THE news doing the rounds of the demise of the United Malays National Organisation is greatly exaggerated and premature.
I am pleased to say that Umno is alive. It is, however, for now at any rate, far from well.
The in-fighting, the ill-disguised open warfare, the unremitting attacks on the party leader, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, are extremely damaging, exposing the ugly side of Melayu Baru politics.
It is, for now, living on borrowed time. Unless serious efforts are made to identify and confront decisively its massive internal weaknesses which have led to the totally unacceptable excesses of the past, it will not survive the 13th general election.
Its leaders have to learn quickly to see the Malaysian political world for what it really is and not through rose-tinted glasses because in life, rarely is anything what it seems.
There is still a small window of opportunity for Umno to reclaim the moral legitimacy it once enjoyed and so carelessly lost in circumstances that were totally within its control.
The tide of unpopular sentiments, with the potential for developing into running sores, must be stemmed now by putting in place reforms of a fundamental nature based on ethical, democratic practice and principles which unfortunately do not seem to have been part of Malaysian political traditions as a whole.
Continuing to be relevant, by doing what is ethically right and fair, is going to be the name of the political game in a new Malaysian "age of reason".
Unless Umno possesses sufficient social and political savvy to read and digest the writings on the wall, it will be joining, surely as day follows night, the ranks of its major coalition partners and sharing their fate on a journey into oblivion.
While on a recent working visit to London, I addressed a group of Britons with long Malaysian connections on "Malaysia in the aftermath of the 12th general election".
The intense interest shown in Malaysian affairs in general did not really surprise me because many were old "Malaya hands" with fond memories of their time of service in our country.
The others, younger and more up-to-date in their knowledge of contemporary Malaysian issues, were equally anxious that Malaysia would weather the post-election hiccups and continue to prosper in an orderly manner.
As with the rest of us in Malaysia, they were concerned that half a century after independence, our race relations are still as tentative and fragile as ever.
The overwhelming impression I took away from that open and friendly dialogue was one of enormous goodwill for Malaysia.
The meeting was organised by the British Malaysian Society, with chairman Datuk Neville Green presiding.
Another pleasant duty was to attend, in the Chapel of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in St Paul's Cathedral London last Thursday, a special service of thanks-giving for the life of Sir Donald Hawley, KCMG (Knight Commander of St Michael and St George), and MBE (Most Excellent Order of the British Empire).
Hundreds of Sir Donald's friends came from all over the United Kingdom and overseas, many from Malaysia, to remember him as a colonial service officer, diplomat, scholar, gentleman and friend.
I felt greatly privileged to be invited by Lady Ruth Hawley to attend as a friend and on behalf of the Kuala Lumpur Panel of the British Malaysian Society.
In the words of the Reverend Canon Edmund Newell, Chancellor and Canon in Residence:
"We remember with gratitude his contribution to international relations through a long and distinguished career in the army, politics, law and the diplomatic service, in this country and in Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
"...we give thanks for his courtesy, wit, integrity, erudition and sense of fun."
It was a movingly beautiful service on a lovely sunny afternoon. It was wonderful to hear the Hawley children, Sara, Caroline, Susan and Christopher, reading short passages of great beauty and inspiration.
The address was given by Lord Carrington, a former British Foreign Secretary, and an old family friend of the Hawleys.
It was a memorable speech -- witty, nostalgic and generous, so appropriate to the occasion, in celebration of a gentleman and good friend of Malaysia.
Sir Donald is remembered in Malaysia as the unenviable British High Commissioner (1977-1981) who, in spite of worsening Anglo-Malaysian relations that led to the "buy British last" policy, was able to continue to maintain reasonably constructive working relations with the Malaysian government.
True to his sense of decency and honour, Sir Donald had this to say about the Carcosa episode, "but I have to say that when the Malaysians intimated that they would like it (back), and the British government decided it should be given to them, they were very reasonable. (Former prime minister Tun) Dr Mahathir (Mohamad) himself was extremely helpful..."
That is the measure of the gentleman that Sir Donald was. He was quite incapable of harbouring any animosity for the slights heaped upon the honour and dignity of his country.
There are lessons to be learnt from the life of Sir Donald Hawley.
The writer is chairman of the Kuala Lumpur Panel of the British Malaysian Society. He can be contacted at
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Its leaders have to learn quickly to see the Malaysian political world for what it really is and not through rose-tinted glasses because in life, rarely is anything what it seems.
SAME TO MCA, MIC