Come the Umno general assembly, we usually hear the same old rhetoric ie race-based bashing to the score of the ‘Ketuanan Melayu’ slogan. Nevertheless, the wise and decent-minded society at large has grown tired of such drama. Latest in the pipeline is not race-based bashing in general but MCA-bashing by senior leaders of Umno as well as the second most senior leaders in Umno which thereby diverts the foremost attention that this beloved country needs.

The blame game is like a circus charade or when one goes to a funfair riding the merry-go-round. Now Umno is blaming MCA for losing seats in the last general election and claiming we cannot deliver.

Well, Penang Gerakan chairman Teng Chang Yeow was correct when in his press statement, he declared yesterday, Sept 10, 2016 that “there is no denial that Umno has better election machinery. Their machinery is so good that they are unable to win back Kelantan and Selangor.”

Observing Umno’s machinery in the 2013 general election, was it not Umno’s machinery that caused them to lose Gelang Patah, Wangsa Maju and Kuantan?

Just ask any Malay or Chinese or Indian or any other Malaysian citizen in a cosmopolitan, big city a simple question: Do you support Umno? Generally, a learned Malay in the city centre would avoid giving an answer. What moderate and learned Malays and all Malaysians want are policies that will bring this country forward and not backward. A policy of merit, not enriching a few. Even they cry this out in their battlecry for equitability in a forward-thinking society.

To my brother in the same boat, Armand Azha of Pemuda Umno: Going through the middle path to divide and conquer does not work any more in this digitally connected world. Even our Malay brethren find it ‘susah’ to ‘cari makan’. We ought to focus on nation building with sound and equitable policies, then people will support us.

If the ruling party continues with such rhetoric, we would see its gradual demise soon like the Kuomintang party in Taiwan, which will then take more than a decade to rebuild.

CHRIS DANIEL WONG is Bangsar MCA Youth chairperson and MCA Religious Harmony Bureau secretary.