Where to turn to?

MARCH 18, 2009 — The Umno party elections scheduled on March 24 – 28 has been touted as the single most important event that will make or break the party.
The biggest, most dominant and oldest party in the country is at the crossroad to choose the path of reform, continue their current malaise or shift further to the right.
However, the question remains whether the 2,600-odd Umno delegates realise the gargantuan responsibility that they shoulder.
Their decision will determine whether the party will turn upside down or is on the way towards rehabilitation.
Political and economic success after success bred complacency and established a mentality that the party will outlast its expiry date and have perpetual reins of the country.
The ability of Umno to use its political acumen coupled with law enforcement to their benefit has enabled it to prolong its lifespan.
Important events that took place in the country have shaped Umno into what it has become at the current being.
The British handed the country’s Independence through Umno in 1957 on a silver platter as compared to PKMM who has taken a more confrontational stance against the British.
PKMM clashed with the British and with their evident leftist ties, the British accused them of having communist ties which did not endear themselves to the British.
At this time, the British were considering to dispose their ‘assets’ from their worldwide empire as it is draining on their slowly depleting resources.
The British were seeking to hand over Malaya into hands of prospective leaders who would continue to be on friendly terms with them.
Hence, when the Cambridge educated Anglophile royalty Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-haj led Umno diplomatically ‘demanded’ Independence from the British, they were more than happy to oblige to the request.
Since then, Umno never looked back and recorded overwhelming victories in the subsequent polls with the help of preventive detention and emergency laws to clamp down on dissidents and opposition voices.
Following 1969 general election, Umno and the Alliance (Perikatan) faced heavy losses to the Chinese dominated Gerakan and DAP in Penang, Perak and Selangor as well as to Pas in Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah.
With astute political strategies, Umno and the Alliance led by Tun Abdul Razak Hussein managed to persuade Gerakan and Pas to join a new coalition called Barisan Nasional (BN) in 1972 to ensure that they will submit to the leadership of BN and to reduce competition.
Umno then systemically designed the fall of Pas in Kelantan and its subsequent sacking from BN in 1977 which caused Pas more than a decade to rise back to its glory in the East Coast.
Umno has shown signs and symptoms that it will do whatever it takes to maintain hegemony.
The swearing in of Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad in 1982 as the Prime Minister who was notoriously called the Ultra Malay by Tunku Abdul Rahman added a new dimension to Umno’s façade.
Dr Mahathir continued the politics of development which was started by Tun Abdul Razak and expedited the country’s economic activities even further which brought tremendous wealth to the country especially to its party leaders.
The judicial crisis of 1988 was the beginning of Umno’s slow decline, where Dr Mahathir showed his ruthless streak in abusing the country’s institution.
Umno and its members were beholden to Dr Mahathir and gave him a blank cheque to undertake any actions whatever and whenever he deems fit.
With unquestionable powers and an expanding economy, corruption and power abuse began to infect Umno and its leaders.
The sacking of Anwar Ibrahim and the following street demonstrations in 1998 – 2000 has fast tracked the decline of Umno in the eyes of the people.
To the general public, Umno has begun to lose its relevance due to its arrogance in managing power to the extent that it is bent on keeping power at all cost and its leaders’ tendencies to indulge in blatant corruption.
The landslide win due to the hope and promises of the sixth PM Abdullah Badawi in 2004 general election has temporarily shelved the demise of Umno.
Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Backed by clear evidence of a corrupted system and their leader’s racist rhetorics, the people sent Umno a clear message that they are running out of time.
This culminated in the embarrassing loss of 2/3rd majority in parliament and the fall of 5 state governments to the Opposition coalition in the 2008 general elections.
Umno looked restless and agitated and with the tremendous pressure and calls for him to quit, Abdullah decided to relinquish his Umno Presidency and the country’s premiership in March 2009.
The choice is currently in the hands of the 2,600 odd Umno delegates nationwide to pick a line up that will determine whether Umno is serious about reform or it intends to heighten its Malay supremacy agenda or remain in the lackadaisical quagmire they are in at the current moment.
Umno still has a role to play in nation building and the development of the country provided that it project signals that it is receptive to change and appears to suit to the needs and wants of the people.
What the people do not need is an Umno fighting for Malay Supremacy with utter disregard for the other races and with corruption and abuse of power hanging over their neck.
Maybe it is worth for the Umno delegates to reflect on the history of the party and ask themselves whether they want the party to continue its ways leading to oblivion or change to remain relevant in the eyes of the people.

- published in The Malaysian Insider : Mar 18, 2009