Zahrain Hashim and his windmill

About two weeks ago, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah launched an NGO named Angkatan Amanah Merdeka. It's known as AMANAH for short. News about the launch was picked up mainly by the alternative media. Those portals supporting BN and UMNO wasted no time casting ill intentions on the part of Amanah and on Tengku Razaleigh himself. The mainstream papers on the other hand, hiding behind the self-righteous claim of exercising self-censorship( read- me don't know anything) chose to take the ostrich head in the hole approach believing the less said about it the better.

But because it's Tengku Razaleigh, the issue refused to die out. Since then, much has been speculated on the intentions of Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah. Could it be that he's planning another APU- Angkatan Peraduan Ummah or something like that?

The rumor mills started to work overtime. Zahrain Hashim, the MP who got enlightenment when he was delivered from the dark side to the loving embrace of the octopus like arms of BN, stated that Pakatan Rakyat is orchestrating to bring Razaleigh as leader of Pakatan. Indeed in his latest diatribes against Pakatan, he has challenged Nik Aziz to swear that he hasn't met Razaleigh for the purpose of asking the latter to lead Pakatan.

To people like Zahrain, its useless to deny or insist that nothing of that sort took place. The only way to argue with him is to actually say yes, such a meeting or indeed meetings took place. If so then what? Nik Aziz or whoever else is free to meet whomsoever they choose even the Pope himself. Can we make the inference that Najib is asking the Pope's blessings when he met up with the head of the Catholic church?

It's a puzzle why Zahrain Hashim should begrudge the Pakatan even if they make overtures to the influential Razaleigh? Isn't it their aim to unseat the present ruling government and do it through democratic means? I have to add the last part of the sentence in anticipation of irresponsible answers like- in that case we will defend our government by any means necessary. It is this kind of attitude that served as one of the many motives behind the formation of Amanah. So that people like Zahrain and others know that we form and defend government though democratic means.

Unless of course Zahrain wishes to score brownie points and endear himself to the supreme leader. Judging from his insecure position for the next GE, he had better worked out or worked up on some issues to gain prominence. That is probably his only incentive behind his virulent attack on his allegations about the designs of Pakatan and Tengku Razaleigh.

That being so, we can then dismiss Zahrain's energetic and stout attacks on Pakatan and Razaleigh as only that. Just some hot air, nothing substantial but just motion to make it appear that he is fighting for the interest of UMNO.

Which makes us repeat the question we have often asked-what is the problem with UMNO? It has to contract out its own defense to outsiders such as Zahrain.

UMNO the party which Zahrain supports appears to ignore the veteran and influential leader. So he finds an organization of like-minded individuals to operate. So why would UMNO and Zahrain be unduly disturbed when Tengku Razaleigh formed and launched his NGO? It can serve as a reality check or it can later transform itself into a political party for the benefit of the greater good.

Is he just plain envious that the almost forgotten UMNO veteran and the PM we never had is now enjoying filial respect and is held in reverence as he should be? He could be the only person who can salvage Malaysia from rapacious business and the political oligarchs.

Or perhaps he is already sensing that the embrace of BN is actually the embrace of a female tarantula spider or the death ending embrace of female praying mantis?

He has alleged that talks were held between the leaders of DAP, PAS and PKR with Tengku Razaleigh. Pas spiritual leader, Nik Aziz said such allegations, are a joke. DAP leader Karpal Singh rejected Zahrain's contention by saying Razaleigh is no match for Anwar.

That could only mean, while the PR would certainly welcome Razaleigh's being with them, they are also aware of Razaleigh's fanatical devotion to UMNO's founding principles. Razaleigh is unlikely to abandon UMNO.

The same could not be said of the hawkish attitude and paranoia of UMNO leaders. To them, the ends justify any means. If power is held up by corruption, the emasculation of the judiciary, the creation of a servile police force, the practice of totalitarian practices, principles and ethics are sacrificed. Principles are thrown out in favor of political opportunism. These and not principles, appear to give the life which the BN now enjoys.

So, the end of BN rule means the end of the life they have known all these years.

Hence, the most practical thing UMNO can do if it thinks Razaleigh is plotting some Palace coup to overthrow the emperor without clothes, is to sack him from UMNO. I repeat sack him.

UMNO it seems has an obsession with what Razaleigh does. If he is spent force like many view him as, then why fearful and alarmist response? He is still an UMNO leader and the only one that has traversed the leadership span of all Malaysian PMs.

To many who may be too young to remember, Tengku Razaleigh was the 1^st chairman of PETRONAS and was considered to be Malaysia's best Finance Minister. He was the architect behind many of the moves to Malaysianise business conglomerates once owned by British companies. He can be credited for bringing back Sime Darby, Guthrie, London Tin and many others as Malaysian owned companies. He was the one who set up Bank Bumiputera, Pernas, and many other business and economic powerhouses that have now sadly been hijacked by the robber barons created by Mahathir.

To the many more who cannot remember the BMF financial scandal, perhaps we can challenge the government to refresh our memory about the scandal. It will be do a lot of justice to let people know at that time, BBMB was answerable not to the Finance Minister but to the PM. In 1982 we know who the PM was. It will even be more interesting if we can recall people like Nawawi Mat Awin and Rais Saniman to confirm and tell everyone who were the people who directed them to disburse the loan to the Carrian Group.

I read with a tinge of humor when one blogger wrote let's see who shall be at Razaleigh's breakfasting function this weekend. This kind of rhetorical question is typical of UMNO's mentality. You are immediately judged to be from the dark side by association. For God sake- this is a breakfasting function. Razaleigh invites whoever he wants. This is not a political gathering.