I refer to the Malaysiakini report Najib denies making 1987 anti-Chinese remarks and the New Straits Times article by Azmi Anshar entitled Karpal's poser an urban legend.

It was widely reported that in 1987, as Umno Youth chief, our current prime minister Najib Abdul Razak vociferously defended Malay privileges in a fiery speech featuring the Malay ‘keris’ shortly before the government launched a crackdown on extremist elements code-named Operation Lalang.

At the same rally, banners were hoisted with phrases such as ‘Revoke the citizenship of those who opposed the Malay rulers’, ‘May 13 has begun’, ‘Soak it (the keris) with Chinese blood’.

A Government White Paper entitled ‘Towards Preserving National Security’ tabled in Parliament on March 23,1988 records all this.

If I were Karpal Singh, I would have probed Najib further by asking, ‘In 1987, as Umno Youth chief, did you organise a rally against the backdrop of such incendiary banners?’

Whether he actually uttered those words are a secondary matter for the fact remains that he was among the main players there and he did not rebuke those who went overboard. As they say, tacit approval is a sign of culpability.

Let me put it another way. If Lim Kit Siang organised a similar rally and brandished a Wu Shu sword against a backdrop of similar-themed banners, then he says that he never uttered the words emblazoned on the banners, will it be an acceptable excuse to Umno ?

By similar inference, can Pol Pot (Saloth Sar) also say he is not culpable as he did not personally carry out all those killings? So the point whether Ismail Kassim, Azmi Anshar or anybody else actually hearing those words being uttered is moot.

Twenty years from now if Azmi Anshar is still writing, I would not be surprised if he declares the PKFZ scandal to be an urban legend, coming to such a conclusion due to the fact that nobody was prosecuted (sorry for my pessimism but that’s how I feel it will pan out).

The NST writer then goes on to make this incredible statement:

‘Even the masses who voted for the opposition on March 8, 2008 are regretting their impulsiveness and are ready to return to the fold, partly because Najib has taken over and partly because they are tired of the opposition's dogma’.

He seems to be convinced that the voters are returning to BN. I wonder if it is by delusion, denial or maybe because he was on a sojourn to another planet when Pakatan was toppling BN candidates like ten-pins in almost all the by-elections since March 8, 2008.

By what fathom of imagination can such confidence be proclaimed when BN appears afraid to call for fresh polls in Perak and dared not even contest the Penanti by-election?

For healing to happen, past wrongdoings must be condemned , apologies tendered and graciously accepted. Only the ignorant will quote phrases like the following one:

‘Like all up-and-coming politicians then and now, talking to the massive mob of supplicants had always retained a measure of bluster and blowhardiness, better still if nationalism, glory of the race and enemies who try to stifle progress are added in the explosive mix. Ask Khairy Jamaluddin.’

To me above is just a fancy way of saying: ‘Playing to the gallery is racist, seditious and irresponsible.

We as citizens must not accept such boorish displays of politicking from Umno or for that matter any other group. Make your voice heard by punishing the party and these rabble-rousers associated with them at the ballot box’.