I was asked recently by a Thai friend if Malaysia had seen the kind of political violence that Thailand suffered two years ago, the reverberations of which are still keenly felt within Thai society today.

I answered with an emphatic ‘no’ and in a rather complacent manner, explaining also that, unlike other Indo-Chinese countries, Malaysia has a ‘highly professional and neutral’ military.

“To Malaysians, coup d’etat is as alien as winter.”

Strangely, I could feel a chill in my bones after saying this. Sooner or later, I may come to regret my false confidence and wishful thinking.

NONE By now, it is becoming abundantly clear that Umno is bent on staying in power by hook or by crook. Just before the Bersih 2.0 rally last July, the police announced that they were ready to work with the armed forces in controlling the participants. Why call in the army? As it turned out, the police - armed with teargas and water cannons - were more than capable of charging at the peaceful crowds, despite their dismal records in tackling street crimes.

Since late last year, there has been a series of violent incidents involving thugs linked to Umno. From Asal Bukan Umno (Anything But Umno) public forums to opposition functions to other NGO events, unknown youngsters would appear from nowhere and threaten to harm the speakers and attendants, the latest victim being a journalist covering the anti-Lynas protest in Penang last Sunday.

After the attempts to disrupt ceremahs by Anwar Ibrahim in Sembrong and Nurul Izzah Anwar in a Felda estate, surely there will be more thuggery aimed at the opposition and civic rights bodies that are perceived as unfriendly towards the government.

I am certain those unruly youths are linked to Umno because, as one can see, they only wreak havoc at events that are against the interests of the ruling coalition. Given all the bad press by Utusan Malaysia, New Straits Times and The Star , the last thing that the opposition wants is more propaganda fodder for Umno by getting rowdy.

Of greater concern is the conspicuous silence of Umno bigwigs.

When Najib Abdul Razak edged out Abdullah Ahmad Badawi three years ago so that he and his vainglorious wife got to occupy Seri Perdana sooner than planned, the mainstream media heaped praises on him as being ‘outstanding’, ‘self-assured’, ‘moderate’, ‘gifted’ and ‘adept’.

But this man has turned out to be an utter failure at a time when leadership is called for, and his playing with ignorance is a walking embarrassment for those who had rushed to eulogise him prematurely.

But my biggest worry is those young people who seem to have nothing better to do but engage themselves in delinquency and hooliganism. What has gone wrong with them? Would they have chosen this path if other options such as proper education and a decent job were available to them?

Would one allow one’s own children or siblings to go astray like the Umno-sponsored thugs? I am posing this question even to Umno supporters and the non-partisan voters.

Exploiting socially-marginalised youths

What is most despicable, deplorable and shameless is that none of the Umno leaders - certainly not Najib, Muhyiddin Yassin and Mahathir Mohamad - would permit their young ones to go anywhere near the violent scenes, yet they are turning a blind eye to the fact that lower-echelon politicians have been exploiting the socially marginalised youths for their own selfish interests!

One can have a myriad of reasons for Umno to remain in power; what matters most is whether the argument is conveyed rationally and in peace. Resorting to and condoning violence will only radicalise our national politics, potentially to the point of no return.

Since the next general election is widely perceived as a do-or-die battle, Umno is going all out to ensure its own survival.

NONE Arming and paying the jobless youths to strike fear into the general public is simply one of the many dirty and ugly tricks used to halt the opposition and civil society from making further inroads; it is also a perfidious scheme that reminds one of Robert Mugabe’s reign of terror: the elites are racing against each other to embezzle public fund and to enrich themselves, while the young generation is left with no future to look forward to.

The saddest truth is that these young people could have been given a better choice if Umno had run the country responsibly and with integrity. Instead, they are now taught to embrace thuggery as a matter of course, and may end up being trapped in the vicious cycle, all in exchange for peanuts.

Is a raw deal as such all that Umno can offer the young Malays? Does one not shudder at the prospect of a country filled with thuggish youths? Why can’t Umno opt for the culture of civil debate? Isn’t ruffianism the strongest sign of running scared?

The more Umno connives at political thuggery, the more it proves its rampant corruption and dearth of true leadership.

Eduardo Galeano, a leftist writer from Uruguay, once said: “The most terrible crime that could be committed against the poor is to steal their hope; it is even worse than murder, because hope is often all that poor people have left.”

Now it is evident that not only is Umno robbing the poor of their hope; it is also turning them into political mercenaries who will surely be dumped to face their own fate once the fight is over.

And there is no greater moral wrong than this, which is why I still feel the unbearable chill in my bones.

JOSH HONG studied politics at London Metropolitan University and the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. A keen watcher of domestic and international politics, he longs for a day when Malaysians will learn and master the art of self-mockery, and enjoy life to the full in spite of politicians.