YOURSAY ‘Wise words spoken but they will fall on deaf ears.’
March north and not south, Pak Lah tells Umno
Doc: First Umno secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, then Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin then Cheras Umno chief Syed Ali Alhabshee and now, former PM Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (Pak Lah).
All warning about stocking racial sentiments at this year's Umno AGM (annual general meeting). Why, what has changed this year?
It's the expedited norm at all Umno AGMs, that the Umno bigwigs will blame the Chinese for causing the backwardness of the Malays and for the last few decades, Umno has claimed they will step up and save the Malays from the Chinese (which they have been saving and saving, and still not saved them).
It's the same scripted scenario played over and over again every year at the AGM. Why the sudden change of script? Is Umno scare of the Chinese or what?
Jiminy Qrikert: "Although there may be fiery speeches, Umno is not a racist party," said Pak Lah.
This demonstrates the true nature of Umno - ‘cakap tak serupa bikin’. Umno is all ‘sandiwara’, all mirage. Just like when he was PM, Abdullah is all talk but without the substance to execute what he speaks.
He talks about Umno taking the middle path but goes right back to join the rest of Malay supremacists in driving ‘ketuanan Melayu’ policies after spewing his hot air on the podium.
Similarly, PM Najib Razak, the self-proclaimed moderate and false democrat, speaks of moderation on the international podium but let loose his attacks dogs on the rakyat.
The only way Umno knows how to ensure its own survival is to continuously hoodwink the Malays and keep them stupefied with grandiose visions of supremacy and fantastic promises Umno cannot keep.
Continue-The-March: Pak Lah, you were given the biggest mandate ever in 2004 GE11 and you wasted it. You could have done a lot to transform the country with the political capital given to you. You could have thrown the corrupt into jail, but you did not.
You have wasted the one opportunity given in your life time. Instead during the 2006 Umno Baru general assembly after winning big in 2004, we saw the most extreme racism ever with the Umno Youth chief Hishammuddin Hussein brandishing the keris and threatening all who dare challenge ‘ketuanan Melayu’ and it was telecast live.
We gave you the biggest mandate but power went into Umno Baru’s head and you messed us up big time. So what are you talking about now? Now go back to your slumber.
Anon1: But Pak Lah, the Umno leaders haven't marched south at all. Nor were they seeking north. It's the honey pot they were focused on. The extremist tendencies being displayed now is due to the realisation that the honey pot is running out of honey.
Shanandoah : Do Umno Baru Malays gain anything by bashing the non-Malays in the country? If not for them, Malaysia will not be what it is today. The talent lost to other countries by so doing is not replaceable.
Umno Baru must rein in the racists and bigots or else lose more of what is left behind. At some point not too far away, the Malays will realise how foolish and stupid they have been in treating the non-Malays so badly that many good and intelligent people chose to emigrate for greener pastures elsewhere.
FellowMalaysian: Pak Lah is just wasting his time with his ranting. He admonished Umno delegates much about the same subject when he was PM from 2003 to 2009.
The delegates turned their backs on him and nothing was done to stop them from making religious and racial innuendos. Will they heed his words this year?
Lionheart: Wise words spoken but they will fall on deaf ears. When you were PM, you couldn't change anything, let alone now. When Umno warlords say, "We are defending Malays' rights”, what they meant is "Where is my share!"
Allocate RM10 billion or RM100 billion to help the poor Malays and I can say all the rakyat will give the thumbs up. Don't on the pretext to help Malays, pocket the monies. Malaysians will all be proud to have millionaire Malays as neighbours.
Pputeh: Pak Lah, I write from the heart and am indeed sad to say this to you, Sir. Put yourself in the shoes of the non-Malays. It’s bashing we get daily and we are the punching bag when Umno politicians want to score brownie points from the Malays.
Tell me, what have the non-Malays done to deserve this? We helped to build this country where it is today. I am second generation Malaysian born here and my grandchildren are fourth generation.
We bear the pain at being demonised and called ‘pendatangs’ and made to feel second-class citizens. Is this how a country treats its own?
As social activist Marina Mathathir said previously to those going away - stay and be counted. Today, she says go but still remember/love Malaysia. I think I will have to say the same to my children and grandchildren if confronted by them seeking to leave.
Sali Tambap: People go into politics to get rich - look at the BN component parties. But money does not grow on trees. It has to be earned and when you do not earn it but want it anyway, the only way to get it is by illegal means, thus corruption.
We need to break this cycle and that's why the best option is another party not motivated by money but good governance.
People like Lim Guan Eng and Azmin Ali have shown us that young Malaysians administrators can do it. We have to change our outlook. Or risk being destroyed as a nation.
Mushiro: Ex-PMs, whether they serve for five years or 23 years seem to regret that they have not done very much during their term of office. Only after stepping down do they realise that they had not worked on key issues during their term and they expect the next PM to follow their whims and fancies.
Similarly, the next Umno PM gets very busy working on his personal financial targets that he is lost among the country's issues. The progress of the country is completely neglected for personal gains.
Come the yearly Umno GA (general assembly), a few people get excited, factions in Umno get worked up, advices to improve the fate of the Malays are a plenty, bashing of races and personalities is repeated, political differences with Umno are taken as treasonous acts and when the curtain is down, everything goes back to business as usual. It is just one big circus.
Quigonbond: Pak Lah may be right that Umno is not a racist party. This does not however mean that they are not an extremist party with no qualms to use race and religion to secure continued power and therefore prosperity amongst themselves at the expense of Malaysia's competitiveness and moral fortitude.
Anonymous #40538199: If Umno wants its leadership to be accepted by all, it must move away from narrow race-based politicking.
It must not degenerate into behaving like a big bully that frightened the majority and threaten the minority in order to stay in power. It must behave like a big brother that is capable of staying in power by looking after the interest of all races.
Blackknight: If only Umno members can relate to and act on Pak Lah’s advice, we would be on the road to progress, harmony and prosperity. Having said that, we are not entirely at the mercy of Umno because the rakyat no longer consider Umno to be the sole custodian of the nation.
If Umno leaders misbehave, then they risk being booted out at the next GE or even before that. The rakyat's tolerance has a limit and it would be wise for Umno to heed it.
Gone are the days that Umno can threaten and misbehave like a child. Pak Lah has seen the writing on the wall and it is incumbent upon Umno to rewrite the script. For too long, this drama has lived on the rakyat's forbearance.
Mohican: Let the Malay trait and culture known for its politeness, respect and not wanting to hurt others prevail despite the extremist views.
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