URP-UMNO Recovery Plan

The battle of Waterloo.


What can we learn from postwar German construction? Can we also learn some wisdom from post war Japan? Can we apply the lessons to UMNO?.

Germany as many of us remember from our history, was almost completely devastated. Germany was able to move from basket case to an economic colossus.

In the Far East, Japan was almost obliterated. But rather than breaking the Japanese spirit, defeat emboldened them. It too became an economic superpower.

UMNO is not a nation like Germany or Japan. But for many Malays, it was the embodiment of a nation. It still is and can still be so in the future.

It went to war in 2008 and by its own standards, was almost devastated. We shall not enumerate its election losses. Had it reached turning point and decisive battle in Permatang Pauh? Have we encountered our Stalingrad, Normandy and Hiroshima/Nagasaki? Or Waterloo?

From destruction to distinction.

The war (WW2) destroyed both Germany and Japan. But rather than being driven into the quicksand of self pity and massive self denials, the war produced the opposite. It emboldened and fortified the spirit of an almost defeated peoples. Both Caucasian( Germany) and Asian( Japan) are subject to the same universal principles that underlined the rise and fall of nations.

That inspired leadership is needed.

With a renewed sense of purpose, they moved from devastation to progress. What is it that allowed both countries to rise from the brink of destruction? How did they do it?

One lesson that is clear- destruction represents a golden opportunity for re-building.

What is happening to UMNO now? Judging from the election results and the erosion of Malay support, weak and vacillating leadership, diminishing credibility, I would say, UMNO is on the precipice of destruction. The Abdullah-Najib leadership has led UMNO to an almost total ruin.

What do we need to raise UMNO from destruction to distinction?

Post war Germany had its Marshall. Post war Japan had its McArthur. It seems that these two countries were able to recover because they had help from champion leaders.

Can UMNO learn something here?

Our recovery effort requires an inspired political leadership. We need our own George Marshall and Douglas McArthur. We are still waiting. Pak Lah is no Marshall and Najib, the coward, is no McArthur. We are still waiting for our champions.