COMMENT It appears to me that Umno will have to lose in the coming general election at least once, before it learns a lesson.

To save Umno from further destruction is not about removing embattled Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

With the current political atmosphere, there are a number of parties which can protect the rights of the bumiputra. This includes PKR, the choice that was made by former deputy higher education minister Saifuddin Abdullah.

If Umno wants to remain relevant, it appears to me that it has to taste the bitter medicine - in short, it has to experience defeat in the coming general election.

Time for shake-up

If one reads Kee Thuan Chye’s latest two books, ‘Unbelievably Stupid!’ and ‘Unbelievably Stupid too!’ there is enough reason to agree with me that Umno will have to go through a major shake-up.

Because it has been in power for nearly six decades, over the years, a number of ‘snakes’, ‘crocodiles’ and ‘foxes’ have joined the political party.

As a result, people like Saifuddin ( right in photo ), who are moderate, more cultured and vocal, find themselves total misfits. It is interesting to note that even when Saifuddin was in Umno and serving as deputy minister, he did not receive any brickbats nor was his dignity as a Malay leader being challenged in the same manner some ‘half-past-six’ ministers have been bashed.

Even when he departed from Umno to join PKR, Umno secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor described him as ‘rubbish’ . However, Adnan has failed to look into the mirror himself.

This is one politician I have been monitoring for some time due to his lack of sensitivity and low intelligent quotient. I wonder if he can even spell IQ correctly.

All he knows is to use remarks like, “They can go nude if they wish” when referring to Bersih 4 rally-goers, who were mainly professionals and educated Malaysians, some with even a Puan Sri title!

Tengku Adnan has entered into Kee’s ‘Hahahall of Fame’ with some of his comical remarks. One of the best pieces by Kee was on ‘Ku Nan the Hutt’ in the Soup.

It is not only Tengku Adnan, but a number of other Umno ministers who make it to Kee’s Hahahall of Fame. Our present Deputy Prime Minister, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who is next in line after Najib, is quoted in the news saying, “If they issued a death threat, then it would be a threat. Slapping is not.”

This has of course earned Zahid an entire satirical article which the witty Kee was prepared to spend hours writing. The article is reproduced in pages 197-201 of his book, ‘Unbelievably Stupid!’

If enough to tickle you, read Kee’s one short chapter: ‘Slap Zahid and Get RM500!’ You cannot stop laughing when he finish reading the last line in less than five seconds.

Not to forget this is also the minister who wrote to the Federal Bureau of Investigation on behalf of Paul Phua, who was arrested by the US investigation authority. I wonder if he has done the same for Najib now and even if he did, would it have any bearing on the FBI’s investigations?

There are too many examples of Umno ministers and those aligned to the ruling political party making blunders.

Another good example, which has not found its way into Kee’s books, is the case of Paul Low, who said that too much transparency in the government is akin to pornography . I wonder since when Low has picked up the traits, but I guess it is what they say, ‘Bad company spoils good character’.

If ever there is a time for Low to get out of the mire, it is now before he finds himself in a sunken ship with the rest.

Time for Umno’s defeat

Without tasting defeat and learning good lessons from the defeat, Umno will never change.

Once it is defeated, it will begin to do some soul-searching and find its position in our society again. At the moment, it is already filled by the wrong people who are in politics for the wrong reason.

Once it is no longer in power, these people (including those with triad links) will slowly flock to the new ruling party. It is to be expected, because there is a saying that the underworld powers rule the governments that we see in the open.

Unless Umno members and members of other BN component parties are willing to vote against their own party for once, they too will find the party becoming a fence that no longer safeguards their interests. Instead, it is the interests of the minority and elites that it seeks to protect.

Go check out Kee’s two books - and you will know why I feel strongly that it is time for Umno to experience the pain of defeat at least once!

STEPHEN NG is an ordinary citizen with an avid interest in following political developments in the country since 2008.