What did you dream about, Malaysia?
As we get overwhelmed with all the goings on in Malaysia, not forgetting the overdose from late night TV-shows and ‘Breaking news’ before retiring for the night each day, dreams keep us alive with hope.
Considering the mother of all battles raging within Umno for and against the sitting Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and his spouse, who is also under the radar of public scrutiny, we may even dream of an eventual outcome.
Similarly, considering how the once hopeful opposition coalition or association of convenience has now been battered by the PAS fallout, there is also some dreaming for an eventual outcome.
The dreams centre on the most elusive question of our present times, namely, ‘What then could be the next big change for Malaysia?’
For some it will be a case of yet another ‘Semuanya okay’ scenario and life returning to normal, and then only to be getting jump-started all over again with yet another spin of bad or confusing political weather.
Others, who given the long decades of indoctrination, would be more inclined to be dreaming of them standing on the wayside and saying - much in the hallmark fashion that is typical of Malaysians, “Let us wait and see”.
Other more dramatic or volatile scenarios that are possible in our dreams include the following.
One, the Dr Mahathir Mohamad camp will relent in defeat. The Umno crowd jumps ship. The jubilant mood swing will be punctuated with cries of “Arrest Dr M”. It may even be spiked by the traditional, proven and tested rowdy sporadic displays eventually leading to his arrest.
Propaganda quickly changes to overdrive mode accelerated with the television and print media painting on a new canvas of how Umno under Najib is bringing salvation to the people who were shortchanged for a long time. The name of God Almighty will be invoked to give the consecration a divine touch, too. Race priority will be the marching song of victory.
Meanwhile, the opposition will become the whipping horse. Sedition, creating instability and malicious chaos would be the charges of the day while the one political party that breaks away from the group will become glorified by Umno.
The enemies have been singled out. The ‘maruah’ has been victoriously returned to its rightful owner. It is time to put the pains behind and move on with more money that will be given out as injury costs. And the shift takes on a grand preparation for a visit by Barack Obama and the signing of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA).
Different scenario
Nice dream. But others will dream a different scenario.
The sitting prime minister will be vanquished. And along with him his spouse will boomerang into a public enemy numero uno. The tremor that follows will see a scampering of sorts within the cabinet as the once defender-politicians dash for safer grounds.
The dust will quickly settle and Umno emerges as the champion of the people again. Shouts of “Kami sudah capai Transformasi” (We have been transformed), will peel from Putrajaya as the crowds wave the Umno flag in a victorious mood.
The media will be working overtime to paint the town red with stories of how some foreign agents have been working in cahoots with and misleading certain people within Umno.
The scene than progresses quickly, and Najib and Rosmah will be blessed with forgiveness - again playing religion to the hilt, and meanwhile life returns to normal as a re-invented team of politicians helm the government.
Meanwhile, the opposition will return to nurse its wounds and re-strategise again with re-invented partnerships.
But there will also still be pockets of others among Malaysia’s thirty million population plus some foreigners who have a place for Malaysia in their hearts through association, affiliation or relationships having a different dream of sorts.
For them, Umno will be so battered that even its coalition partners cannot mend the shattered glasshouse. A huge exodus never seen before in Malaysia takes place as people move fast to re-align their allegiance. And out sprouts a new coalition of political power sharing.
Pronouncements are made. Old and archaic laws will be quickly dismantled to create a atmosphere of celebration crowning a mood of jubilant victory. ‘People-friendly & Clean Malaysia’ will be the song of the day as Malaysians race to build a euphoric nation of not ‘Lima Bangsa’ but ‘Malaysian Bangsa’.
Now, which dream did you have?

