Wednesday, November 15, 2006
It's that time of the year to be loud and raucous
It is that time of the year when UMNO gathers in numbers to reassure itself of the pivotal place the party occupies in Malaysia. It is an exercise designed for an internal audience rather than for the rest of the population which is barred from the party membership on account of race. To casual observers, the energized shouts of “hidup Melayu”, may seem raucous and mildly threatening to non-Malays, particularly the Chinese community. But in reality, the bawls of race supremacy often heard during the annual UMNO general assembly is solely for the ears and hearts of UMNO’s raison d’etre – the Malay ground. Naturally, there will be talk of the grave consequence awaiting any group who may dare to unsettle the order of the day. Never mind if the threats articulated by the party delegates including the leadership is imagined at best. This year, it’s the turn of proponents of inter-faith dialogue to be labeled as the spectre.
A siege mentality is assumed by politicians. It is a perfect prop to help advance careers. No matter, if the rest of the country is left numb by the absurdity of it all. It is natural for all Malaysians to keep an eye on proceedings – as UMNO is an extension of government, and the government actions impact all facets of society. In a siege situation, there must be a hero. This hero is UMNO, the knight in shining armor, which will be lead the lost people to salvation and control of their destiny. After nearly 50 years of promises, UMNO is still faced with issues such as pervasive poverty within the Malay community, under-skilled graduates who cannot find work in the private sector, the shrinking role of Bahasa Malaysia in commerce and education, the rising number of Malay school drop-outs. And if that isn’t enough, Malay businesses are lamenting the lack of direction and execution from Government agencies which are actually supposed to take care of them. If a sobering analysis of the state of the Malay condition is accepted by UMNO, the party will take responsibility for the failings afflicting the community. But that will only happen in a perfect world devoid of fantasy. UMNO is not prepared to be blamed. Now the enemy of the failing of the Malay is globalization and other Malaysians who have the God-given right to love this nation.
The world is slowly walking away from Malaysia. Unfortunately, the Prime Minister refuses to see it and insist on the tired formula of spoon-feeding the UMNO kin. How long will this go on? His Deputy, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has put a new twist to the exercise to uplift the status of the Malays. He says it is impossible to correct the 446 years Malays were under oppression by colonial masters, in just a few decades. Rhetoric abound of honorable goals that continue to elude the Malays – that of academic excellence, resilience in the face of adversity and outstanding on the world stage. But rhetoric is just that – empty words unless the shackles of crutches are crushed and the Malay is let out into the real world to excel. The time for free lunches is nearing an end and the country is at a critical crossword. Najib, at the UMNO general assembly, said: “Let it never happen that when the dawn of January 1, 2020 arrives, the Malays will wail in protest against any proclamation that Malaysia is a developed nation because they have not advanced.” Then by Najib’s unfathomable logic, Malays will continue to be weak and will remain so for another 400 years. That the Malays will wail in despair when the clock strikes at midnight on 2020, is indeed a sobering possibility, as long as UMNO does not the moral fiber to give some tough love to the people it purports to look after. That date is only 14 years away. God bless Malaysia. ¶ 9:47 AM
A siege mentality is assumed by politicians. It is a perfect prop to help advance careers. No matter, if the rest of the country is left numb by the absurdity of it all. It is natural for all Malaysians to keep an eye on proceedings – as UMNO is an extension of government, and the government actions impact all facets of society. In a siege situation, there must be a hero. This hero is UMNO, the knight in shining armor, which will be lead the lost people to salvation and control of their destiny. After nearly 50 years of promises, UMNO is still faced with issues such as pervasive poverty within the Malay community, under-skilled graduates who cannot find work in the private sector, the shrinking role of Bahasa Malaysia in commerce and education, the rising number of Malay school drop-outs. And if that isn’t enough, Malay businesses are lamenting the lack of direction and execution from Government agencies which are actually supposed to take care of them. If a sobering analysis of the state of the Malay condition is accepted by UMNO, the party will take responsibility for the failings afflicting the community. But that will only happen in a perfect world devoid of fantasy. UMNO is not prepared to be blamed. Now the enemy of the failing of the Malay is globalization and other Malaysians who have the God-given right to love this nation.
The world is slowly walking away from Malaysia. Unfortunately, the Prime Minister refuses to see it and insist on the tired formula of spoon-feeding the UMNO kin. How long will this go on? His Deputy, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has put a new twist to the exercise to uplift the status of the Malays. He says it is impossible to correct the 446 years Malays were under oppression by colonial masters, in just a few decades. Rhetoric abound of honorable goals that continue to elude the Malays – that of academic excellence, resilience in the face of adversity and outstanding on the world stage. But rhetoric is just that – empty words unless the shackles of crutches are crushed and the Malay is let out into the real world to excel. The time for free lunches is nearing an end and the country is at a critical crossword. Najib, at the UMNO general assembly, said: “Let it never happen that when the dawn of January 1, 2020 arrives, the Malays will wail in protest against any proclamation that Malaysia is a developed nation because they have not advanced.” Then by Najib’s unfathomable logic, Malays will continue to be weak and will remain so for another 400 years. That the Malays will wail in despair when the clock strikes at midnight on 2020, is indeed a sobering possibility, as long as UMNO does not the moral fiber to give some tough love to the people it purports to look after. That date is only 14 years away. God bless Malaysia. ¶ 9:47 AM
