COMMENT | You could hear the pin drop when Ahmad Zahid Hamidi flashed the blue IC of Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

That his true name was Mahathir Anak Lelaki Iskandar Kutty. This in an Umno event and assembly. Many, in light, but bated breath would have said: "Astaghfirullah." (May God forgive). Never mind that Iskandar is actually Mahathir’s grandfather.

Melayu mudah lupa? Malays are forgetful? No. The Malays are polite and gentle people, with a strong cultural memory. Tradition, from fasting to prayers, mean a lot to them. Where they become absent minded is when their leaders lead them astray.

Indeed, in every culture that is soft and genteel, insulting a person is a big taboo. By trying to insult Mahathir and his parents and even his grandparents, Umno has lost their plot. They are antagonising their own followers with mixed parentage.

In fact, the beauty of Malaysia is a unique combo. Tunku Abdul Rahman was a mix of Malay and Siamese blood. He had a  Chinese wife too. Razak was of Bugis pedigree. Hussein Onn being a Turkic and Malay. Abdullah claims to have Hainan lineage. Najib himself declared he was a Bugis warrior? Zahid Hamidi himself of Javanese origin and has an adopted Chinese foster mother by his own admission.

Yet in spite of this history and personal pedigree, they were the first to forget that in Islam, it is not what colours of the skin you have, but the contents of your merits as the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said in his Last Pilgrimage.

But Zahid cannot be blamed for his wild and vile attack on Mahathir.

He is under pressure from Najib to attack all and sundry in opposition. Why? For the first time in decades, Najib knows that powers are slipping away from their hands. His political secretaries see their own positions and powers slipping away by the minute and day.

They know because the crowd is not cheering when the leaders defend their vile actions. They know because their own Umno members have to be given many incentives, such as free bus trips and foods, and drinks before they make their way to these events.

Even after they consume the food and drinks, the members too will doubt if the sources came from halal money in Umno?...