My reaction to Umno president's Dr Mahathir Mohamad's speech at the recent Umno general assembly was one of sadness, coupled with pity. After all these years the man still doesn't get it.

The first part of his speech went well enough. Many share his disgust for the Opposition-inspired ugly demonstrations. Those agitated local 'reformers' are less concerned with better governance than being outraged that their favorite leader (and thus themselves) being denied his (and their) turn to plunder the nation's bounty.

If truth in labeling law were applied to political organisations, Keadilan should be more accurately called the 'Free Anwar Party'.

The rest of Mahathir's speech was nothing but warmed-over rhetoric. It is dj vu , like hearing an answering machine stuck on auto replay. He might as well read excerpts from his first book, The Malay Dilemma , written over 30 years ago. It is the same refrain, with hardly a variation on the theme.

The speech itself was two hours long, as if he was showing off his physical prowess. Alas, delivering a long speech is one thing; coming up with innovative ideas is another. The latter takes intellectual, not physical, vigor.

Rent collectors, parasites

Mahathir's frequent castigating of Malays wears out rather quickly, and his endless stereotyping is nauseatingly familiar. We have heard these same tired messages many times before.

While he despairs the low English proficiency among young Malays, his minister of Education has yet to take that subject seriously or make it mandatory. Nor has Mahathir provided enough English teachers, especially to our rural schools.

While he laments the lack of Malays in science, our public universities, which are under his direct control, continue to pour out gluts of Malay and Islamic Studies graduates. As he again bemoans the computer illiteracy of our youths, our rural schools lack electricity, let alone computers.

There was, as usual, the typical tirade on the lack of Malays in business, and just as predictably, a general denigration of Malay aptitude for commerce. Mahathir has it all wrong.

Malays are indeed shrewd businessmen, Malaysian-style that is. Their role models are the Halim Saads and Tajuddin Ramlis. They are handsomely rewarded not for their expertise or entrepreneurial ability, but rather on their coziness with the powerful.

Budding Malay entrepreneurs learn quickly that to succeed they need not pay attention to their clients or customers, but suck up to the politically powerful. The road to riches in Malaysia is not through creating or building, but getting the right contacts and contracts. Mahathir has created a class not of builders and creators, but of rent collectors and parasites.

Mona Fendi on morality

In the past Mahathir cajoled, preached and even cried to the faithful on the evils of money politics. This time he was no more Mr Nice Guy; he laid it out straight.

He finally admitted the obvious: Umno is corrupt to the core. It is no longer only a political party, but a massive and insatiably greedy patronage system.

The most comical, if not bizarre, episode was when Umno vice-president Muhammad Taib, too, condemned corruption. This from a man who was caught with millions in cash in his back pocket! Next Mahathir will invite Mona Fendi to lecture on personal morality! Ever wonder why such messages fall on deaf ears?

Mahathir quoted the Koran liberally. All he needs now is a beard, an oversized green turban, and a flowing robe. Then Pak Sheikh Mahathir will out-Islam Tok Guru and Hadi Awang.

To me, what was not said in the speech is significant. We were spared, thankfully, the doctor's half-cocked exposition on human genetics. Give the man credit; at least on this point, he finally does get it.

While Malaysians yearn for greater freedom and a less oppressive government, Mahathir arrogantly ignores these pleas. When citizens call for greater transparency and accountability, Mahathir blissfully disregards these concerns.

He dismisses workers' dismay on their pension fund being less than prudently managed. Nary a word from him on these and other issues that are dear to Malaysians. Mahathir knows best. Besides, these are minor issues made big by the Opposition, says he elsewhere.

Numbing narcotics

While Mahathir is consumed with his own little world of Malay/non-Malay rivalry, the greater challenge facing all Malaysians loom large. Distracted by this unproductive squabble, Mahathir said little on globalisation (except to dismiss it as neocolonialism) or on the more difficult task of enhancing Malaysian competitiveness.

To Mahathir, when his meticulous plans fail, that must be because Malays are lazy and lack initiative. It did not occur to him to critically examine the plan.

Out in the West, when someone says, "I am from the Feds, and I am here to help you!" ranchers and farmers quickly flee to the hills. They know only too well what government help means.

Likewise, much of Mahathir's 'help' is nothing but numbing narcotics, insulating Malays, instead of preparing them to face the realities of the marketplace.

Mahathir's sycophants are already praising him to the seventh heaven for his supposedly 'brave' and 'blunt' words.

In truth, it dose not take much courage to be brave and blunt when you control the Internal Security Act (ISA) .

" Cakap tak serupa bikin ," quoted Mahathir. How right! Mahathir, to paraphrase that quote into its hip-hop version, can only 'talk the talk but cannot walk the walk'. The failures of his policies are his, not that of Malays. We Malays are fed up with being blamed for the misguided policies of our leaders.

Umno implosion

Mahathir is shocked that in the last election only non-Malays appreciated his brilliant stewardship. Malays were, in his words 'stupid and ungrateful'. It finally dawned on him that his party has lost the support of Malays.

It took him this long, as the loss was not reflected in the number of parliamentary seats held. He was spared a humiliating thrashing in the last general elections through shrewd political maneuvering. The election was wisely called just before thousands of new registered voters became eligible.

The next elections will be radically different. It will be the implosion of Umno. I predict that Barisan Nasional will again return to power but will be denied its two-thirds majority. Umno will however, suffer the humiliation of winning fewer seats than PAS.

To add insult to injury, Mahathir's home state of Kedah will go to PAS. And to rub salt on a raw wound, the Kubang Pasu seat, long held by Mahathir, will also fall to PAS.

Mahathir's listeners, especially those outside that assembly hall, have changed. He can rightfully claim credit for many of those changes. Mahathir now is like an insecure mother who does not notice the subtle changes in her brood and continues to force-feed them the same pablum to her fully grown children.

And when they protest or rebel, she puts them on a guilt trip about being ungrateful. Wise parents recognise that the reprimand that works in childhood is counterproductive on teenagers and grownups.

The world has changed but Mahathir stubbornly and proudly sticks to his old assumptions. Therein lies the problem, for him as well as for the nation. Unless he recognises the changes around him, he will never get it.