The hysteria in Umno triggered by Tengku Razeleigh offering to run for its presidency reveals the darker and much uglier side to the party's culture. That is, the fear of contests, challenges and competition. This is the ultimate manifestation of the collective sense of insecurity and self-doubt, the harvest they reap after two generations of sowing the seeds of special privileges.

Or, to put a refined spin on it, the tremors are nothing more than expressions of frustration over threats to the entrenched feudalism within Umno. In traditional Malay society, its leaders - from the sultans down to the lowly ketua kampong (village head) - felt that they were entitled to their positions. Various higher authorities were invoked to justify this. For the sultan, it was his divine rights; for the bendahara (prime minister), it was so foretold by a now long-dead sance; for the ketua kampong, well, it was fated in one of his dreams.

Thus once acquired, the position was his to keep for life and to bequeath as he saw fit, usually to the oldest son. He in turn would then perpetuate this sense of entitlement, all in the name of upholding the tribal honor and tradition.

Umno may have all the trappings of modernity, alas, scratch a bit and the underlying feudalism reeks out. From the president down to the lowly divisional heads, these leaders, like their ancient counterparts, do not take kindly to the insolence of the upstarts, or any challenger for that matter.

Before Umno critics smile smugly, let me kindly remind them that, sadly, this blight now infects other parties. The Lim Kit Siangs and Sammy Vellus are now pseudo Malay nobility wannabes. They too feel that they are destined to be leaders forever, and entitled to bequeath their position onto their chosen heirs.

These leaders behave thus with the implicit consent, if not encouragement, of their followers. The recent rush in Umno to nominate or otherwise anoint the scions of leading political families fit this pattern.

The only organisation bucking this trend is, surprisingly, PAS. What an irony, as it is also an all-Malay party! Those Malays in PAS may have a worldview akin to the ancient Arabs, but at least its leaders lack the pretensions of the supposedly more modern types in Umno.

Trapped in feudalism

Europe did not emerge from the Middle Ages until it had ridden its feudal system. General MacArthur's greatest contribution to Japan was his dismantling of its feudal society. Released from the lord and vassal relationship between rulers and ruled, those societies could now tap the talent of their entire citizenry. At its simplest level, such emancipation greatly enlarged the talent pool. More fundamentally, it transformed the way they looked at their fellow citizens. Talent and ability became the defining traits, not birth and bloodlines.

The British did much to dismantle the more feudalistic aspects of Malay society, but not all. The colonialists were banking on the fortunate few Malays educated and exposed to the finer aspects of English culture at such places as Oxford and Cambridge to in turn transform Malay society.

Alas, such was not the case. Those privileged and educated Malays became even more enamored with the feudal lifestyle now that they had become lord and master, the law of unintended consequences being operative. They too now wanted their own fiefdom and sets of peasants. Nor did these new jungle lords brook challenges. If they did not have a male heir to bequeath their position, well, a son-in-law was a good substitute. Or get a second wife who would hopefully bear them a son.

Today we have ministers who treat assets under their trusteeship as their personal holdings, to be dispensed to whomever they please. Rafidah Aziz has no compulsion awarding her son-in-law valuable discounted company shares. How dare the peons challenge her!

While way back then a Rafidah Aziz in her thirties was considered talented enough to be a cabinet minister, today she considers her younger challengers with far superior training and experience than she ever had, as immature and uppity!

Liberating the feudal Malay mind

The challenge for Malays generally and Umno members specifically is not who they choose as leaders (besides, that is already set for the next decade or so) rather to liberate them - leaders and followers alike - from their feudal mindset.

Recent trends in Umno notwithstanding, I am hopeful. With globalisation, these feudal leaders will become increasingly irrelevant. Indeed the government itself will become so. It is there when you need to renew your passport, and of course to pay your taxes. This fact is now a reality for most non-Malays, it will become more so for increasing numbers of Malays.

Unlike their brethren trapped in their feudal mindset and forever beholden to a paternalistic government, these emancipated Malays at least have the chance to be judged on their talent and not on their lineage. To them contests, challenges and competition are opportunities to showcase their skills and sharpen their wits. A liberating experience!

Competition brings out the best in all of us. Besides, we will never know where the next spark of talent will emerge. Without contests, we would never have known that a lowly ranked obscure Russian-born teenager from Florida could effortlessly dethrone the reigning queen of Wimbledon. What is true in sports is also true elsewhere, including politics. Without open contests, Umno will never discover, and more importantly cultivate, its next Tun Razak and Dr Mahathir.

Globalisation brings the modern world to Malays even in the remotest villages. The government propaganda machinery has lost its power, as there are now alternative sources of news. With information comes power, and the greatest tool for empowerment is the Internet. It is gratifying to see increasing web content in Malay, thus expanding the reach of the masses. Enhanced English fluency would also help liberate the Malay mind.

Once freed from the mental and cultural shackles of feudalism, Malays would then truly enjoy the true meaning of merdeka (freedom), a luxury that has long been denied them by their own government and leaders.

The thrashings within Umno today are nothing more than the last throes of the desperate and dwindling mudfish whose swamp is being drained by a much bigger external force beyond their control - globalisation. Thrashing and mindlessly throwing dirty mud around is about the only thing they can do. Unfortunately we all have to endure the splashing as they sully themselves, but hopefully not for long.