UMNO, Malay, Malaysian, Malaysia

Same old, same old. Nothing is new at this year's UMNO general assembly, not yet perhaps. Unless Abdullah steps down, which will be bizarre but unlikely to happen. Shouts of denial that UMNO is a racist party is again echoed throughout the hall-this year,most prominently by the PM's son in law and the Youth wing deputy chief-KJ. Well, it is such a disgrace that Oxford has produced such PPE graduate who does not know the depth of his own political party.Beyond any reasonable doubt that UMNO is racist, it is a racial based party-the one which champions NEP- a racial discriminatory policy. Therefore, in other words, by default it is a racist party with reference to the top guns of UMNO who admits that the party is only looking after the interest of the Malay community and not instilling prejudice against other races. Well, if it is confining itself just to one race and championing the plight of that one race, it is only making that particular community better off and worse still the improvement is at the expense of the other races. Yes, economically,Pareto optimality conditions are fulfilled here, the races are efficient, but isn't what UMNO is doing, a racist act? You be the judge.

Well, as much as I am all for Onn Jaafar's "a century too early ideals" of opening UMNO up to other races, as long as the people want racial politics-then let them have racial based politics. It is what we call democracy! But, UMNO must look ahead of the present day, it needs to be more than a party for the Malays, if it is to remain relevant in the future. How much longer can they claim to be the champion of Malay interests? With current disgruntles from within and outside the party, UMNO has to be bold in changing its setup. It cannot keep asking its members to "shut up"and toe with the party line, it has to stop being bold in defending the present, instead it must be bold in facing changes! As the body with the ultimate say in Malaysian politics, it has to make the move first- a mind shift towards a more Malaysian party. The BN coalition should be dissolved and replaced by Parti Nasional where Malays would be the dominant leader by choice and not by the dafault setting of the party! This is similiar to Onn Jaafar's idea in the early 50's, an idea shot immediately at its infancy by the Malays then. UMNO has to stop masking its weaknesses and work effectively in improving them. The only reason UMNO would not dare to take this challenge is because it knows it will end up being a secondary party, and then the "Malay fate" as they argued, would be jeopardised.Why? Malay by nature is a weak race-this is something which hasn't changed since the days of the Melaka Sultanate. I am a Malay, and proud to be one.But, I am a Malay who is willing to accept my weakness and work for the better! History has taught us that Malays are easily tamed by worldly pleasures, Melaka Sultans and their concubines, Ngah Ibrahim with his mining rights which he sold to the Chinese, we are easily manipulated by others! Furthermore, there is always envy in the Malay society-an anthropological illness which traces its origins from the days of Parameswara. " Selagi hasad dengki tertanam di sanubari, Melayu tidak akan dijulang tinggi." These very words forms my political philosophy. If Malays could absolve itself from envy, and the ease of giving into worldly pleasures, we would be the rightful leaders of this country. And this is what I look to embark on when I surrender myself to the public later on in life. This is what I want to fight for- be it in UMNO or other parties which provide me the space to voice my idea. Bangunlah bangsaku, Malaysia bermula dengan mu!