“It's said that a wise person learns from his mistakes. A wiser one learns from other’s mistakes. But the wisest person of all learns from other's successes.”
- John C Maxwell
LETTER | What would you label one who is unwilling to learn?
Umno lost the 14th general elections. Its new president Zahid Hamidi and his band cannot accept their defeat and are nauseated at the very thought of playing second fiddle to their foes.
They thirst power, and want it at any cost, even if it means joining hands with their nemesis and forming a unity government with Pakatan Harapan.
Politics makes strange bedfellows. Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Anwar Ibrahim and Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Lim Kit Siang, Mohamed Sabu as well as Muhyiddin Yassin, along with their teams, came together for one common interest and the birth of Pakatan Harapan was the culmination of their dedication and earnest commitment towards Malaysia and her rakyat.
We Malaysians snubbed and discarded BN in GE14 and voted for “hope” but Umno is probably harbouring a desire of governance and see a light at the very end of their exceedingly long, dark and treacherous tunnel with Anwar.
Mahathir and Muhyiddin from Bersatu and Gobind Singh Deo from DAP have clearly rejected the very idea of a “unity government”, but Anwar purposefully or unknowingly is sending mixed signals by saying, “A unity government between Pakatan Harapan and Umno is not relevant. There is no such proposal, and therefore to my mind is not relevant to discuss”.
In his spate of magnanimity, having personally forgiven even Najib Razak, Anwar should remember that shaking hands with the devil could be disastrous.
The upcoming PD by-election is not as simple as meets the eye. Port Dicksonians can be whimsical.
In September 2009, following the death of Bagan Pinang assemblyperson, scandal-hit Mohd Isa Abdul Samad was named as a candidate for the by-election.
Previously, in 2005, the Umno disciplinary board had suspended him over money politics that took place during the party’s 2004 general assembly.
The charges involved organising meetings as well as organising and giving money to buy votes.
In 2008, his six-year suspension was reduced to three.
Despite his conviction, Port Dickson was pumped and a-buzz with excitement.
The people were floored by Isa when he rolled out the red carpet, pulled out all the stops and splurged to entice the folk.
After five whole days of entertainment and feasting, all on the house, the exhilarated crowd gave Isa what he wanted, a landslide victory.
Of course, Umno wanting in on a slice of the pie this time around too, have been sending feelers from time to time from one member or another, assuring shoulder-to-shoulder support for Anwar’s victory.
We hope Anwar will be on guard.
Instead of running after politicians, Umno should be wooing the people with simplicity, humility and sheer hard work.
Umno, really, what do you have to offer the people?
Apart from your waning pedigree, dubious strategies, provocative rhetoric, dwindling accomplices and failing publicity, what do you think you can offer us, the rakyat?
If you do wish to grab on straws, I believe your best bet would be to re-strategise your position as opposition and visualise Khairy Jamaluddin at the end of your tunnel.
The writer is from Port Dickson.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.
