...... Malaysia National Organisation.
It's the UMNO Division meetings season and same as last time, the speeches at the official opening gets the media attention. What was discussed at the meeting will not get covered.
The theme this years seemed to be about unity. The subject is unity against foreign intervention and against a new political party to mean unity but in Malay as in Bersatu.
If the unity against foreign intervention relates with DOJ filing to "freeze" stolen asset of Arabs from money remitted by 1MDB, then it is politicising a legal issue which we had long argued as improper on the anti-Najib Campaign to politicise.
If it is intended to mean threat from ISIS, China and US on the 9-dash line dispute, foreign funded smugglers, gangsters and political operators guise as human rights activist, etc, then it is fine.
As far as the unity against the new party of Tun Dr Mahathir, nyeh ...
If the detractors of Dato Najib and the UMNO expelled decided to gather together under a new political party, what is there to it?
The usual comments and critics making all sort of cliched remarks and attack on Bersatu can be loudly heard and at rapid pace. It will not last, it will follow the demise of Semangat 46, it is not the same strength as S46 and various other lessons from history of other off shoot of UMNO from PAS, Parti Negara, S56, and Adil being repeated.
The attack on Mahathir is no more holding back. The go signal may have come from Najib who in essence referred to him as a control-freak. The third party references has first party intention. Dato Rahman Dahlan told Mahathir that he should accept the fact that he is no more in power thus he should let go.
Tan Sri Muhyuddin made a reply to all these criticism to ask if Bersatu is of no relevance, why is UMNO afraid.
As much as the foreign intervention claim does not exist, as Foreign Minister, Dato Anifah Aman denied, and it is part of past political repertoire, Muhyiddin's reply is the same often heard political repertoire.
One critic claimed Bersatu will not sustain based on their only objective to topple Najib. If they are able to topple Najib and Pakatan Harapan manage to assume power at the federal level, what will happen?
Sometime ago, we told a friend, who would most likely follow Muhyiddin into Bersatu, that the mistake of past attempts to topple BN is consensus. There is no consensus on the ideology and lack the spirit of consensus, cooperation, and compromise.
The best way for them to seize power would be to emulate BN or have a BN II. This way majority of voters have no fear to any change in ideology or the unexpected. Penang DAP will be a shining example for BN to scare off Malays, Indians and even Chinese.
Better still, have a new improved BN. New improved detergent always push sales up. The winner of the next election will be those that offer a "Bersih, Cekap dan Amanah" government.
Off course, the condition inferred, but not stated to our friend, is for BN II to cut off from the past negative legacies of BN. It covers all aspects, especially the leaders must not only be clean but seen to be clean with no baggage from the past and no skeleton in their's and family's cupboards.
Maybe out of political expediency, it is not easy. Politics is always about compromise and accommodating to each others' interest, and principles. Power interest will result in major and moral compromises.
Be that as it may.
According to Malaysiakini report here, "Bersatu’s seven founding members explained the reasons the party was created, the key of which is to save Malaysia from Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak."
They made no bone about it is to bring Najib down. So the political argument will naturally be Bersatu is about politics of hate, they are power hungry, and the UMNO favourite terminology, orang-orang yang kalah lalu kecewa.
The seven claimed "Malaysia is known for its widespread corruption and for having a deplorable finance minister" so it leads to 1MDB.
The expected argument against them is they want to bring down Najib using 1MDB and when Najib is down, nothing will happen. Even DOJ will retract at the request of lobbyist after the US Presidential election and new President takes over in January.
Then there will be issues of budget slash, cost of living increase, GST, no democrasy and no rule of law. Missing for quite sometime from Mahathir side have been BR1M, and Sirul the murderer of Altantunya.
The seven outlined their objectives as below:
- We will return democracy and the rule of law.
- All weaknesses (in the system) that can be misused by elected leaders will be dismantled.
- Fiscal management will be governed by laws and new rules so that the prime minister or ministers cannot conceal any expenditure.
- Transparency will be practised in all matters.
- Education and training will be provided on a large scale to all races so that they can obtain employment with remuneration in tandem with their productivity.
- Sufficient aid will be provided to the poor and disabled.
- Scholarships for higher learning will be provided to all according to their needs.
They say, “We believe we have the experience and ideas to rehabilitate the economy and national politics, which we will disclose from time to time."
By the presence of Anina, Kamarul, Akramsyah, and Syed Saddiq as the protem commitee, it may not exude much confidence. As we understand it, it only serve to speed up the ROS approval by presenting people with the least excuse to delay.
The claim Dato Khairuddin Abu Hasan not joining because he has issue with Muhyiddin leadership is all wayang. The real McCoy and it includes potential ahli Bersekutu will appear later.
The challenge for them will still be to put the political infrastructure - membership, leadership, branches, network, money (though RPK claim Mahathir has got RM5 billion for this endeavour), various political operation talents, regulation and manuals, etc.
The real politik part have to be addressed or it will catch on them. It is not easy beating the odds. Tricks such as having an open house at Kodiang wet market to gather crowd and give impression of wide support will not work. People know you only return to see the constituency after getting sacked. After that, malas ....
Furthermore, public are increasingly able to read shallow perception play easily and are in a state of political fatique to layan these cheap politics.
If the substance is lacking and psywar needed to be used, be more sophisticated. Not bad on the lawsuit by Matthias and Husam except that it is a wrong choice to use phony Husam.
On the issue of can they emulate BN, already they are getting bombarded for Pribumi status [read here. and here]. Lim Kit Siang or Ibrahim Suffian's defense of Bersatu policy can be turned around as saying they are only playing a spoiler role for the DAP as the real beneficiary.
DAP will still and always be the thorn in any Malay Muslims party coalition, perception or real. They will never agree to another BN or another UMNO, MCA. MIC, PBB, etc. As they promised, Bersatu should clear up all these fundamental issues to the public before election.
Though some claim Pribumi means the same with Bumiputera, it is frequently used in Sabah and Sarawak to imply no foreign impurity. Pribumi seldom associated with any legal definition, unlike Bumiputera, but the criteria could be more stringent.
It is tough to emulate another BN thus the question which Mahathir failed to tell his blogger-supporter and Raja Petra is who after Najib. There are those out there still believe in the conspiracy theory that it is all about making way for Mukhriz and Muhyiddin will get slashed later.
It will never end ...
For sake of democrasy, the more the merrier. Biarlah Bersatu wujud dalam aman.
If it means they are also another of Mahathir's UMNO as in United Malaysian Native Organisation, it is a healthy competition for Mahathir's UMNO Baru. Good wake up call, timely for honest reflection and supposed to make them work harder. Good speeches for last weekend, Dato Zahid Hamidi.
Just do not take Mahathir lightly and enter into a slumber into thinking the opposition split will make it an easy two third win. Bersatu is there to split UMNO voters!
Sometimes we like to think that there is more than just what we see in public. Who knows what is cooking among just a couple of people?
* Edited 17/8 9:23 AM