COMMENT Isa Samad delivered a stunning victory for the Barisan Nasional (BN) in Bagan Pinang yesterday. It reminds us all of the ‘good’ old days. Now Umno head Najib Abdul Razak can face the party EGM with guns blazing on Thursday.

najib and barisan nasional In Bagan Pinang, the trend of losing by-elections to the opposition has ended. The economy, although production figures remain low, is nevertheless chugging ahead. If Najib can deliver ‘developed’ world status even if a merely material one, then BN will rule for the next 50 years.

The reality is quite different from the ideal. Malaysians, if Bagan Pinang is any measure, have always been a practical lot. Perhaps, we are all racists at heart. Maybe there was never a time in our history when we were united as a single bangsa (used here in the sense of nation as in Bangsa Bangsa Bersatu ).

If that is the case, then it is quite all right if the BN continues to rule. Ethnic identities the world over are becoming more significant in daily life, so why should Malaysia be any different?

Corruption may be an issue among the chattering classes but not in Bagan Pinang. After all, what is wrong with a little corruption so long as oil spouts from the ground and the world continues to buy our products?

NONE A little advice to the press, if it does not involve figures in the hundred of billions of ringgit, do not waste time highlighting issues of corruption. It might be better to just legalise it altogether. That way we can earn extra revenue through taxation.

In case Malaysians have not noticed, the developed world has the same attitude towards corruption. The United Kingdom, for example, is a giant casino with hedge fund managers and Russian billionaires putting their money in British banks. Since, we have finally managed to make corruption part and parcel of our lives, perhaps we are really heading towards ‘developed’ status.

What a relief that the BN has finally found a way to win back the middle ground. Everyone knows that Malaysians really want business as usual. Isa is the face of that era in Malaysian history that many are now nostalgic for - disregard what Dr Mahathir Mohamad or Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah have said, for the BN has proven them both wrong.

isa samad bn candidate Isa (right) reminds us all of the ‘good’ old days when government was strong, the economy was good and nobody questioned Umno.

Now, if only S Samy Vellu could be convinced to stay on as MIC president, the world would really be a better place. Imagine the kind of special advice Samy Vellu could give to the government. Why not give him another chance, just as Isa had.

Indian Malaysian support has returned to the BN as demonstrated in Bagan Pinang. Hindraf and Makkal Sakthi have finally succeeded. In fact, all Indian Malaysians now know that the only way they can strengthen their material position is through a strong MIC led by Samy Vellu. Let us all hope he lives forever.

Bold moves needed

As for the MCA, thank goodness for the EGM results. We all know that Chinese Malaysians cannot be bought, and that it is they who do the ‘buying’. It was a great day when the party decided not to ‘buy’ the cock and bull story about the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal.

NONE Now we know for a fact that the MCA chose to dispatch its own president to protect Malaysians from the scourge of PKFZ. I once wrote that if Ong Tee Keat fails to slay the PKFZ tiger, the villagers will kill him.

chua soi lek Of course, the MCA seems to be divided right down the middle. But could the BN have really accepted Dr Chua Soi Lek as MCA president? Nobody can look at the man without thinking about moving pictures. The ultimate sin for a Chinese is not committing a crime but being found out. In true ‘Asian values’ fashion, being found out simply means losing face. It is good that Chua has finally seen the light and is now ready for retirement.

So, the MCA is back on the road to recovery after having gotten rid of a troublesome president obsessed with being a lone ranger. Political parties need to be cohesive. It does not matter whether one has any values or morals. If a party is not united, it does not have clout.

The MCA needs to find a candidate acceptable to its members and to Umno. It must also make a bold move. Since the men in the party are hell-bent on quarrelling and “acting”, it might be better if the MCA breaks new ground and elects Ng Yen Yen as president.

As for the opposition, well what is there left to say? Bagan Pinang has been a wake-up call. Please do not think that Bangsar Baru is all of Malaysia. There is a significant number of Malaysians who do not like corruption but they are not the majority in all places. We take an exception to corruption and other ‘bad’ practices because we can literally ‘afford’ to do so.

The poorer folks cannot and they are still a lot of them out there. In fact, there are still a lot of rural constituencies like Bagan Pinang where a local boy, no matter his background, can make good.

azlan Another lesson for Pakatan Rakyat leaders - if you are not truly united, you will lose the next general election. For those who are in state governments, all eyes are watching. They should not be reactionary but must rise above politics to demonstrate leadership.

Political showmanship and the road-warrior’s attitude can take one only so far. Without real examples of moving forward as a political coalition devoted to justice, equitability and progress, Pakatan will not be able to win over other Bagan Pinang.

NEIL KHOR recently completed his PhD at the University of Cambridge. He is co-author of 'Non-Sectarian Politics in Malaysia: The Case of Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia' (2008).