Losing by default

Now that I have written several articles in Bahasa Melayu, l shall revert to English. The central theme of my articles is that if there is anyone to be blamed for the confusion about how UMNO should treat Perkasa, it's the UMNO president.

UMNO has forfeited its role as spokesman of Malay leadership by default. First because the UMNO president is giving out ambivalent messages. He hasn't given unqualified and absolute support to his foot soldiers. He is asking his people to distance themselves from Perkasa but undercuts this call by saying we are not at war with Perkasa. And what does distancing mean exactly? It's not a question of at war or at odds. It's a case of stating clearly that UMNO doesn't share the same ideals of Perkasa.

It's a case of saying that UMNO has a better program and agenda than Perkasa will ever have. Right now, UMNO hasn't done that beyond discussing whatever programs which seem never to have been finalized yet in labs conducted by consulting companies.

Otherwise we are better off by shutting up. The core element of Perkasa's struggle is the retention of NEP and of Malay rights. It is to this element that UMNO leaders must argue. Unfortunately they don't have the grey matter to argue against the idea.

Malays in general are not averse to reason and sensibility. It is a mark of mental and cerebral deficiency if you resort to name calling as a means to counter Ibrahim Ali's Perkasa.

How would you argue against NEP? Start by asking what has NEP turned into at the hands of achievement- challenged UMNO leaders?

1. It stands for social immobility.
   
2. It stands for getting on in life by way of cutting corners, working less and wanting a free lunch.
   
3. It stands for a system that does not match rewards with ability and hard work..
   
4. It stands for a system that makes putting in less effort but getting more benefits, respectable.
   

But before that we have to state the following. If whatever privileges are already enshrined in our constitution- to wit article 153, then why do we need organizations like Perkasa to add validity to this article? It suggests that we are not confident of our own constitution. Or Perkasa can clearly see that there is no longer UMNO in the future. If there is no UMNO then, the constitution can be changed. By the way article 153 provides for the Agung to ensure a few things pertaining to Malay privileges are protected.

To me then, it's not article 153 that we should focus our attention to. It's the paramouncy of the institution of the Agong. If that is the case, vest in him paramount authority as the final arbiter and veto power to ensure not only Malay privileges but to include other things as well- how and why PETRONAS money is applied or that the Agung has the final authority to endorse plans to spend extraordinary amount of public funds.

Two, Malays will forever be the majority group in this country. I find it impossible for Malays to forsake what are important to them regardless of whatever party they belonged to.

So where is the steam that pushes Perkasa? Ini pun orang UMNO tak boleh debat.

This is the way we should argue why NEP must be abolished. It's not the Malays will drop off dead if the NEP is abolished. I have long held the view that rights are what we fought for and earned and not gotten gratuitously. This is what the NEP is instilling- that rights are a given because they are so. Also because its written in our constitution.

The validity of NEP doesn't depend on article 153. That article provides for powers to be exercised by the Agung in matters concerning government positions, scholarships etc. even then, such powers are to be exercised with circumspect- the most important qualification being, in so far as they do not injure the legitimate rights of other Malaysian races.

I want to tell our Malaysian Chinese brothers, they are not the only ones pissed off with the NEP. The majority of Malays are equally angered. Because the NEP has turned out to actually be, a fight to control the turf by competing Malay elites, the superbumis, the puteras in the bumi. The majority are treated as cannon fodder by these people in working out a solution with the elites of other Malaysians.

How many percent of the Malay population benefited from the RM 54 billion offer to take up offers in listed companies? We know so many cashed out that the value held by bumiputeras is now only RM 2 billion. I have written sometime ago, let the government list out those who have cashed out and permanently bar them from even applying for new shares.

So I come to my first contention that NEP far from empowering the majority of Malays represent a hurdle for social mobility. So when the majority is denied access to wealth creating resources, this breeds enmity and social tensions. The social mobility which the NEP sought to do, was enjoyed by the privileged few. How many can play golf with the PM and brokered RM 200k for the PM? not everyone can become Low Taek Jho and redirect RM 5 billion to become 1Malaysia Development Fund and in the process, earned RM 700k? not many people can equal an ex sprint queen who arranges the hubby to become the umbrella contractor controlling so many JKR projects or become one of the partners selling train coaches to the Malaysian government?

Because the mobility meant for Malays are differentiated. For some, the privileged, the well connected, it's a program that allows cutting corners. Pink forms here and there, easy financing, sometimes free shares because of who they are. For the majority, the mobility has to be earned the hard way- work hard, toil the land, study harder.

The NEP represents unequal outcome through unequal opportunities. What we wanted were equal opportunities resulting naturally in unequal outcomes.

How can I be persuaded that NEP is good for the Malays?

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UMNO lwn Perkasa- bahagian akhir.

Saya bukanlah hendak sinikal( cynical). Tapi bila Dato Najib keluarkan statement dan kenyataan, saya perlu tahu dahulu, audiens dimana kenyataan itu di keluarkan. Kelmarin, DS Najib menegaskan untuk melawan ekstremisme dan dia sedih kerana ada organisasi dan individu yang masih mendendangkan irama perkauman. Siapa yang di maksudkan bukan teka teki lagi.

Maka jika audiens nya berbilang kaum dan ramai pula penyokong setia yang mungkin pula di angkut dengan bas bas, saya tidak heran DS Najib mengeluarkan kenyataan demikian. Tapi bayangkan jika audiens tersebut terdiri dari semua orang Melayu, yang bersongkok, bertanjak dan bersamping, saya tidak fikir Dato Najib akan mengeluarkan kenyataan sedemikian.

Jadi saya sangsi dan belum muktamad menjatuhkan penilaian sebab kita semua sudah tahu Dato Najib selalu tidak konsisten dan selalu belum muktamad. Why doesn't he go on national television and state his ideas ke seluruh Negara? Itu cara yang lebih baik untuk mendapatkan consistency.

Kita bukan hendak bahas mengenai Perkasa disini. Dalam artikel2 yang saya telah tulis, sama ada dalam Bahasa Inggeris atau Melayu, tema nya ialah apa perlu UMNO buat. Bukan apa yang Perkasa perlu buat. Sekurang kurang nya Perkasa 'clear' dalam missi mereka. Yang bermasaalah ialah UMNO.

Disini lah letak nya kegagalan pimpinan UMNO. Gagal untuk mengemukakan program dan agenda kemajuan orang Melayu. Sebab tidak ada yang muktamad. Sebab pimpinan UMNO tak faham. Sebab antara presiden dan pimpinan lain UMNO- walaupun tidur sebantal, mimpi mereka lain lain.

Ibrahim Ali tidak ada program. Tapi dia ada kejantanan dan berani bercakap mengenai persepsi apa dia kepentingan Melayu. Semua orang tahu yang Ibrahim Ali laungkan ialah ketuanan Melayu- Malay supremacy. Sepatutnya program UMNO ialah kepimpinan Melayu- Malay leadership.

Ini gagal di lakukan oleh UMNO. Yang konsisten bercakap mengenai idea Dato Sri Presiden ialah ketua Pemuda UMNO. Tapi kos yang terpaksa di bayar oleh nya, mungkin amat besar. Dia terpaksa pula menempuh segala macam risiko peringkat peribadi dan keatas masa depan politik nya. Mungkin dia tidak ada masa depan politik. Tapi sekurang kurang nya, dia konsisten dalam menjadi jurubicara wawasan Najib.

Yang tidak 'Kitol' dalam UMNO, tidak pula bercakap mengenai idea Najib malah dengan berani berkata menyokong PERKASA. Najib kena behave firm dan tegas dalam kepimpinan nya. Yang tidak selari dengan idea yang hendak di bawa, sila keluar atau di keluarkan. Kita tahu, ramai "kitol" dalam UMNO.

Dato Sri Najib kena jaga anak buah. Saya kurang setuju dengan pandangan sahabat saya blogger Voice yang menulis mengenai KJ's insidious hand dalam crisis UMNO-PERKASA. Pertama, sejak bila ada MOU antara UMNO dan PERKASA? Yang ada ialah keterbetulan ramai ahli UMNO yang sokong PERKASA. Mereka menyokong sebab Najib tidak offer an alternative program. Jadi void di isi dengan kelantangan PERKASA.

Dan ahli ini semua di golong oleh Nazri Aziz sebagai has beens. Malah Nazri kata Dr Mahathir lah yang merupakan has been yang terkemuka sekali. Saya tidak lihat penyokong2 Dr Mahathir menghentam Wyaat Earp UMNO ni. Kepada saya, Nazri lebih insidious element dalam perjuangan UMNO sebab dia mencetuskan geram dan sakit hati.

Pada pandangan saya, jika ada orang yang kita hendak persalahkan kerana pertembungan PERKASA-UMNO ini, orang nya ialah Presiden UMNO sendiri. Kita tidak perlu menggunakan kesamaran 'semantics untuk kata Najib bukan kata suruh berperang dengan Perksa, dia hanya suruh menjauhi. Jika DS Najib lemah dan salah, tidak tegas dan konsisten, kita katakan halnya yang sebenar. Tidak perlu dolak dalih. Dalam hal manangani Perkasa, punca kekeliruan ialah Najib sendiri.

Isyarat yang Dato Sri keluarkan tidak clear dan precise. Ini macam main selamat punya strateji. You kata tidak mahu ada apa apa dengan PERKASA dan dalam mesyuarat MKT beri mandat kepada orang untuk taruh PERKASA. Tapi perlakuan Dato Sri sebagai presiden tidak menampakkan kesungguhan. Pertama Dato Sri layan PERKASA dengan menghadhiri beberapa program PERKASA. Kedua, Dato Seri hantar Samurai untuk lawan PERKASA tapi tidak memberi pedang.

Dato Sri tidak memerlukan ramai orang dalam pasukan special forces. Cukup ada 15-20 orang di seluruh Negara yang menyuara dan menjuarai wawasan Dato Sri. Yang penting beri mereka 100% sokongan dan bekalkan pedang untuk samurái Dato Sri. Yang duduk diam dan mengaku tidak "kitol' sepatutnya segera di nyahkan oleh Dato Sri. Yang di perlukan ialah sekumpulan yang sefikiran, dedikasi dan berkesungguhan. You perlukan war cabinet bukan cabinet yang di penuhi dengan tokoh ow, ow.

Ada beza antara konsep ketuanan dan kepimpinan Melayu. Konsep ketuanan bersandarkan hak semula jadi atau hak yang di laksanakan oleh undang undang atau melalui instruments paksaan( coercive instruments). Kepimpinan sebaliknya membawa implikasi pertangungjawapan. Dan pertanggungjawapan hanya boleh di terapkan melalui keyakinan dan kepercayaan.

Sesiapa yang membaca buku Francis Fukuyama- Trust misalnya, akan tahu bahawa kepercayaan di bina bila diantara dua kumpulan ada persafahaman bahawa budi yang baik yang kita laburkan di balas secara spontan dengan perbuatan baik oleh kumpulan lain. Ini yang rakyat Malaysia mahukan- yakni kepimpinan Melayu yang bersikap adil kepada semua orang yang akan di balas dengan sokongan. Ini sepatutnya program UMNO.

Tapi Dato Sri jugalah yang salah. Bila orang bertanya mengenai program ekonomi, Dato Sri kata masih di peringkat makmal, belum muktamad. Walhal, kita telah membelanjakan puluhan juta taxpayers Money untuk firma juru runding. Semua belum mukamad- sabsidi belum muktamad, Model Ekonomi Barui belum muktamad. Tidak ada konsistensi dan tidak stabil pendirian.

Kerana kegagalan kita menawarkan program dan agenda yang lebih baik dari PERKASA, kita hanya mampu gunakan taktik lapuk. Taktik yang di gunakan oleh ketua ketua cawangan bila hendak bertanding jadi AJK Bahagian.

Iaitu dengan cara memperlekehkan PERKASA. Kita kata kita tak akan sokong PERKASA dan tidak akan sokong Ibrahim Ali. Helo, SU Agung UMNO- Ibrahim Ali tak pernah minta UMNO tolong. Ibrahim Ali kata, UMNO jangan cakap besar. Hanya 30% sahaja ahli UMNO yang akan sokong UMNO. jika telahan ini benar, maka UMNO akan jadi parti pembangkang. Dato Seri Presiden akan jadi ketua Pembangkang. Yang lain akan cabut lari. Mungkin ada yang mengintai peluang untuk tukar kapal. Ini perangai biasa orang UMNO dari peringkat cawangan hingga ke peringkat atasan. Yang bakar jambatan pun ada dalam UMNO. tapi hari ini yang cakap berdegar degar inilah yang paling kuat membodek dan mengilat kasut boot dato sri presiden.

Saya heran bin ajaib, takjub bin melopong dengan cara kita UMNO menangani isiu dengan PERKASA. Kalau kita tak sanggup seluk pekasam hingga ke pangkal lengan, lebih elok jangan berkata apa apa. Saya khuatir satu hari nanti, kita mintak tolong dengan Tok Him, jatuh lah kemaluan kita.

Demikian ucapan saya kali ini. Wallahu-'alam bissawab.

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UMNO lwn.PERKASA- 2

Bahagian ke-2.

Saya bercakap begini kerana sayang saya kepada UMNO tidak kurang daripada sayang setiap tahap pimpinan UMNO kepada parti ini. UMNO bukan Dato Najib atau Muhyidin yang punya. UMNO milik orang Melayu yang sokong perjuangan UMNO. Kalau tidak betul, lebih elok kita sebut dengan jelas supaya tidak timbul dakwa dan dakwi di belakang hari.

Saya rasa ramai yang sedar, hari ini, UMNO suatu jenama yang menjijikkan ramai orang. Kerana kebelakangan ini UMNO sudah sinonim dengan pencabulan kuasa, dengan korapsi, dengan kesombongan dan keangkuhan. UMNO sinonim juga dengan mengayakan segelintir orang Melayu dan sebagainya. UMNO parti politik yang kaya dengan intrigue-. Pemimpin naik keatas bukan melalui menawarkan idea yang bernas, tapi melalui tikam menikam, tipu menipu. Itu menjadikan UMNO sebuah parti yang ramai kaki tipu.

Akan tetapi, ramai juga yang masih setia dengan UMNO kerana yakin bahawa UMNO mampu memberi kepimpinan Melayu kepada bangsa Melayu berbanding dengan menawarkan ketuanan Melayu. Because there are many of us who believe that UMNO can provide Malay leadership as opposed to Malay supremacy. Presiden UMNO sepatutnya cultívate dan mengembelingkan unsur unsur ini bukan melayan karenah haprak UMNO.

Kita tahu Presiden UMNO banyak personal issues nya- tapi ini semua boleh di atasi jika dia berjaya menawarkan Leadership. Disinilah dimana Dato Najib menggagalkan kita. MEB, NKRA, Transformasi Kerajaan dan sebagainya tidak syak lagi adalah elemen elemen Malay Leadership. Hanya nya, sesudah di istiharkan, ianya tidak disusuli dengan tekad politik.

Lihat sahaja pada contoh bagaimana cara kepimpinan UMNO menangani isiu PERKASA. Presiden UMNO memberi isyarat yang bercanggah. Saya sudah menghuraikan perkara ini dalam artikel yang terdahulu. Lihat juga contoh kepada isiu sabsidi. Juga Model Eknomi Baru. Setiap kali menghadapi tekanan Presiden UMNO berundur dan lentur. Nyata sekali, ia mendedahkan kekurangan tekad politik.

Dalam satu artikel bila saya sebut, kita memerlukan kepimpinan dalam acuan Dr Mahathir, ramai orang marah. Tapi mereka tidak faham apa yang saya maksudkan ialah ada nya ciri ciri tegas, berkuat azam dan tidak goyah. Betul atau tidak, kita tahu, sebaik sahaja Dr Mahathir memilih satu course of action, dia tidak akan belok sana dan belok sini. Kita tidak nampak ciri ini ada pada Presiden UMNO sekarang.

Stick to your guns Dato Sri Presiden UMNO. Jika DEB sudah berkubur, maka tak perlu cakap mengenai DEB lagi. Ianya secara rasmi sudah tamat pada tahun 1990. Nyatakan dengan terang elemen dan unsur MEB yang boleh membantu orang Melayu. Tunjukkan bagaimana ianya lebih baik dari pendekatan DEB. Pilih para penyuara dan para penjuara yang akan menerangkan dasar pentadbiran Dato Sri.

Orang Melayu dan rakyat Malaysia hari ini bukan lagi hidup dalam iklim sosial zaman dahulu. Mereka tidak lagi menerima sesuatu secara buta tuli. Mereka mahu di yakinkan dengan penghujjahan dan penalaran( reasoning). Jika kita kata DEB tidak baik, tunjukkan dan yakinkan mereka, aspek mana dasar ala DEB tidak bagus untuk orang Melayu?

Jika Presiden UMNO belok sana dan belok sini, ini menunjukkan dia sendiri tidak ada keyakinan keatas agenda dan program nya. Mana mungkin keyakinan tercetus dalam majoriti ahli UMNO dan mana mungkin kita mengharapkan keyakinan pada pimpinan UMNO yang lain?

Walhal, Ibrahim Ali dan PERKASA tidak menawarkan apa apa program dan agenda selain dari teriakan Ketuanan Melayu atau Malay Supremacy. Namun, UMNO tidak terlawan slogan tersebut. Kerana pertama, presiden UMNO goyah dan goyang. Gagal lagi mengkomunikasi program nya. Tidak mempunyai jurubicara yang menjuarai idea idea nya. Keadaan bertambah payah dan sukar, kerana kepimpinan UMNO kurang cerdik dan tangkas.

Kenapa saya berkata demikian? Sebab kalau kita kaji – pada kebenaran nya, apa yang Ibrahim Ali tawarkan ialah appeal kepada emosi. Oleh kerana hujjah Ibrahim bersifat emosi, ianya lansung/direct mencengkam kalbu orang Melayu dan menawan hati mereka. Penghujjahan yang emosional mudah di sampaikan, tidak memerlukan sophistication. Tambahan pula, oleh kerana bahagian emosi dalam otak manusia lebih matang dari bahagian rasional, Ibrahim Ali sudah pun berjumpa dengan lubuk emas.( mother lode).

Berbanding dengan elemen yang mahu di tawarkan oleh Dato Sri Presiden. Ia memerlukan penghujjahan yang rasional, indirect dan debating sophistication. Ia lebih sukar dan pimpinan UMNO yang menebal dengan mentaliti DEB mereka tidak ada ciri ciri ini. Jadi bagaimana mampu mereka menyampaikan mesej Dato Sri Presiden?

Masaalah nya UMNO tidak mampu dan berani melakukan nya. Sebab utama ialah survival UMNO dan pimpinan nya bergantung pada dasarnya, diatas memperjuangkan dasar seperti DEB ini lah. Najib telah underestimate betapa dalamya mentaliti DEB telah berakar dalam jiwa orang Melayu. Kerana sangkaan demikian, Dato Najib menganggap mudah sangat untuk memperkenalkan orang Melayu kepada agenda dan program nya yang radikal. Inilah satu kesilapan yang paling besar. Underestimate the depth of the NEP mentality.

Bukanlah suatu yang mudah untuk membenam mentality mendapatkan sesuatu secara percuma. Bukan mudah membenamkan mentality mendapat sesuatu dengan jalan pintas. Bukan mudah untuk membenamkan mentality bahawa hak adalah sesuatu yang di perjuangkan, di usahakan.

Adakah perkara perkara seperti ini di fikirkan oleh Dato Najib atau oleh punahsihat presiden UMNO? Ataupun dasar dasar nya di fikirkan oleh firma juru runding tanpa mengambil kira lanskap politik Malaysia?

Dan tidak ada cubaan lansung dari pimpinan UMNO untuk menunjukkan di mana letaknya kelemahan DEB. Kenapa? Kerana majoriti pemimpin UMNO yang kaya raya hari ini adalah penikmat penikmat dasar tersebut. Sebab mereka tahu DEB sebenarnya telah menguntungkan sebahagian kecil sahaja orang Melayu. Kerana itu, mereka tidak ada mandat moral untuk bercakap menentang DEB. Secara diam diam, pemimpin UMNO mahukan program ke-eDEBian di teruskan.

Apa yang sudah berjaya di lakukan oleh PERKASA ialah mendedahkan keting UMNO yang boleh di cantas. Ibrahim Ali has found UMNO's Achilles Heel.

Siapa nak jadi jurubicara wawasan Najib? MEB? 1 Malaysia? Program Transformasi, NKRA, KPI dan sebagainya? Jika tidak ada juru bicara, semua idea yang di lahirkan oleh pakar runding hanya akan di bahaskan dalam makmal yang di kelolakan oleh suatu sekolah pemandu khas( Pemandu).

Masaalah nya, Dato Sri hanya ada makmal makmal yang belum memuktamadkan idea Dato Sri. Jurubicara Dato Seri pula ialah bukan tokoh politik. Team Najib mana? Itulah sebab nya, bila ada tekanan Dato Sri Presiden hanya boleh berkata- belum muktamad. Sebab itu juga, nama jolokan yang orang ramai beri kepada Dato Sri PM ialah Najib TPM- tak pernah muktamad. Saya percaya, hal sebegini tidak ada sorang pun sampaikan kepada Dato Sri.

Pergi ke mana pemimpin UMNO yang lain?

UMNO 'forfeit' peranan nya sebagai penyambung lidah orang Melayu kerana presiden UMNO tidak menampakkan ketegasan. Pimpinan UMNO yang lain tidak faham dan/atau tidak berani bertentangan dengan akar umbi Melayu. Pemimpin UMNO sedar bahawa jika mereka meng-alienasi akar umbi Melayu, mereka akan berkubur. Ini menyebabkan mereka takut.

Jika tidak mengapa pemimpin seperti Hishamudin yang di besarkan dalam persekitaran yang hampir serupa dengan Najib tidak banyak bercakap mengenai idea Najib? Kerana dia tahu idea Najib meng-alienasi orang Melayu sedangkan kalau ada peluang dia pun mahu jadi PM, mahu terus jadi naib presiden. Dalam persekitaran realiti politik hari ini, Hishamudin dan pemimpin UMNO yang lain memikirkan lebih bijak untuk kekal dalam jalan yang konvensional.

Setakat ini UMNO telah gagal meyakinkan orang Melayu bahawa ia mempunyai jawapan yang lebih baik untuk orang Melayu. Oleh yang demikian kebimbangan orang Melayu terus menjadi modal perjuangan PERKASA. Selagi kebimbangan orang Melayu tidak di selesaikan dan selagi keyakinan orang Melayu keatas komitment dan tekad UMNO kepada orang Melayu tidak jelas, maka PERKASA akan terus menjadi suatu pilihan untuk suara orang Melayu.

Siapakah yang patut di persalahkan untuk keadaan demikian?

Kepada saya yang pertama sekali patut di salahkan ialah presiden UMNO sendiri. Presiden UMNO gagal memberi isyarat yang jelas dan tegas yakni bagaimana harus orang UMNO menangani PERKASA? Kalau tidak ada isyarat yang tegas, maka lebih baik jangan kita bercakap pasal PERKASA.

Sejak saya menyentuh perkara PERKASA ini saya telah menyatakan bahawa UMNO akan membunuh diri kalau ia menepikan dan meremehkan sokongan suara di belakang PERKASA. Saya bukan maksudkan sokongan Dr Mahathir, tapi suara orang Melayu biasa, yakni orang umum yang datang dengan baju Melayu, bersongkok dan bersampin ke Kongress Ekonomi PERKASA. Suara yang meluahkan bimbang nya orang Melayu sudah tidak ada apa apa lagi yang hendak di korbankan. Juga suara orang Melayu yang dengan berani melaungkan jika UMNO dan Najib tidak mampu lagi menjaga kepentingan Melayu, elok saja berundur.

Inilah dia suara suara yang menyebabkan Presiden UMNO mengenepikan text ucapan yang disediakan. Inlah suara suara yang memaksa Najib menegaskan sebagai anak Tun Abdul Razak, dia tidak akan mebelakangkan DEB. Kepada saya, bila Dato Najib menggunakan fakta bahawa dia anak Tun Razak sebagai jalan keluar, ianya bermakna Dato Najib tidak terjawab isiu isiu yang di bangkitkan di Kongress Ekonomi PERKASA.

UMNO kata kita berjuang untuk agama orang Melayu, Bangsa Melayu, Negara orang Melayu. PERKASA kata mereka pun berjuang untuk perkara yang serupa. Bagaimana kita membezakan program kita dengan program Ibrahim Ali ?

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UMNO lwn. Perkasa

Assalamualaikum.

Ybhg Dato Pengerusi Tetap, Yab dato seri presiden, tan sri timbalan presiden, naib2 presiden, ketua wanita, puteri, pemuda dan para hadirin yang di hormati semua.

Apa dah jadi kepada UMNO? Hari ini UMNO kelihatan kalah dari segi moral. Sebuah pertubuhan bukan kerajaan, Perkasa telah menawan imajinasi orang Melayu.Bukan lagi UMNO yang lantang dan berani bercakap mengenai soal orang Melayu, tapi Perkasa.

Semenjak ianya di tubuhkan di Taman Melawati oleh Ibrahim Ali, Perkasa lah di lihat oleh orang Melayu sebagai wadah memperjuangkan kepentingan bangsa Melayu. 2 perkara utama yang di perjuangkan ialah institusi Raja Melayu dan hak ekonomi orang Melayu. Perkara ini tegas Perkasa, adalah seiring peruntukan Perlembagaan Malaysia. ia tersurat dan tersirat dalam perkara 153 Perlembagaan Malaysia.

Dimanakah suara UMNO dalam hal ini? Tidak ada melainkan suara yang menghentam Ibrahim Ali. Ini suatu pendekatan yang kurang cerdik. Kita hentam Ibrahim Ali dia akan terus releven dalam kalbu orang Melayu. Kita hentam Ibrahim Ali, kita menghabiskan beras sebab Ibrahim tetap kekal Ibrahim Ali. Kita hendak cop dia sebagai katak atau sebagai orang yang keciwa, fakta nya, apa yang di perjuangkan oleh Tok Him mendapat sambutan orang Melayu. Orang Melayu enggan mendengar apa Tengku Adnan Mansur atau Nazri Aziz atau Khalid Nordin bahkan apa yang KJ nyatakan.

Kenapa ini terjadi? Ia terjadi sebab Najib bukan lah general yang baik. Anak buah pergi berperang tidak di bekalkan dengan persenjataan yang lengkap. Anak buah pergi bertempur, tidak mendapat sokongan 100%.

Punca utama kegagalan pimpinan UMNO dalam hal ini ialah kesalahan Presiden UMNO sendiri. Jika leftenan dan pahlawan UMNO di suruh berperang dengan Ibrahim Ali dan Perkasa berilah mereka alatan secukupnya. Berilah mereka sokongan 100% yang tidak berbelah bahagi.

Sehingga kini sikap presiden UMNO sangat ambiguos dan ambivalent. Sikap Presiden UMNO seperti Tuhan Hindu yang berwajah banyak. Ravana dalam epik Hindu di gambarkan mempunyai 10 kepala dan wajah, setiap satu melambangkan tahap kesedaran yang tinggi. UMNO? Tidak ada kesedaran. 
Dr Mahathir pernah menggambarkan Anwar Ibrahim sebagai Tuhan Hindu ini- yakni didepan suatu kumpulan dia bercakap A, tapi di hadapan kumpulan lain, dia bercakap B. ertinya, untuk setiap situasi yang berbeza, dia akan guna wajah dan kepala yang berbeza.

Jadi di hadapan kongres Ekonomi Perkasa, Najib akan lebih Melayu dari Melayu nya Ibrahim Ali. Dia tidak akan mebelakangkan elemen DEB. Dia anak Tun Razak. Dia anak bapak bukan anak Omak. Di dalam Kongress Cina, Najib berkata NEM atau Model Ekonomi Baru lah dasar ekonomi nya. Dalam mesyuarat MKT dia mengarahkan pimpinan UMNO memerangi Perkasa dan menjauhi Perkasa. Tapi dalam temu ramah CNBC, kita tidak memusuhi Perkasa. Yang mana satu?

Akhirnya, Najib tidak akan mendapat sokongan orang Melayu dan hilang kepercayaan orang Cina. Fakta nya, MCA sudah tidak lagi mewakili suara kepentingan orang Cina. Peranan dan fungsi tersebut di ambil alih oleh DAP dan Cina PKR.

Dimana kah kita telah gagal?

Perkara yang kita patut hentam ialah bukan Ibrahim Ali tapi idea dan mesej yang hendak di bawanya. Kesilapan yang paling besar yang di lakukan UMNO ialah kegagalan menawarkan idea dan mesej yang lebih baik bagaimana program UMNO lebih baik dari program Ibrahim Ali. Ini yang gagal di lakukan oleh UMNO.

Dimana letaknya punca kegagalan UMNO? Pertama ia disebabkan kegagalan presiden UMNO menyampaikan pertutusan nya dengan tegas, terang dan nyata. Pimpinan UMNO yang lain tidak faham atau tidak berani senada dengan presiden mereka.

Idea Najib tentang program ekonomi( MEB), idea tentang mereformasikan perkhdimatan Awam, idea nya mengenai 1 Malaysia siapa yang bikin? Kesemua idea idea ini kelihatan di fikirkan oleh sebuiah badan runding cara yang di sampaikan kepada Najib untuk dia jadikan fikiran 'orginal' dari nya. Sayang nya, idea idea tersebut tidak di fahami oleh pimpinan UMNO yang lain apatah lagi oleh majoriti ahli UMNO. Tidak ada pimpinan UMNO yang bercakap mengenai nya selain dua tiga orang. Kita tidak dengar ketua2 bahagian UMNO bercakap mengenai nya. Sebahagian besar ahli MKT terus membisu mengenai nya. Timbalan Presiden dan Naib Presiden tidak menghuraikan idea Presiden UMNO.

Pendek kata idea Najib tidak di suara dan juarai oleh pimpinan politik. Maka idea Najib terus di juarai dan di suarakan oleh orang bukan politik dan firma juru runding. Dan kita sema tahu masa depan idea pemimpin yang tidak di kongsi bersama dan tidak di sokong oleh tekad politik.

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Dealing with PERKASA- which is the UMNO way?

Ibrahim Ali had his open house for Hari Raya at the Pasir Mas Railway Station. He is a freight train that runs over UMNO's gravy train or anything that stands in its path. . Ibrahim Ali is offering Malays an inexhaustible resource- emotional comfort while UMNO hasn't got enough gravy to distribute around anymore.

There is one BIG problem. The top man is sending ambiguous messages. He has asked his lieutenants to speak against what Perkasa stands for. He has asked his people to distance themselves and UMNO from Perkasa. He has even toyed with the idea, supplied by his pandering dogs of apple polishers no doubt, of setting up rival NGOs to smother the fire of Perkasa.

Problem: if he has done so, then it behooves him to give unqualified and absolute support to his people by saying clearly what he thinks of Perkasa. Instead we see him pussyfooting by saying we are not at war with Perkasa. They are fighting for Malay interests which we are also doing. But we are asking them to allow us to fight it our way….alamak….

UMNO is asking Perkasa's approval? If we can't give unequivocal and undivided support to our troops, then don't say anything against Perkasa. We will look even more stupid in the near future, if we were to later bend over to ask Ibrahim Ali and Perkasa to support us. And I predict we will do so in future.

On the other hand there is a silver lining too. So far only the so so smooth operator the UMNO secgen and UMNO's own Wyatt Earp Nazri Aziz have come with guns blazing. UMNO's Ketua Pemuda has fought battles with Ibrahim Ali and Perkasa very early on and has not also received unequivocal support from other senior UMNO leaders.

I repeat- if we are not willing to state clearly where we stand on this issue, don't say anything. The UMNO president is circumspect about this too. He is walking gingerly. I'll let others use harsher terms.

There is only one way to settle the issue UMNO has with Perkasa. The latter is no political party. It is an NGO, led by the political demagogue Ibrahim Ali. It has been able to get under the skin of UMNO and causing paranoia among UMNO people.

The solution is to call a snap election. That is the way to settle the issue. The main problem with UMNO as I see it, is the inability of the UMNO leadership to prevail over Perkasa with an alternative story to tell Malays, UMNO people and ultimately the Malaysian rakyat. The inability is telling on the quality of our leadership. Let me be more direct- our leadership is stupid, scared or doesn't know what's happening. Therefore it cannot give answers to the message Perkasa is bringing.

What is it that UMNO can offer that distinguishes itself from NGO Perkasa? UMNO can provide Malay leadership as opposed to Perkasa which is providing Malay supremacist agendas. Leadership is responsibility. Supremacist ideas are reckless.

What UMNO hasn't done is to argue that its providing leadership. Why hasn't it done that? Because most of its members and sadly most of its leadership are not bright people. I don't mean not bright in the sense of being a stupid or dullard but not bright as in the inability to articulate a compelling and reasoned agenda. So we end up with a situation, where the majority of the not so bright UMNO leadership and the likewise majority UMNO members, while frothing in the mouth shouting support for Dato Najib are actually leaning towards the simple but emotionally attractive political recipe of Perkasa.

Here is the reason why I say the UMNO leadership is not so bright. The arguments for Malay leadership is indirect and requires reasoned and well thought out analysis. It is an indirect argument. The argument for Malay supremacy is emotional and primal and is also direct. Between the rational and emotional sides of the human brain, the emotional side is more developed. Ibrahim Ali has found an emotional niche while the UMNO leadership either through its stupidity, cowardice and ignorance cannot overcome that emotional assault.

I find parallels of the above in Milton Friedman's introduction to FA Hayeks' The Road to Serfdom.

Surely that is one answer to the perennial mystery of why collectivism, with its demonstrated record of producing tyranny and misery is so widely regarded as superior to individualism, with its demonstrated record of producing freedom and plenty. The argument for collectivism is simple if false; it's an immediate emotional argument. The argument for individualism is subtle and sophisticated; it is an indirect argument.

Hence the equivalent of dropping an emotional atomic bomb that can decimate the messages of Ibrahim Ali's Perkasa is to have a snap election. That would be the mother of all emotional arguments. Malays are spiked up for a general elections, so let's give them one to deliver the blow to Perkasa.

Yes, Dato Najib should call for a snap election. If only to remove all the deadwood in his cabinet. This is to allow him build a new team from scratch. He needs to have a team who shares his vision and which is able to enthuse articulate and implement his vision.

At the moment, his cabinet is full of court jesters and clowns. His party? So many not bright people.

What he needs to do now, is to cross the names in the cabinet who he thinks are no longer useful or functional. Those who don't understand much less articulate what 1 Malaysia is all about. Those who don't enthuse about the NEM. Those blatantly implicated in corruption and abuse of power. those lazy bums who are mentally challenged.

This should be almost all the names he has in the cabinet especially those from UMNO.

Because none of his cabinet members can counter argue what Perkasa is bringing on the plate to the table. The way to counter PERKASA is not to belittle it as an organization of has beens, or by saying Ibrahim Ali is a froggie. Dato Najib should replace the UMNO secgen and leave out Nazri Aziz in a future cabinet. IFF UMNO is still in control, that is.

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The acquisitive society

The Acquisitive society? 

" I think the Chinese getting food for their Bumi Latuk..who must jaga status..cannot Q & fight for food.So itu Cina tolong sama itu Latuk kasih cari makan"

Every year, we hear the same story about the ugly Malaysian. At open houses, people scrambled and dashed for the food. Adults behave like undisciplined children. If the PKR people think, they are immune from the ugly Malaysians, think again.

At the recent Hari Raya Open House at the IT City, there was the same mad scramble for food. You would think these people are starving refugees. My friend's children were queuing up for duit raya. Only to be told, we have no more money to give out. No surprise as adults too were lining up to get raya money.

But I will leave it to others who can tell better stories than I about the ugly Malaysian. As for me, I want to tell the story about people's acquisitive tendencies. Since it is commonly believed, that the basis of a prosperous society is an acquisitive society. A society that has a lower quotient of acquisitive tendencies will undergo a slower pace of economic advancement. It is further believed that the deficiency in acquisitive quotient can be corrected by cultural engineering.

Sometime ago, I read what a sociologist named Judith Djamour wrote about Malays. She did some research on Singapore Malays in the 1940s and 1950s. what she wrote was used by the Singapore government in devising policies to handle its Malay population.

Of particular interest was Djamour's interpretation on the differences between a Malay and a Chinese. The Chinese, says Djamour considers the acquisition of wealth as almost an end by itself. So he becomes an indefatigable worker and a keen businessmen.

So the Chinese is always in attack mode. Business, social interactions, competing for parking bays and eating.

The Malay on the other hand attached importance to easy and graceful living. He doesn't see the acquisition of wealth as an end by itself and so avoids becoming an unrelenting worker and a less keen businessman.

So the Malay is usually in a passive mode, diffident, hesitant and withdrawn.

It is only now that I can picture clearly the significance of these two different character types. I am not at all pleased with the implications of the picture above. I am asking myself, could the two differences cited by Djamour be reflected in the way we reach out for our food? Could it be, that a simple act of acquiring food in a competitive environment, where thousands and thousands of people are looking for the same thing, forces the basic acquisitive instincts to be put on display?

The Malay with one outstretched hand is less acquisitive than the Chinese with two outstretched hands?

Shall we say then, the Malay does value graceful living more and the Chinese aren't shy to show his acquisitive tendencies?

Further, how shall we Malays make the acquisitive tendencies our second nature?

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Telling a compelling story- who?

What kind of impression do you get on Dato Najib in his pursuit of 1 Malaysia? One gets the impression that he is hoping that the idea will percolate into the minds of the rakyat on account of his personality. Two, he is hoping the idea will take root voluntarily and naturally. Three, he hopes the idea can be imposed from above. Hence the selling of the concept through crude propagandistic methods.

There is indeed widespread selling of the concept. We hear songs endless times on 1 Malaysia over the government's media complex. We hear of the concept in the manner of social greetings.1 Malaysia is everywhere. The government's media complex headed by the bridge burning minister of Information is working overtime at considerable costs of course to push through the idea. We wonder how much this government pays Discovery Channel to air more than 150 programs telling the 1 Malaysia story.

What we get is probably young boys and girls singing along the 1 Malaysia tune but we are not sure whether the idea has taken root internally. The whole idea rests on a big hope.

Otherwise it will remain just a concept probably hatched during one of the boisterous happy hours session when the mind is light.

We know the 1 Malaysia idea has taken root when UMNO people at divisional and branch levels are talking about it, enthusing about the idea. Which they are not. We know it has taken root, when the MCA Chinese at their division levels are talking about it. Which is not happening.

Otherwise it will be 2 people talking about it- the PM and the Minister of Information and the PR consulting firms and the Jingles Production Houses. The contractors asked to do the hundreds of billboards across the country are also happy people. They make money while able to say, this is another of the stupid ideas by the BN leadership.

He will remain just that- hopeful. One, his approval rating is no measure of unqualified acceptance. Given the rakyat's rising awareness of current political developments, it will probably cut down his personal rating down to size. There are so many questionable things going around in Malaysia that negate his carefully cultivated sincere image. Corruption scandals is one. Manipulated tender process is another.

People are talking as to why the double tracking Gemas-JB project which was approved by cabinet to be given to China Railways is going to go to China Harbours? China Harbours is a company specializing in building harbours. Logically a company that specializes in building rail lines would be chosen. China Harbours is the company that constructed the Penang 2^nd Bridge at a cost that runs into billions. Who appointed the PMC to re-assess China Railways? Why was the Chinese Ambassador who oversaw the deal between China Harbours and the Malaysian government recalled to China? The market is rife with talks that the person instrumental in awarding the double tracking job is Nor Mohd Yackob.

The 1 Malaysia concept is premised on the ability of the government and the people's readiness to generate a lot of feel good feelings. Right now, the people have the person of Najib to make them feel on high. TV image, good looks, good skin and red lips. Are these sufficient? The party of which he is leader is suffering from image and credibility issues.

What is the basis for forming and generating such goodwill? We can't do it on the basis of whimsical social urges and because of political expediencies. Or the warm feelings that we have towards the PM. The people want much more than that. They want such things like the rule of law- a sort of guarantee that social frictions can be solved according to the law. Necessary in my mind, because a rule of law would place every individual rakyat on equal footing in relation to each other. They want outstanding economic issues to be sorted out in order to come together. Malays will be suspicious as they still lagged behind economically. Non Malays are also suspicious that Malay question will be used as leverage to push for further big government. Non Malays are suspicious at whatever the government does anyway. Simply because its looked upon as a Malay government.

Two, the UMNO masses aren't buying his concept. So its left to a group of some desperate UMNO leaders who are speaking for Najib. But they are talking beyond their credibility and do so nervously. Most of those speaking are themselves besmirched with skeletons in their cupboards such that when they talked, it will only invite ridicule and revulsion from the public. Who wants to listen to the UMNO secgen who's up to his neck with business deals with Vincent Tan? Of course he wants to talk of 1 Malaysia. Who wants to listen to Nazri Aziz who is very unpopular among UMNO masses and who is known to have accumulated wealth beyond his paycheck?

PM Najib, the UMNO president is doing exactly what Dato Onn Jaafar did with his IMP- or Parti Negara. Not by dismantling race based parties such as UMNO, MCA or MIC but with an idea that is alien to his party members. Except for a few pretending they are all for 1 Malaysia, the rest of the UMNO mass, are spiritually with Malayness of things.

You see the contradiction here. The 1 Malaysia concept is sponsored by a leader of the largest race-centric party. If such a leader of such a party is capable of coming out with such an idea, it goes to show, the same race –centric party isn't sticky on its own race identity. It shows that UMNO is indeed potentially capable of providing national leadership as opposed to parochial supremacist agendas.

Provided of course the party followers and its leadership are all in tune with the President. The problem arises when the party president is in disconnect with the rest of UMNO people. By sticking to this concept, he is hastening his own irrelevance.

I am not arguing against 1 Malaysia as an idea. I don't find such an idea abhorrent. I am pointing out the problem the party president may have with his own party men. The problem originates from a failure to communicate and allow the idea to be carried through the rank and file, by his foot soldiers. He fails to make 1 Malaysia a shared ideal between himself and the UMNO rest. For failing to let the idea permeate down the rank and file, the party president and his think thank are at fault.

I see some people making light of the support given to Perkasa by DR Mahathir by saying the old man hasn't got power anymore or that at 84 age is catching up. Mahathir doesn't need 10 years. All it needs is only 2 years for Dr Mahathir to apply pressure to unseat Najib if he wants to. Because in 2 years, its elections time. There's nothing Nazri can do about it.

Pak Lah with a 92% support couldn't handle a 'has been' old man, we are supposed to believe that Najib with a lower general support can ignore an old 'has been'? the only reason why Nazri Aziz isn't a has been is because he is luckier than others. Don't get cocky you are not a has been.

Maybe Najib's people, dulled in the senses by intoxicating power are misreading the situation. The attractiveness of the ideas propounded by Perkasa and the continued adulation of DR Mahathir is simply saying that Malaysia needs a leader in the mould of Dr. Mahathir.

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