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The tragedy of Umno, it would seem, has been the lack of intellectuals from the beginning, observes our special correspondent. Umno has never been known to engage in the battle of the mind to solve political, social and economic problems. Umno’s solutions to national problems have always been perceived to be cosmetic. ALIRAN
When people in advanced countries talk about talent pools and think tanks, they refer to the collective brainpower of intellectuals with a great capacity to think rationally and analytically and find creative and imaginative solutions to problems. They demonstrate pure intellect at work, uncoloured by bias and prejudices. If one places the so-called Umno talent pools and think tanks beside them, some may conclude that they are literally empty! It is almost three months since 8 March and Umno is clueless about what hit them. Their analysis is that Umno has not lost Malay support, that the Chinese deserted the MCA and Gerakan, and Indians withdrew their support for the MIC and PPP. They claim that Umno had no part in the loss of non-Malay support for BN. This is apparently the analysis of Umno’s clueless clods, “headless chicken running around” (to borrow Raja Petra’s description) who help the party to live in a state of denial. The tragedy of Umno, it would seem, has been the lack of intellectuals from the beginning. Tunku could not seriously be considered one though he had other admirable qualities. He was a man of honesty and integrity and a true nationalist and patriot. Razak and Hussein Onn could be a bit so but they were caught up in the Umno web of racism and religious bigotry. Therefore, Umno has never been known to engage in the battle of the mind to solve political, social and economic problems. Umno’s solutions to national problems have always been perceived to be cosmetic. If we examine past and present living Umno leaders it would reveal their apparent lack of intellect. Whatever IQ Dr M has, it would not permit what is perceived to be his warped mind to rise to be a true Malaysian and a genuine patriot. He had this fallacious belief that only elected people could speak on behalf of the rakyat and no one else. So he successfully destroyed every independent institution – the judiciary, the ACA, the Election Commission, the Registrar of Societies, the trade unions and so on. His brain could never grasp the difference between party and government. The civil service, the police and other coercive apparatus of the state, RTM, the print media and government agencies became tools of the government. To him, the Constitution was a mere piece of paper to be shredded at his autocratic will. He armed himself with draconian laws like the ISA,the OSA, the UUCA, the Printing Presses and Publications Act and a whole host of repressive laws, not subject to judicial review. The 1983 Constitutional amendments took away the powers of the Agong and his brother rulers. The 1988 Constitutional amendment successfully destroyed the secular democratic nature of the 1957 Constitution. Under him corruption galloped while nepotism, cronyism, and bootlickers galore flourished. He was the monarch of all he surveyed and few dared to question his autocratic rule and consequent abuse of power. A grateful nation, however, bestowed a Tunship on him for his meritorious service! His vindictive and revengeful nature has come into full play. He wants to get Abdullah to step down from the helm of Umno, a party, which despite his mixed origin, gave him and his children power, wealth and popularity. He laid the foundation for the tsunami. I have no doubt that had he been PM on 8 March, he would have lost the Federal Government to the Pakatan Rakyat. A brief resume of some of the current Umno cabinet members will bring into question their quality:
Abdullah Badawi – made so many glorious promises but his performance has been dismal. Only someone with precious little intelligence will screw up the huge mandate the rakyat gave him at the 2004 polls. His choice of cabinet ministers shows lack of IQ and wisdom. Najib – contributed substantially to the tsunami. He often speaks with a forked tongue and his racist and bigoted talk about Ketuanan Melayu no longer sells. Do not link him to any Mongolian woman lest you should face sedition charges. When will Umno accept the fact that he is a liability? Keris-kisser Hishammuddin - did not possess the IQ to know how badly his keris-kissing and threatening words would affect the non-Malays and non-Malays. Another clear liability. Nazri – the Minister of Law in the last government, is a disgrace. He did not know that there was no Witness Protection Act! Only a fool like him would say that the separation of powers among the judiciary, legislature and executive is a luxury that Malaysia cannot afford. When the Bar Council talked about the crisis in the judiciary, his response, “What crisis?” When the PM appointed the Royal Commission to investigate the Lingam Video Clip, it was a slap on his face. His statement that Singapore is not a country was laughable. A non-country got the island, we got the rocks, eh! Tengku Adnan – implicated seriously in the Lingam scandal, is in the Cabinet. The Royal Commission did not buy his stupid answers because they were obviously convinced he was lying. He does not have the IQ or decency to quit the Cabinet until he is cleared. Tan Sri Muhammad – perceived by some as allegedly corrupt, immoral and a currency smuggler brought into the Cabinet through the back-door. Abdullah Badawi’s choice of him is mind-boggling. Rais Yatim – his PhD thesis was a severe attack on the ISA; but when he was recycled into the Cabinet by Dr M, he supported the ISA fully. He claimed that his thesis was merely an academic exercise. So much for the man’s principles, honesty and integrity. Azalina – despite the mess she made of Brickendonbury and CYC, was appointed into the Cabinet.
In other countries people recycle garbage, but in Malaysia, Umno recycles political garbage – people seen as discredited, discarded and disgraced politicians. Like Dr M, Abdullah Badawi knows full well such recycled politicians will forever be grateful boot-lickers. People like Tan Sri Muhammad and Rais Yatim are two classic examples. Outside the Cabinet, there are outstanding examples whose lack of brainpower contributed to the tsunami.
Khairy – proves quite often that he is an `ox’-head graduate. His influence-peddling severely damaged the BN and his father-in-law. His political stupidity exposed the BN to insult and ridicule in Parliament. It is widely believed that he provided the Minister with the supplementary questions which further revealed his lack of political maturity. Bung Mokhtar – Despite the appeal from the women’s groups not to select sexist MPs to be candidates for the election, Abdullah Badawi chose him. He comes across as someone surely bocor in the head. Tengku Razaleigh – a discarded politician is trying to resurrect himself and is now co-operating with his once arch enemy. Remember, Dr M and Rahmat effectively used RTM to destroy his credibility by flashing every few seconds an image of him wearing a Kadazan head gear with a supposedly Christian cross and dancing with Kadazan girls? Dr M had donned the same head gear earlier and danced gleefully with Kadazan damsels! How could Razaleigh now work with him?! Toyo – questions regarding his alleged corruption and abuse of power are legendary. How much IQ and judgement must he possess to announce that he will ensure ‘zero’ opposition in Selangor. Now a hero has become zero! Mukhriz – ably supporting his father to undermind Abdullah Badawi. He aspires to be PM one day. Any takers for another 22 years of Mahathirism? Rahim Tamby Chik – infamous for his alleged statutory rape. Now he is offering himself as a Umno Vice-Presidential candidate. Given his wealth, influence and the fact that Umno politics is essentially money politics, there is a possibility of his becoming PM. Ali Rustam – his stupidity in saying that Umno does not need the support of the non-Malays to govern the country contributed to the tsunami.
- Ghani - superior leader of a “superior race”, has ruined the Johor environment and turned a motorway into a waterway. Now, he has orchestrated his Umnoputra cronies to say that it was a mistake to have given citizenship to the Chinese and Indians.
Today and tomorrow (Friday), Umno Supreme Council members are on a retreat – what an apt labelling of their meeting. Umno is so badly damaged it is reeling and retreating. It is almost three months since 8 March and Umno is clueless about what hit them. Thus far, because their analysis is so horribly wrong, their solution is marshalling Malay support and frightening Malays into believing that non-Malays are taking over Tanah Melayu and that the Malays have lost political power – a downright lie as there are more Malays in this Parliament than the last one! There is no end to Umno talk about Malay polity and Ketuanan Melayu. Umno claims that non-Malays are questioning Malay rights and privileges and also insulting race, religion and the Malay rulers. The mini brains of the Umno leadership can only think of these as solutions to their declining political power! An ex-Umno Minister of Education, an ex-Vice-Chancellor of USM, was a racist and implemented fully Islamo-fascist policies. Out of about 24 schools during his tenure, there was not a single non-Malay as Dean or Deputy Dean. A severe brain drain ensued and it was rumoured that promotion of his cronies was done on the golf course! Though USM stands at well past the 300 mark in world university rankings, he praised himself for taking the university to great heights. He further said that he earned praise and congratulations worldwide in making USM a centre for R&D. Yet the same USM did not want to participate in the Hamburg Exhibition at which the world’s best universities were represented. USM’s sideboards are filled with medals and trophies from Geneva! Yet, he said (in self-praise), “But I cannot find my failure here. It would be interesting if anybody can give me one and why it is the greatest failure for me.” This about sums up Umno’s blindness to reality. The retreat will at best be a sandiwara, at worst a goon show!
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