‘Umno, according to him, had ruled for 50 years and they could continue to do so without any help from the MCA, MIC, Gerakan and all the component parties from Sabah and Sarawak.'
On Ali Rustam's appeal rejected
Richard Teo:
Mohd Ali Rustam began his career in politics 18 years ago when he was a mere clerk with TNB.From a mere meter reader to his majestic rise to be the chief minister of Malacca, this Umno politician should have been contented.
But not being satisfied, he contested in the last Umno election and was surprisingly rewarded with a vice-president's post with the most number of votes.
But the racist side of his character only surfaced when he was invited to be the guest-of-honour for PPP's state convention.
With unabashed pride he told his shocked audience that PPP and their members could leave the BN anytime. Yes, he didn't mince his words.
Umno, according to him, had ruled for 50 years and they could continue to do so without any help from the MCA, MIC, Gerakan and all the component parties from Sabah and Sarawak.
Yes, all those component parties could vanish and Umno will still continue to rule the country. Such was the arrogance of this man.
Ordinary Malaysians can easily visualise what this man would say if he was elected to the pinnacle office of DPM and subsequently, as a formality, become the PM of Malaysia.
The words that would flow from his lips would be that non-Malays don't have to vote for BN because Umno can rule the country without any of your help.
Fortunately for Malaysians, providence might have played a significant part in depriving this man of a pivotal role in the politics of this nation.
With such a man at the helm of any nation, it would most likely the country would descend into chaos and anarchy.
On Najib calls for 'massive' change
Frank Xroy: Among the first things that Najib will do as PM will be to free the Hindraf detainees and declare the organisation as not hostile.
Najib will do this to get the backing of Hindraf and he will be prepared to even ditch Samy Vellu to regain all the lost Indian support.
Najib will employ the same strategy his father employed after the 1969 riots - persuade the opposition to join BN. One must remember that PMIP, which is PAS today, was once also part of BN.
The unity government now flouted by some PAS leaders is a clear indication that Najib has begun his homework. In this way, he'll weaken the opposition the way his father weakened the opposition that had made great strides after 1969.
The question here is how will he woo the Chinese. Let us not forget the Perak case where some asselbly persons were lured.
Most, if not all, DAP and PKR members are diehards but there may be some remnants who will stray.
We have come a long since 1969 and we are grown up as a nation and as citizens of this country, we can't give in to sleazy schemes.
Hindraf members have to be steadfast but even so there may be a handful that may join forces with Najib.
In the interest of a united Malaysia void of race politics, I ask all those in PKR, DAP and PAS not to fall into the BN trap and their brand of racial politics.
Peter Yew: Reformation can only take place if the members respect and follow the leader. But in Umno today, it is the tail wagging the head.
So if the membership at large still want to be served with handouts, money politics will remain very much in Umno's culture even if the leader wants it disbanded and outlawed.
Same with wanting to bring the various races together, givingthem more religious freedom, fairer economic distribution, etc. The best of leaders will succumb to unpopular reactions if he wants to push his agenda even but without the support of members.
I think Abdullah Ahmad Badawi fits this mould. He tried but he could not sway the Umno members. He then lost the will to bring change.
Umno can only reform if it is sent out into political wilderness for many years and has to fight back for popular support .
But Umno will not give up easily, it will use whatever means to discredit PR and create chaos to disrupt the administration at both the state and federal levels if they lose.
That would be very irresponsible and selfish as their motive is vengeance without consideration for public welfare.
In politics you can lose one day and win the next. A party that is matured in outlook will examine its mistakes and reform according to the wishes to the people. I hope that Umno will see this in the positive spirit.
On Ku Li: Possible for king not to name Najib as PM
Timmy Say: Some people are trying to equate the move of the King to appoint someone other than the Umno president as PM to the situation in Perak.
There's nothing to be compare between the two. In Perak, there was a power grab where the sultan selected an MB to replace the ruling Pakatn government after three from the latter turned ‘independent' and declared themselves as ‘BN-friendly'.
Here, if the King selects someone else to be the PM instead appointing of the president of Umno, there's no change of power, there's no power grab and there's no element of not respecting the rakyat 's wishes.
At the end of the day, PM is still an Umno and BN guy. Lucky for us that Tengku Razaleigh has yet to leave Umno, or else there will be no choice for us to push for. See the difference?
KuLi Fan: All this while I was hoping that someone like KuLi will be able to at least contest fairly for the top job in Umno, hence giving us the rakyat some hope to get a good leader.
Unfortunately a good man like him is not as popular with his party as he is with his fellow Malaysians. My frustration with this whole prime minister-to-be thing is that the privilege to vote for our leader is only available to Umno members.
Why is it that the president of Umno becomes PM instead of say, the president of BN? When I say this, I mean why don't they allow other BN component parties to choose a president who will then be PM?
Why not give other BN component parties a right to vote for their president? And maybe in time, leaders from other parties can also be nominated to contest for PM?
Although this method may also seem unfair in that, actually, every Malaysian should have the right to vote for our PM instead of just BN, but at least there will be more representation from other parties who represent the other races in Malaysia.
And if it could be done that way, wouldn't people like Ku Li have a better chance? And also, wouldn't money politics be a little harder to practice when there are more component parties involved?
I mean, we all hear that it is by convention that Umno's leader gets to be PM but don't you think it's time that other Malaysians get a say on who we want to lead us?
Wouldn't that signal to the rest of the world that democracy is alive in Malaysia? I think we stand a better chance with this approach than to wait for an ‘Obama' to bring change to the Malaysia.
Peter Yew: Ku Li said: ‘The only thing is, if we could only engender a cooperative spirit and comradeship, and if you have a cause to fight for, then we won't have these feelings that will cloud your thinking.
'Sports is one, culture is another, which will bind us together for common causes.'
The problem with Malaysian politics today is we are focussing only on differences and not on factors that unite. It is a dangerous and unhealthy development that will eventually destroy our national solidarity.
At the grassroots levels, we may do our best to engender goodwill with our neighbours, friends and colleagues of other races, even business associates.
However, constant references to differences among races, harping on religion, ancestry and economic wealth made our friendship with other races awkward and uncomfortable.
We look at each other not as friends or fellow Malaysians but as strangers, or worst, rivals. This must stop now .
I pity those with narrow-minded thinking and feel sorry for we Malaysians at large because of such myopic viewpoints.
We destroy what has been preciously built up by our founding fathers. Who can, apart from our political leaders and the sultans, draw us away from the precipice of our downfall?
I want to implore Umno to begin to lead again. You cannot be a leader if you belittle your partners in politics and society.
No one is challenging your right to lead, but only the quality of your leadership. Tomorrow is in your hands by what you do today.
On 15 questions for Najib from the rakyat
Dennis Madden: I would actually suggest that these are 15 questions that Malaysians should ask themselves first.
By expecting Najib to 'solve' all your problems for you, you are once again washing your hands of the responsibility that is yours as Malaysian living in a democratic country
You did that with Mahathir. You worshiped him and idolised him and (at the time) and thought he could do nothing but good. Look where that got you.
It is your country and its in the state that it is in because you neglected it. Don't blame BN and don't expect BN to come up with all the answers you want.
BN are in the business of looking after themselves because you failed to discourage them from taking that liberty
On Khairy's offence : A crime is a crime is a crime
We'll Be Damned: Like the writer, I am also not fond of the two persons he had mentioned in his letter. Yes, they will never be able to put bread and butter on my table, definitely.
However, of late, we have been served with one incident after another where laws of the jungle prevailed rather than laws of a country.
Firstly, we saw the 'attack' on poor Karpal on the sacred grounds of Parliament by a bunch of hooligans from Umno Youth. And what happened to them? Nothing, at least for the moment. I am sure it will all amount to nothing in the end.
Where are the police when we need them? Nowhere as usual. But they are quick to pounce on anyone for not toeing the line of the government of the day.
Then, of course, we have the famous cases of 'money politics' discovered before the forthcoming Umno general assembly. Where is MACC? Oh, I forgot, Umno rules only apply to Umno members. The laws of the country cannot touch them.
So what we have here are two different sets of laws for different people. One set applies to Umno and one set applies to the rest of rakyat ! What utter nonsense!
Money politics is bribery, whatever you want to brand it. Isn't bribery wrong in the eyes of the law? Or is the Malaysian law blind?
Guilty people are being let of scot-free and we are becoming the laughing stock of people around the world. To me Malaysia has now become a cowboy town which is lawless. Wonder when we'll ever learn.
On Fairus resigns as Penang DCM
Dennis Madden: One has to ask how come a man who was elected to represent the people of his electorate has the time to pursue further studies ?
Of course its more nonsense Malaysian style. Why is it that no one in this god-forsaken country can tell the truth?
