Beyond Lee Kuan Yew’s Visit.

A Man of Substance with The Statesman.

The problem with MM Lee Kuan Yew's visit to Malaysia is that it elicited two types of responses. One is the bashful adulation which leads many people to find greatness by association. Meetings with Mr Lee were accordingly turned into publicity spectacles probably used to supplant political prestige. Two, the visit also elicited unflattering condemnation.

Both types of responses prevent our leaders from seeing beyond Lee Kuan Yew. The ethos which Mr Lee represents was lost either in the gushing effusion of adulation or rejected outright on account of revulsion.

What Mr Lee is doing is perhaps to gauge firsthand, the thinking of a representative cross section of the people in Malaysia. Can Malaysia compete with Singapore given the political leadership, economic policies, its resolve, civil service and the social discipline that it has? He has seen people from the government of the day, the opposition, even the PM's wife. He has already sized up the potential of Malaysia and her position with Singapore. He would come back and say- No threat.

In the meantime, the groundswell of public perceptions especially among the Malay grassroots is marginalised. Maybe our leaders have not heard this. Or if they have heard, they pretend it's not true. It's like Dato Nazri Aziz saying, he doubts the poll on corruption. Of course it's dubious if it's damning you. The unmistakable voices from the grassroots are saying UMNO is no longer believable. But then, as Dato Nazri says, that is doubtful.

What are the UMNO grassroots people thinking and talking? They are saying UMNO has not done anything substantial for the Malays. LKY's visit was more of a political diversion. What it has done, was maybe to create one woman of substance who met up with Lee Kuan Yew. The sycophantic myrmidon may want to call DS Rosmah a woman of substance meeting up with LKY. Maybe that's true. But it's open for debate. We can also argue that the meeting validates the perception that it is Rosmah who's calling the shots. So are we moving from a kerajaan anak beranak to a kerajaan suami-isteri? Man oh man, what a tangled web we weaved. Anyway, what does a woman of substance mean- a dowager empress?

Mr LKY is a statesman of first class stature. One will not miss the 'rushed' attempt to associate with greatness. Surely if one can be guilty by association, one can also be enhanced by association. In this connection, Hj Hadi , Nik Aziz, Khalid Ibrahim and Adnan Yaakob whom many people who like to sock, are people with substance. Otherwise, Lee Kuan Yew wouldn't want to meet up with these people. He has even met Husam Musa which tells a lot about Husam, no? The enhancement by association doesn't stop there- the retainers in attendance because they are in the company of the great, are also people of substance.

Dr Mahathir because he isn't seen in the company with MM Lee presently, is not a man of substance. This is a logical conclusion which one can make from the way the LKY visit was treated.Had Mr Lee met up with Dr Mahathir, he would have gotten a different impression of Malaysia. But then, Dr Mahathir is no longer helming the nation. The present crop of leaders pale in comparison with TDM.

I have digressed a bit. Let's come back to what UMNO people are saying. Recently UMNO leaders in Pekan were brought for a 'remedial' course of sorts by the BTN. It was conducted over a period of 3 days culminating in a meeting with the PM. All week, the theme has been that UMNO has done much for the Malays and people should reciprocate by giving absolute loyalty to UMNO leaders. Loyalty to UMNO is essential for the success of economic policies affecting Malays.

Yesterday night I spoke to a division leader. Maybe what he says by analogy is instructive. He has been smoking for the last forty years. As a smoker he is facing an uphill battle. In many countries and in public places, designated areas for smokers are getting smaller and becoming extinct. One day, there will be no more places for smokers to release their cravings. He will end up smoking in toilets and as far away as possible from people. In other words smokers are getting ostracised. He has to put up with all sorts of inconveniences.

One day he decided it's no longer worth smoking. His smoking friends are exhorting him to continue smoking. It hasn't done him any harm. He has been ok for the last 40 years. So, no reason to stop. But something in him, insists smoking is revolting. He stops smoking out of internal conviction. No amount of exhortations and implorations could persuade him otherwise.

The lesson here: a decision borne of internal conviction is unshakeable. Even if smoking hasn't done him harm for the last 40 years.

For the last 63 years, UMNO hasn't done harm to Malays. Malays enjoyed their time with UMNO. So, no reason for change. Just like the smoking case.

But something inside many people including UMNO supporters are telling a different story. Like smoking, UMNO has become a revolting entity. It's despised and no amount of external exhortations and cajoling can convince otherwise. It's a realisation that came from inner conviction. That is unshakeable. The trust is no longer there.

I am not a smoker; therefore I can't judge the pleasure of smoking. But listening to my friend, the pleasure he derived from smoking was immense. During fasting months for example, he would rather break the fast by inhaling his favourite smoke.

It's the build-up of the small things. Irritation on others, being ostracised to corners, being given the sneering look, the adverse effects on health. All these things add up to build a case against smoking. The bad influence you set upon your children when in the car and in the house.

It's the small things too in UMNO. The haughty attitude, the ostentatious wealth accumulation, the generally dismissive attitude. But there are certain bigger issues.

In the course conducted by BTN, as a show of pride, the name of Tan Sri Syed Al Bukhari was mentioned. It was hailed as an achievement for the NEP. Hence the BTN facilitators were keen to show, that has been possible because of the NEP. They were referring of course to the list by Forbes magazine in incorporating names of the richest in Malaysia. If the list is widened to the richest 40, you have a few more Malays in the list- also because of NEP.

The purveyors of the big lie are missing the woods for the trees. Most of the attendees at the course have not got their land after 20-30 years. They countered if the government wants to uplift the Malays, after the course, give them land. The names quoted by the facilitators were not significant to the course attendees. Indeed, they viewed that as the abject failure of the UMNO government.

Consider these points raised. All the kings in Malaysia are Malays. The chief secretaries and state secretaries are always Malays. The army generals, the IGPs, the DOs; almost all the Ketua Jabatan are Malays. Question. If Malays dominate these positions, how is it possible for Malays to lag behind? The simple conclusion arrived at by simple minded people: the government has not been helping the majority of the Malays. They have been enriching the elite.

Are these apprehensions supported by facts? They are: the GINI coefficient which measures the income disparities is largest within the Malay race.

How do you show the government helps the Malays?