by way of a willingness to vilify others so as to achieve a strategic advantage, then the basis for unity between PAS and UMNO is inherently faulty right from the beginning.

Unity should be built on the basis of merits and mutual respect. PAS must be thinking- if this current leadership wants unity by way of intrigue, then it's a unity not worth pursuing. Since it's going to be achieved through intrigue and guiltless willingness to kill off your own kind, that way of operating will always be there. For that is what Ahmad Maslan is doing- killing off your own UMNO kind, to achieve a strategic advantage. Killing of each other, betraying each other, is the natural way by which UMNO operates. That is a scary basis for teaming up.

Ahmad Maslan fails to understand, its UMNO's political culture that hinders unity with PAS.