Part1 -Tripartite Hydra

Once again it’s on. Looking back in time, PAS was telling all its supporters to ponder and think about this statement: Which is much more important, race or religion? Now a similar question arises; but in a different tone by broader range.

UMNO is fighting for the bumiputras. Do these bumiputras come from pure Malay linage? With all the mixed parentage of Zeiglers, Danishes and Karins does bumiputras exists?

It wasn’t much of a trivia. It’s a statement that emphasize that PAS was fighting on the right political platform. A holy path which nobody can deny or mock. If u deny any cause that is justified under the reason of God, you will be regarded as jahil (narrow minded) , zalim (unjust) or musyrik (imposter).

Our reasoning will be regarded paralyzed if we state that race is more important than religion. Na

turally religion comes before race. Yes, religion is important, in any way how can we deny it? Without any intention of cynical, we lived the five pillars of Islam and six pillars of Iman. The ‘one million dollar’ question is like a chain bomb; it comes with a plethora of other question like: Siapa yang akan menyelamat kita di dunia dan akhirat? Bangsa atau agama? ( Which of the two will save us? Your race or your faith? ) and Apakah malaikat soal bangsa kita apabila mati? ( Will they question your race when you are dead?) Yet, the question subtly referred to political preference between UMNO and PAS.

At the time, UMNO did not take that lightly, they responded and casuallyagreed that religion is the most vital part of anybody life which would made PAS smiling due to the credo. Yet, the idea of religion before race does not mean that someone has to be in PAS camp regarding it as the blessed political platform. With a billion over Muslims in the world in a state of instability and prejudice, we had to come to realization that binding medium of Muslims in 

Malaysia shall be that of ethnicity.

Smaller, manageable units of Muslim society – that is the way of UMNO.

The UMNO affair with the second most accounted religion is breaking it down to smaller, manageable part. Just like how family institution (dad authority, mom approval) can contribute to 

the success of the nation. Where is unity when this ‘breaking down’ happens? Though, Muslim brotherhood knows no geopolitical border, yet, Muslim seems to don bad face due to ethnic malfunction. Just like Saudi giving United States sponsorship to attack Iraq in 1991, an example of how brother spilt another brother blood. All of this due to ethnicity malfunctions; the Arabs failed to agree on commonality amongst themselves and allowed external influences to intervene.

It seems the idea of questioning race or religion first has backfired towards the other camp. UMNO starts questioning: What kind of sign tells us that UMNO way of fighting for religion through ethnic platform is invalid? God guarantees that each good deed done towards the sacred religion is being accounted, no matter how small it is. Did they mention deeds of PAS members received magnified values or triple bonus point? Worst, If UMNOs deed were deplorably unacceptable; they have got to be kafir? Don’t they?

Now, UMNO has to respond to the broader range of rakyat. PAS whom fundamental aim seeks to create Islam Statehood had join forces with unflinchingly outspoken ‘Malaysian Malaysia’ party to pose another one million dollar question: ‘Does Malay itself a race that is original or had become impure due to cross-breed?  A hard rhetoric considering the fact that Tun Mahathir father himself is an Indian from Kerala. How did former Selangor MB Khir got his Toyo? There are some whom admitted that there is no such race as Malay; as they explained: “semua darah sudah campur, Melayu takdak“ This is a salvos of question seeking to refute the platform which UMNO stood now.

Probably, Im well aware about UMNO mechanics after the 8^th March political tsunami. They are trying to tell the rakyat that there are two different way of thinking within PAS members. The so-called modern, much versatile, coat donning, blackberry utilizing ‘Erdogan’ sect and the conservatism ulama (Muslim clerics) sect. There is no use breaking up PAS because in the end of the day, PAS can be the Malays only salvation. Weakening it now may result in a quickening of Malays downfall as the demographically dominant ethnic in Malaysia. Thus, quicken the transformation of Malaysia into republic and quelling Malay hopes to reside in cities pushing them back farther into the depths of outskirts. Making the wicked orchestration come to its fruitation.

As I see it, there’s big possibilities of this unflinchingly brave ‘Malaysian Malaysia’ party becoming the dominant entity amongst the Pakatan Rakyat. Dominant, not in the sense that they will sweep many seats, instead, dominant as they will hold key seats – the populous, more cultured urban folks. This is apparently true as what we saw in recent election. The rich states shall fall under their hands. PAS on the other hand, will get the votes of Malay belt states ( such as Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah and Perlis ), which economic output were still based on agriculture. That’s fine, early in the days; both parties can harmoniously form an alliance government

Epicenter of Republic in the high-hopes of domino effect

Hence, when the Malaysian Malaysia party had an upper hand, with their dominant seat they shall allocate meager funding to masjids and suraus, PAS will somehow become infuriated, yet they powerlessly obey. A furious uproar from PAS grassroots leaders from the corners of kampongs and desa sends chills to the upper echelon of PAS. PAS higher council shall asks the Rockets.

The Malaysian Malaysia party shall pose trivial questions like “ How many of you are pure Muslims? Why I can see a few/lots of you drinking alcoholic beverages? Why not many of your female is not wearing Hijab since it’s compulsory? “,in a way to justify the need to lessen allocations, further sidelining the Malays. If a revolt starts, the Islamophobia messages will spread through the arms of information channels. Whatever cause PAS and its followers fought for is considered futile.  Once Islamophobia were spread amongst city folks which will widen the gap, PAS have this image of recklessly backward thinking party which resorted to violence. While Rockets are sitting on their offices further suppressing PAS.

It is no harder to see, the ‘Malaysian Malaysia’ party will firstly play the racial card. We see them trying to create an ‘epicenter of republic’ in Perak, hoping the domino shall fall and rakyat realize that the grass is greener and laughter is filled with joy in Perak after the lost of Sultanate Intervention. They never succeed in doing so, yet they achieve a small degree of success giving tremors to Malaysian politics about their unwitting will to wipe the Sultanate in order for democracy to run smoothly according to their liking. Their action should be punished severely, neither; it is not a matter of faux pas and sensitivity of Malays (which they would gladly disregard, because their life run on the books of akta). This is a matter of Kings Prerogative and judgment when disputes occurred. 

As co-belligerence, Is PAS ready to be backfired? Does PAS ready to be seen as a party that represents a group of people which are non-existent? Is PAS really ready for the prejudiced Islamophobic gaze? Just like today opposition trying to tell people that UMNO represents an ethnic group that is nonexistent. Like some says “darah sudah campur, Melayu takdak” Does God assurance that Islam is a religion that shall be forever dignified, so does this let PAS rest on its laurels? PAS for all this while never agreed to become minorities of UMNO, then, PAS are willing to let itself being overcast by a more horrid shadows.

Not bridging the gap

If today we lauded the ideas Malaysian without ethnic identifiers (with intention to irrationalize UMNO), who might guarantee the Rockets might barred their thrusters from blowing fire about Malaysian without religion? The Rockets shall held the book of akta in their hands, spit out to the faces of PAS delegates that how once they refuted kesetiaan kepada raja dan Negara, now they are gleefully refuting kepercayaan kepada tuhan. Remember PAS,any force exerted, it shall heed with the annoying Islamophobic gaze. The Islamophobic is an easily available prejudice weapon which The Rockets will never think twice to use, especially against its non-like-minded ally-PAS

Like UMNO people admitting they are plain mad being regarded as chauvinist. How do PAS delegates responded when they had extremist tag on their forehead?

For Malay belt states, they shall prepare themselves to be gazed as regions that breed terrorists. Be prepared as our beloved nation split into two regions between the angry north and dominant south peninsula. Malaysia at that moment shall have a bigger problem to deal with; not more of ethnic unity, but national unity. Something that had been tackled since the Tun Abdul Razak generation.

“Kau ingat ini negeri bapa kau punya? “ this is what the late Tunku Abdul Rahman gets when he arrived in Johor to collect signature of all Malay Rulers as a sign of unity which paved way to the formation of Persekutuan Tanah Melayu. Now that is shameful and hard to swallow, Yet, today there is a party within Malaysia itself, for the sake of democracy to run at its liking, wanted to re-introduce regionalized Malaysia. It’s no secret; their daring first steps would be to create an epicenter of republic. Countless times said, they regarded the Sultanate as Malay Achilles heel, and it’s a joy to throw acid at them.

This is how the Pakatan will play their games and ploy the road to victory: breaking apart Malaysia between the urbanites and non-urban. When they imposed their holier-than-thou so-called ‘economic justice’, they widened the gap between the affluent and poor. With their self-righteous principle that a nation cannot wait for those who are uncompetitive and poses liability they retracted special rights and bumiputra privileges. Does anyone have to re-explain the consequences of widened income gap? Never regard this as a vile threat; this orchestrated effort shall face a vain consequence.

Of course, some shall regard this entry as very prejudice and full of hatred. Butter thick with sinister and racism. Wanting to saw seed of angst. The ideas of ‘silent orchestration’ would just be a by-product of my extreme paranoia. I guess I’m just being vigil to the mesra rakyat solutions offered. Could they become a more effective alternative option for incumbent ruling National Front?

This reminded me of Hydra, a Greek mythology which tells about multiple headed dragon-like monster. What happens when Hydra with all three minds of its own start biting each other? Yet they existed on one body. By the fact, it doesn't take Hercules to slay this type of conflicting monster. 

After all speculation, I guess, there is matter still left hanging here. How UMNO is going to respond a query regarding Malays are not being authentic anymore?

The Journo

Many of us never heard the name Pak Samad, the unsung hero and nationalist. A strong proponent of Bahasa Melayu. The only bells that rung when speaking about Samad is A.Samad Said the writer of Malay satire Salina or the controversial Ahmad Ismail. 

So, I went to tinjau-tinjau and research in the internet. I only knew Pak Samad when news about his death came out. Beginning from that moment I started reading little by little on his story. And I bet, there are plenty of things which me myself has got find out within the stacks, rubble and collection of history.

Last few weeks, my entry centered on sovereignty and it’s filling. It is proven that independence alone does not mean anything if everything around us is owned by others who tend to suppress and pressure us. It’s a shame for our future son or daughters ( god willing ), born in Malaysia, soon discover that the hippiest and liveliest hot land plots around KLCC were to belong to some Bruce, Jack or Richards. 

By now, we began to reflect ourselves “would it be unfair to reject reality? “.

No doubt, the concept of Darwinism, where only the fittest survives is a natural law which applies to every human. Darwin himself an agnostic man whose genius and theory turned into a controversy, sending the science world into a storming debate roundtable. In Malaysia, his science philosophy has been politicized. As far as I personally see, certain group who are heeding this nation to become an ecosystem manifested by the fittest. Does an agnostic man know God created humans with flaw, weakness and dark sides? Lucky, we are supplied with brain tissue to think hard and overcome these human weakness. Or else, the social Darwinism kicks in and the sight of dog eat dog is something unruly in this civilized generation.

 In this competitive world where Dubai businessmen can easily purchase the Great Wall of China or acquire English football clubs in a swift, with daring intention of buying a plethora of superstar players. Things can become real unfair. Its about time when ‘affirmative action’ becomes necessary. Admit it, we are never a neo-colonized nation like Australia or United States where the original/aborigines had been driven out and strayed off from mainstream citizenry. We are blessed with the multiracial atmosphere. For some certain pockets of people who wanted Malaysia to pave its way to become a one race nation, perhaps, they never appreciate/cherish the multicultural social fabric of Malaysia. These people with their unclear intention and expectation should be dumped somewhere else and take time to appreciate ‘variety’.

Then, there should be a mechanism to protect whatever kepentingan ( interest ) that is vital for short, medium and long period. 

Pak Samad is a journalist. He was born in Singapore in 1924. At 21 he becomes editor for Berita Malai. Later in 1951, together with Lee Kuan Yew was amongst the founding member of PAP which offshoot/clone/mimic version existed here in Malaysia and claimed themselves the democratic party ( I fondly call them the Malaysian Malaysia Party ). Pak Samad had clash of thoughts with Kuan Yew and later left that city state to stay in Malaysia. Along the years here, a lot of things have been contributed by him. One of them includes the aquirisation of New Straits Times from the republic of Singapore.

He devised the idea that having a prominent news arm to disseminate information is vital. In times where Singapore-Malaysia relation were strenuous and the world ( at that time ) depended on established print media to get a clearer picture of what’s happening; Pak Samad no doubt has seen the advantage of ‘amplifying’ Malaysia voice to a more credible level. Nobody knew the approximate million dollar acquirisation of a single news corporation could make a significant change. Likewise the 1980’s coup of Guthrie and whole other English plantation companies that saps the blessed soil of Malaysia. Perhaps citizen of infant Malaysia was highly aware about tarred roads, piped water supply and reliable postal services. But there are 'other' things that can put nation survival into jeopardy. At the time, Utusan Malaya were spearheading the dissemination of information in Malaysia. But Utusan heavy stance of anti-colonization during the independence struggle had it labeled as ‘radical’ by some quarters. So, a neutral looking masthead needed to convince people outside Malaysia .

On the other hand, news, like an inhumane voice or ethereal convincer, penetrates to the single most individual minds. They enter homes, offices, schools and other constitution. People read news early in the morning, as it becomes like a spark plug of the logical/rationale quadrant of brain nerves. A fresh piece of crisp virgin newspaper has become somewhat an appeal to turn people on. Newspaper is the first and foremost.

1976 was Pak Samad darkest hours when he got to prison. Which incidentally falls on Tun Hussein Onn tenure as prime minister. There must have been some sort of matter which made the then-PM had him into detention. I still had to find out.  

Pak Samad became somewhat an instrument to counter any media salvos launched by Singapore towards us. By 1981, when the then prime minister Dr.Mahathir stepped up as a prime minister, he saw the huge potential of Pak Samad as someone with the capabilities and experience to apprehend the city state nerve warfare changing tactics and stratagem. He had him released from detention and offered post as editorial advisor of NSTP ( New Straits Times press ). It all worked brilliantly as Pak Samad himself held the mastery of journalism at the fingertips of both his hands; which by the time accounted around 40years of specialized skill. Ultimately, Pak Samad mahaguru was Abdul Rahim Kajai, the intelligentsia of pre-independence Malaya which directly joined the struggle towards independence through nationalistic-fuelled poetry and illicitly released written works.

True, pen is mightier than sword. And an organized info dissemination arm becomes a highly disciplined arsenal of mighty pen. 

Pak Samad should become the inspiration for the rest of us. The young ones. He had this strong spirit of ‘biar jasa jadi kenangan’ ( lest the deed be remembered ). A man who never bother if his name never emblazoned or carved on young minds of people like mine. He do whatever he needs to do. When he finally departed, it’s the things that he has done that reflected who he is. No image needed on his news column, the words tells it all. And I carried on to be fascinated by this man whom survived the kicking and pushing of reality, which deeds continued to live on.  

Al-fatihah. Tan Sri Abdul Samad Ismail ( 1924 – 2008 )

The Sacrosanct

People say that if we cut ourselves and bleed, the colour of blood would be red that differs slightly in hues or viscosity. The proclamation of independence for the United States stressed about the equality amongst its citizen.

The Malay rule of thumb has been passed on for generations. Like the Korean rule of thumb or wisdom which says: If you don’t have a problem, then it means you don’t have a life. Or Chinese with its proverb form of ‘failure to plan three days ahead, means a plan to failure’, the Malays during the kerosene lamp days were whispered with the sacrosanct purpose of living of preserving an identifier that becomes neither an order or rule. It becomes a permanent marker that provides the background or scenery for the plain cloth which we were metaphorically symbolized the moment we escaped from mothers womb.

And when we had the mind to think on our own, this low-opacity scenery and background on the ‘thin piece of cloth’ shall give us the whimsical clue of whats next? Before the first line is drawn, the first brushstrokes or first splash of colours; the elders has taught us about the alif ba ta. In short for Agama (religion), Bangsa (ethnic ) and Tanah Air ( sovereignty ). Whispers that shall passed on for generations and shall live for generations to come.

Alif-ba-ta. It must not be misunderstood for some sort of alarmist/scare-tactic philosophy passed by the elders. It is just a reminder of responsibility, integrity and origins. It is not a form of segregation of how superior Malays should be apart from other races; a very ethereal underlining that discipline us. It is never mend for a bloodshed purpose to start any kind of war, instead, a stand to firmly held with humbleness. Its neither a concrete block that stomp and obstruct us, and made us look like a horribly undiplomatic conservative, it is a driving machine that shall thrust us forward with distinction.

Through Alif-ba-ta, we began our little effort to obtain sovereignty. We achieved them by 1957, although the mat sallehs’ still managed to proxies their men in the ministries. Now that we had our airlines, car-maker and multi-billion cooperation that manages our petroleum, paddy, palm oil ( except for timber, left for cronies ) we had become a functioning self-managed nation.

If you look at lands around KLCC, Jalan Ampang these hotspot landplots were imposed with heavy selling-taxes to avoid quick profit-taking. This is for sure to avoid foreign big guns sweeping these lands with their huge spare cash. You sure do not want to demoralize your kids in the future, when they asked “ Wow! The land surrounding KLCC looks hippy and lively, to whom do they belong to mom/dad? “, you would be reluctant to answer “ Oh! Its owned by the mat sallehs “, that shall demoralize your kids don’t you think? The Malaysian then only owned semi-fertile land plots on the outskirts that barely make money; we question; is this the kind of sovereignty we wanted? The Ta ( tanah air ) homeland definition has somewhat been fulfilled.

Some may question: “ Why would my kids be demoralized if hotspot lands around KL is being owned by Mat Sallehs? They should be inspired to compete with the mat sallehs? Forget soverignity, reality is harsh“ . Then lets just do away with sovereignty ( Ta ) and settle with semi-sovereignty perhaps.

The Ba ( race ) or bangsa is a little tragic. UMNO who claimed to helm the effort in protecting, maintaining and defending of this little race has somewhat lost its shine and cracks start appearing everywhere. The rock foundation build 60 years ago seems to be sandblasted overtime, at this point revealing the steel core which currently being painfully submerged by salty corrosive sea water. People at the top should felt shaky of certain magnitude and we pray that the saddest day this once strong streamlined backbone collapse; the dust would not fill the sky and blocked the sun for the rest of us who had put our belief. Trends have proven that urban areas had tendency to vote something that is non UMNO. Which brought me to two conclusion: UMNO is a ‘among-themselves’ selected-malay elitist club or people are just plain tired of race based party. The Malaysian Malaysia party tried to push the idea that racial based party are just irrelevant and non-applicable in modern day Malaysia.

With the non-confrontational sopan-santun Pak Lah and bleak 2010 transition, UMNO will find its path to speedy-collapse way sooner than expect. We make away with defending our Race ( Ba ) because we felt living without the race identifier makes Malaysia a better place. Alright then. We can expect this huge race be ill-represented with a single senator in the parliament.

So we moved on to Alif (religion) or agama as a last bastion. Perhaps the only identifier for the rest of us which had lost ba (bangsa/race) and ta (tanah air/soverignity) to freethinking, free-speech, free-protest, free and other variant of free-ism. UMNO by this time had collapsed. Money-making lands, Petronas, Proton and Perwaja belonged to Jack, Smith or Roberts.

Alif. PAS seems to handle and walk in the religiously straight path of the politicus. They won Kedah and retained Kelantan. Making them one of the longest non-BN party to rule. Absolutely to had a handsome amount experience in administering and governing. Should PAS feel really comfortable? What if the superb marriage between PAS and this one visionary Malaysian Malaysia party turned sour? After banishing UMNO into oblivion by strongly proving to the people that racial-based party is very irrelevant, should Malaysian Malaysia party turn its medusa snakes to sting and paralyze PAS? They whispers into the heart and mind of people that religion-based party is very and horribly irrelevant. Do you think PAS will politically assemble its followers inside a stadium and screamed to its crowds that Islam is ad-din. Islam is the way of life. The religion that covers every aspect of life which includes politics? Malaysian Malaysia party would quizzically skew that type of rhetoric of how many Malaysian Muslim were really ad-din in becoming a Muslim?

Alif, for God sake. Things would not crumble in a hasty manner as UMNO did. But, PAS would be pushed back further. To the northern states. Kelantan, Kedah, Terengganu and Perlis. Where the Malaysian Malaysia party would sweep up urban ‘freethinking’ areas like Penang, Ipoh, KL and JB. In these urban places, they circulate local newsletters reminding to the urban folks about ‘stepping into a conservative area is dangerous’, the Northern-belt states shall be potrayed as vile, dark and underdeveloped with unlawful citizen with lack of order. While the rest were left to Adil to juggle their words.

Nowadays, talks about freethinking, free speech, free this and that felt like honey through the throat. Its almost like being unchained. Felt like flying through airplane free skies in an Ironman suit.

With all alif, ba, ta is lost, this little nation of Malaysia shall become what we knew as ‘separate and rule’. The idealogy which the colonial British used to create boundaries within the freshly collapsed Ottoman Empire. The creation of Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine. All used to be in a single broad compounding boundaries, shattered and broken into many states. The Colonial British found its easy to find cooperation through this method. The propaganda and illicit support/recognition which they gave in return for a exploitation. A sledge hammer that hit the once strong Ottoman into various bits and pieces each claiming to have authority onto its own hands . The fire of ‘regionalism’.

As Alif falls, then it’s the Malaysian Malaysia party one way straight to crash and abolish the sultanate. We shall live in a nation where nothing unique and individuals has no common identifiers of sovereign, race or religion because these are factors that become a bane to progress, then we shall float in absolute freedom that some of us always wanted. Without etiquettes because it seems too conservative to tag it along our life. That moment the only order that shall partially dictate us perhaps the rule of law set by the government.

Alif Ba Ta. It meant a lot for us. Whether we had it strong in our heart, or just a flicker of wind resisting candle lit, we shall never forget that it’s the sacrosanct. No matter how many times we clean-slated and redefine life or how many times we had travelled to the corner or earth, alif-ba-ta.

The Frail Upperhand

The recent government announcement to precede with the reduction of bumiputras scholarship quotas is an impressive and bold move. It reflects government, particularly ruling party commitment towards bangsa Malaysia and multiracial spirit, not forgetting, same field competition. Bravo.

Some may speculate UMNO had a hideous ploy to punish Malays for voting the PR. Well, this must be a sore loser’s revenge when bumiputra terms covers the indigenous Ibanese, Melanaus, Kelabits and others which resides here earlier and longer than any of us. Perhaps, the most important and basic thing is, the JPA ( equivalent to Public Service Department ) scholarship should be never looked as a racial matters. In the spirit to forge the ‘bangsa malaysia’, there should never be this kind of quotas imposed. It is time to consider abolishing the race query inside the JPA forms and instead SPM grades shall be placed at first and foremost pages of the request form. This to make it clear, the highest numbers of A’s shall receive the merit; like one of the outspoken short-tempered UMNO bald-headed warrior said “ …yang dapat 13A, kita pejam mata bagi biasiswa”. It must be a pleasant view to see the outspoken of UMNOs to make such a statement. A calming breeze that runs through the veins and cavity of a worried heart.

Speculation based on racial stance also arises when Peraks’ Pasir Salak MP Datuk Tajuddin Abdul Rahman rises from his seat and stirred a turbulence in the parliament hall about his disagreement towards the rearranged JPA quotas. Crises and taunts are bouncing off everywhere. He became absolutely mad till he had furiously expressed his disagreement with whatsoever compromising changes made at the cost of Malay rights. He even challenged anyone who refuted his statement to leave the parliament, so he can prove himself right with four eyed meeting at the lobby at instance. He is fighting two evidently different sides when he also find utterly disgusting to raise his hands in approval for suggestions made by his party. He sure felt disgruntled to be in UMNO, as its fundamental role to protect and preserve the rights of Malay. A risky proposition for Datuk Tajuddin as BN who lauded ‘democracy’, would impose disciplinary action to any members whom decided against any of their proposals. E.g, the 2 Gerakan MP’s regarding PORR. A glimpse of revelation, reveal a crack of UMNO battered first line barrier. Pasir sudah menyalak!

The time might come, to actually loosen perks enjoyed by bumiputras. Considering that, we are not hit exactly on the Achilles’ heel. Yes, education offers social mobility, every Asian (not only Malaysian), emphasize them first and fore mostly. 55/100 is still an upper hand figure, although quite feeble. There are still options. There is still MARA to lend money and opening up chances on quality education, thus producing credible, educated, culture-rich Malays. There are nine sultans offering scholarship and their offerings can be found on newspapers, if not found, perhaps it has been snatched by ‘insiders’, I guess. There are GLC’s like TNB, TM, Petronas etc. etc. It is time for the Malays to impress different and various scholarship-giving bodies or companies. The possibilities of missing JPA blessings is a big loss, due to the ballooning and squeezing, yet the getting accustomed is rather more important now. Even, the dinosaurus extinct due to their inability to get accustomed with the harsh cold weather due to some hypothical huge meteor impact on earth.

Also, it is time to consider that oversea education is not that glamour anymore. Overtime, we had the ability to match those of theirs. We shall offer competency. And should we instill trust in local education syllabi. Our universities, some established as early as pre-independence days are probably capable to producing people with knowledge par with oversea universities? We can afford multi-million lab too, we can brain-tap best lecturers, 100acre building complexes… only the weather is a bit hot here. The number of straight-A’s is increasing; would the oversea accommodate us most of the time? If they did go, to which government did they pay their income tax as they work? Ironically, the sky is the limit when you are successful. That’s a promise. Government may had a futile attempt in rewriting the books.

Of course, speculation must be filtered many times before we believe. But there is one thing which we often heard in people’s mouth. A simple short thought and we knew it’s a fact from the start. When this kind bargaining UMNO, it’s a clear sign that UMNO is weak.

Let’s take a break on the JPA issue for a minute.

Imagine yourself walking through a Sony boutique. Sony is relatively famous for their fabulous end consumer electronics. Their presence in the digital related world is everywhere. Their arm reaches from into the niche market of thin profile digital cameras to professional studio-grade visual device. From mobile MP3 players and surround audio speakers. From funky and snazzy mobile phones, to glossy LCD panel that made TV watching experience a fantastic visual feast sensation. Never forgetting, the PS3, that plays Blu-Ray till you can brag to your friends that you were amongst the first in the neighbourhood to acquire the Blu-Ray technology which is second to none, even if a dozen of DVD9 disc fused together in somekind of Jimmy Neutron particle accelerator gun rays.

We pay extra for Sony’s. We do pay them without hassle or regret. Because it’s a Sony! And this brand comes with premium.

What If Sony cannot produce great products? They are unable to create snazzy mobile phones? High capacity DVD’s? Envy-triggering slim digital cameras? Advance LCD/Plasmas? Worst, other competitors like Panasonic, Philips and Samsung have overtaken them in terms of research and innovation? What if Sony is not worth competing with those top brass digital device players? . Magazine would not even compare Sony LCD with, say, Samsung LCD’s, because its like comparing a Mitsubishi SpaceBox a.k.a Proton Juara with Porsche Cayenne Turbo. Sony last ditch before completely throwing the towel would be competing through price front. Their device can be purchased at bargain price. You’ll get their LCD for hundred ringgit less due to backward technology they applied. 

The way I put this way, shall be inappropriate yet it the position of UMNO itself which is weak. Not only the Achilles’ heel is broken, splintered and splattered, but also tendons, joints and areas related. All we see here is not irrelevancy of the party which is just the scenery, but a leadership crisis. The non-confrontational style of current leader which some quarters regards as sopan-santun and budi bahasa has been practiced in wrong places and has taken its toll on us. The transition of power dragging on for further 2 years, while present leaders just looks on watching pending damaging decisions and understanding being forged. Maybe Ku Li, Muhyiddin Yassin or Rais Yatim should forget visions of being a PM due to burden of todays’ terrible decision may linger till their estimated premiership period. The future bapa pembangunan insan, who insanely drops quotas and talks about Tun Mahathir paradigm shift is nothing more than possible.

Maybe this time around, it has been more difficult/incorrect and sinful to defend rights and showing love towards one race in such manners. Standing up in parliament and speaking up. They are regarded as Nazi-esque , racist, intolerant, selfish, noise-maker and monkey. Its been a long, lonely and painful quest for Datuk Tajudin, he is like a lone soldier which platoon had diverted their path avoiding enemies, yet, this one acts like a nut to defend the receding control border. Yes, in the war, he is the frontline. It reminds me of a Malay proverb (in times where all things Malay seems degrading and conservative, felt like telling this though) “ kalau hidup tidak berbudi, umpama pokok tidak berbuah “ ( living without serving, would be similar to trees without fruits)

Who can expect something than has been given away today shall be taken back tomorrow?. We are infact being stripped away from the previledges which we had. Previledges that were never been in question or doubted before. Never questioned/rarely objected because of our strenght and resilience towards dissident urges and irrational bargaining. The party was an agent of change that clearly explain word-by-word that quotas were something to helping the weak. To help people remain calm. The key of it all, the party was ( used to be ) solid and strong till those whom challenge shall look like a fool standing on a chair during a major examination where everyone remained sit and quiet. But, today, under the pretext of equality, human rights, open-competition, similarities and whatsoever; the quotas seems like a heideous, wrong, revolting ,monstrous; while the basic fundamental, is to help the weak majority. Those who wished to abolish it seems more heroically better than right, while those defending it will sound more terribly worst than wrong. When UMNO is weak, the bargaining is on. 

We are looking at UMNO opening up its bargaining counter. They have lost the ‘political premium’ which nobody dared to question last time. It is time to seek survival and relevancy in the stormy political arena, and UMNO had to resort in terms of bargain. A losing bargain to remain in the game. Who are being bargained/compromise/traded off? It’s the people who thought UMNO were all this while is seriously fighting for Malays. 

The Gray Matter

Assume me as an Anwar avid supporter. Anwar Ibrahim. He used to be head of ABIM.An Islamic youth movement. A man who aspires the young and took charge of reformation against old and dusty establishment corroded with abuse and nepotism. He looks promising.

Lets brush aside the allegation which this 61 year old politician is involved in sodomy with a 23-year old male university student. This is just the same technique to ploy his downfall exactly 10years ago. Don’t you happen to hear that a murderer never uses the same weapon which failed to ‘kill’ its target in its previous attempt. Let alone, leave this bickering to the others to analyze and speculate. Go ahead conduct some sophisticated fabrication DNA test or tap on some madam Zorra advice regarding Anwar facial acupuncture hotspot to determine his wrongdoings of sodomy is true or lies. Never trust them, because only God knows besides Anwar.

He is one inch closer from being the fifth prime minister. Yet, his boss have retrenched him. That happened ten years ago. With Rahim Noor held responsible, I further had trust in Anwar. He has enshrined a vision for better Malaysia, an Islamic and non secular Malaysia. He had made UMNO looked less secular. He is nationalistic too. He justified the usage of Bahasa Baku. The exact pronouncation disregarding any regional slang. Now I’m saying ‘saya’ instead of KL tongue ‘sayer’. Just that he did not accomplished it. I’ am enthralled by his vision, fortifies my support towards him.

Anwar is a standing tall beacon of light, standing near a hill, beside a ravaging sea. His rock solid foundation is made of pure enthuastic supporters. His supporters once were high intellect people which past even rooted from UMNO. The party which they seek to relinquish on the basis of reformation, change and restoration of justice. Names like Dr. Chandra Mudzaffar and Ezam Mohammad Noor used to stood beside Anwar and his tireless political quest to reform Malaysia. I call them heroes and the incredible think-tank of the party. Capable of denouncing Tun Mahathir authority during the height of reformasi. The taunt, the cries and shouting. Now, they have changed side. They never really understood the struggle of PKR perhaps. Should I call them coward of giving up too early? Nah! Even UMNO has their defectors.

Yet, Anwar still never lose his shine. He insist he could attract more current ruling Parlimentary members to join him, I mean, his side. He never let departure of Ezam Mohammad Noor from neutral to the opponent side stall his quest. By the final weeks of June, there were talks that four BN Mp’s were changing sides. Who is Ezam? Just a political apparatus to be brought around town making noises about how dissatisfied with his former party and tens-of-thousand strong youth division he led. Anwar mentioned that the recent allegation of sodomy has affected this plan. Like an interrupted gear shift when the clutch is not fully pressed. Its okay. I buy his words and willing to wait and support him avidly.

To spruce things up, this leader has made some sort of guarantee to become a PM by 16th of September. Coinciding with Hari Malaysia. Even the old days oracles and fortune teller has been very generally ‘playing safe’ in predicting events and occurrences that would come in their life: eg. “Between the fifth and sixth full moon of the year”, “ days after the full tide”. Anwar is a very highly-disciplined and business minded person. 16th September is the set date. Only he did not mention about the exact time. On 17th September, expect a euphoria filled Malaysian as they expect cheaper fuel. I’m buying his words, and remained his avid supporter.

Another reason why I call Anwar is a beacon, is because his promise of lowering the fuel price as soon as he becomes a PM. Surely, we, rakyat lately has lost our sight and in need of light from this beacon. Our sight has become blurred, and recent price hike has made our steps becomes slower and sloppier. The only thing is, the standing still on solid foundation beacon has not yet been installed by high beam, fog penetrating light bulb. The government are very rhetoric in teaching us to be less subsidy reliant. It is not issue to being subsidy free. This is about the oil reserves which we had in our backyard, our property, our rights and our khazanah. Who deserves them any better than us! The rakyat of Malaysia. Yes! Lower the price of fuel because its our lifeline. A light which Anwar would lay upon our path, is cheaper petrol and diesel. A post-election manifesto since election were held when he is still under restriction or pantang politik . Do not assume its gimmick or populist affair. It has to be taken seriously. because a single cent of fuel hike affects the rakyat, especially the poor and disadvantaged. Now we see a sudden rise of 78cents, would we just stand there and do nothing?

Cheaper fuel means cheaper breakfast when I go to college. Cheaper taxi rate as I travel to college. Cheaper stationeries and materials needed for my studies. GPMS suggested a student card which local IPTs can enjoy student rate everywhere you go. Right now, I do not see a single fire. Do you think the leaders knew how local students felt? No. Their son and daughters are in universities abroad where flights to homeland are worth a whole semester of tuition fees here. I do not mind leaving the ‘wanting-cheap-mentality’, if my family only breadwinner has increased wage. But look. We are getting poorer instead of richer. We are having government that asks us to step back instead of moving fourth. Its is not that we are having famine here, but its irritating when prices goes up and the value of current wages keeps decreasing. Anwar casts ray of light. On top of projection of becoming PM by 16th September, he made another promise of reducing fuel price. I bought his word and remained an avid supporter.

His other mission is to dismantle laws regarding detaining without questioning. Nations who lauded justice and freedom resorted to detaining of civilian without questioning. Ironically, this very nation also provides backing up and political hospitality to Anwar. Ever heard of that state? In the far far west? Yes! This state has a little brother near East Asia. They call this other state ‘little sheriff’. This little sheriff strongly advocates preemptive strike. Plans of sending rockets to suspected targets on nations outside its geopolitical border without inspecting or questioning. That is seriously not adil.

Lets see how this promising Anwar handle the fragile multiracial harmony in Malaysia. Lets see how he exercise his power when he heard convincing whispers in the air that someone is plotting something, but he has no prove to neither detain nor stop them. If this all never happens in the span of next 2years, yet, I still buy what promising Anwar says, avidly supporting him. Who am I?

I won’t support the current government either. They are corroded with power abuse and nepotism. They are the ones who made the fuel rise 78cent giving spasm of stroke-like shock to rakyat like me. They were the party which world paradoxes with rakyat. They live in denial. Their state divisions are always holding meeting and making news headlines so common and boring like: Kesemua bahagian sebulat suara menyokong Pak Lah. ( All division in unison pledged their support to Pak Lah ). Duh. Come down to a kedai kopi, then you look how reality plays its role.

Then, rakyat should immense themselves into a much liberal political realm of being the non-alligned. The gray matter of politics. We neither advocate, nor support to any party. No allegiance towards any collective bodies. When someone asks you: “ Which party are you supporting “, just simply answer “ Undi itu rahsia “

The Clockwork

Situation 1:A Singaporean clerk earns 2000S$ and their petrol costs RM5+.
Situation 2:Our clerk earns RM2000 and our petrol costs RM2.70.
Telling people that a tonne of feather is heavier than a tonne of steel is silly, yet,ministers were screaming that our petrol is the lowest in the region.

I’m always having trouble with precise timing. I often discussed it with my mom over the phone, the deal is, when class starts at 3pm I’m supposed to be at the bus stop as soon as 2.40 as busses comes around 2.45pm ( Go to hell with the RapidKL 15mins interval ‘Tempatan’ routes statement, they indeed come every 45+ mins ). My mom said that if that happens, then leave the apartment as early as possible. Probably 2.30, so, I’ll be doing exposed to radiant heat and staring at strings of big-sunshade wearing college girls which indeed have ugly eyes.

Doing architecture, every minute is very vital. The trouble and hustle of writing a 2’’x7’’ name tag on six days and six night’s model really worth taking . Without a tag on your hard-to-made model simply means a refusal to grade the model, not even look. Every minutes is tried as hard as possible to not to be wasted on hasty unproductive things, thus, making the act of walking down to the bus stop 30minutes early as virtually unviable solution.

Yet, with an intention of precise timing, I did reach the bus stop before my 3minutes before my forwarded clock strike 2.45pm. The estimation of time which the bus should have/will appear. Shockingly, as I arrived at the bus stop, I notice there was only a person there. Perhaps he wanted to go to the college too, as the way he casually dressed, does not look like he is going to drop by KL. I was becoming increasingly nervous as I approached the little stop with a person underneath it.

As my clock strikes 2.45pm, I stood still for another 4 minutes before proceeding to ask the only breathing person that exist there besides me “ Where is the bus? “ (Inappropriate question which that person too has got to ask), then he started explaining that he misses that last bus which arrived on 2.30pm. Yup, he is the first victim and I’m a poor man to join him in the statistics. Quickly I did a brief calculation in my brain which forwarded 45minutes from the previous bus passes and it will definitely arrive no sooner than 3.15pm. Yes, 15 minutes of doing nothing. Adding the ‘sweetness’ would be a sight of architecture student carrying boxes no smaller than a CPU casing ( ATX precisely ). Sitting, waiting and wishing upon the scorching heat of sun for the RapidKL busses to arrive early.

Still doubtful, my late attendance is obviously noted by the lecturers, but the nightmares of Rapid drivers going for some coffee breaks and perks has flooded my thoughts with possibility of waiting the bus as long as 3:45PM, Worst 4pm. Completing the 1-Hour cycle of nothing but bus-waiting. It would be unwise to walk back and climb up to the 11th floor of my apartment with the huge boxes I'm carrying.

This kind of situation, being retold to mom through the marvel of cellular network reaching hundred kilometers away to Sg.Petani is being treated with such a saddening explanation. I’am regarded as putting/shifting/transferring the blame on RapidKL instead of disciplining myself.

Who can tolerate this type of inefficiency and incompetency in Malaysia? Pak Lah who is vying to become and would mostly be nominated for ‘Bapa Pembangunan Insan’ through his cliché of Cemerlang, Gemilang dan Terbilang has made something contradictory? What has become of his word to improvise the public transportation system? Perhaps the lackluster of today Malaysia can be blamed on Tun Mahathir exhausting national reserves on megaprojects. The failure to eradicate corruption and ‘yes-man’ syndrome was blamed on Tun Mahathir whom planted the seeds of corruption and cronyism in the government, perhaps, in his 5th year at helm, Pak Lah can blame Tun Mahathir for triggering rapid urbanization and industrialization which reduces the hectares of rubber plantation vital for making tires of public transportation buses. Ironically, the nature of blaming 'legacy' problems fits the requirement for our current PM to step down and be replaced with someone really competitive like Muhyiddin Yassin, Rais Yatim or mostly Najib Tun Razak.

Do not forget the recent hike in petrol prices may have a very big impact on students like me. Indeed, I never drove any car yet at the moment, which means I heavily relied on busses and taxies to get to my college which is situated a little less than 4kilometres from my apartment. The case of unreliable busses leaves me with no option but to cling onto another alternative which is the taxis. Probably, it is too early to tell whether they are increasing the non-metered flat-priced journey fare, but it seems they will do it. The chain effect of fuel hike will see the immediate increased price of daily goods. They, the drivers, had to do something to earn extras in compensating with their rising cost of living, which means increasing the current fare. The victim: us, students.

There is always a very cynical solution amongst the less-constructive thinking people who might suggest me to quit studying in Cyberjaya. It may sound deeply rhetoric like “Why study in Cyberjaya when you start to see the costs is unbearable?” or “if you wanted to avoid pricey items and higher cost, then study elsewhere”. I assume this type of rhetoric is rather creating another barrier/problem on top of existing problem. Same goes to the present administration which had been cleverly rhetorical on Malaysian way of life. Instead of moving forward, they urged the rakyat to live more frugal; to the extent of driving less than 100kmph. The speed limit in Malaysia topped at 110kmph

But there is no rhetoric when facing Pak Lah and his league of capable cabinet leaders. The reason I say that is when UMNO and BN is blessed with abundance of economists, entrepreneurs, financial advisers, which knowledge had been garnered from various prestigious and established school of respective matter, yet, the failure to formulate an effective and well-conceived policy has hampered us as rakyats.

These heavily knowledgeable people inside BN/UMNO can make a lot of difference. They may follow the footsteps of Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and Tun Daim Zainuddin which are regarded as the economy architect of modernized Malaysia during the Mahathir-era. Situation may be different 20 years back then and now, yet it has been a long way which Malaysia economy has been battered with the uncertainties of global economics, and believe me, we have learned a lot. But lessons have been wasted as none of these highly capable economists have debriefed Pak Lah on the cause and effects of actions. Perhaps Pak Lah himself is not interested in overlooking and making checklist to determine the implementation went well or not. I used to hear stories of Tun Mahathir overseeing the Twin Tower construction as if it’s a government building when its just an office spaces and shopping complex. Perhaps for Pak Lah, he is just interested in seeing paperwork reports that is submitted to him every week or so.

I guess, this is what happened to his noble intention to ‘improvise the efficiency of public transport’. The report that arrives on Pak Lah desk says that our public transport is at satisfactory level while the rakyats like me bore the brunt and went through hell of incompetent public transport. The newly established Rapid Penang suffered a huge blow as users and commuters complained about the bus inconsistency ensued with its bus drivers strike on some disagreement with the operators. Who to blame now? Fingers keep crossing here and there. Are the users not disciplined expecting to see busses arriving at their disposal? Or are the drivers were taking too much perks and time off? Or does the operators are doing some mission impossible stuff by pushing their drivers into doing long routes within a ridiculously short time span?

My opinion, neither government nor the opposition, cannot avoid the spiteful decision of increasing fuel price. But, at this dramatic 78cent level is somewhat painful to take, still, there is a logic in making this one-time decision. If the rakyat dragged this matter to the streets of KL into violent prolonged demonstration, worst case scenario, government would lower the hike to 50cent ( to RM2.42 per litre), prior to their lowest option to increase fuel price of 50cents, 78cents and 1ringgit . The best the government can show their lauded ‘concerns’ for the rakyat is to seriously improvise and consolidate the reliability of public transportation. Today, the public transport has become chronically less preferred (for various reason) even the college girls here are seeking boys with their own vehicle as perquisite to date them. This casts a serious doubt over my aim to end single life by October this year.

Yet, there is no need to have highly intellectual intelligentsia think tank persona to revamp the Malaysian public transport system ( perhaps all the intelligentsia were leased to the judiciary reform task, anti-inflation committee and EPU's ), well then, lets just have a highly motivated operation managers that would debrief Pak Lah on a concrete roadmap. Get Pak Lah himself to do a checklist on the progress. Checklist that he himself fill/ticks, strictly no more report prepared by kaki-bodek. It’s the least he can do if had lost checklist counts for his 5 bombastic corridors. Lets make public transportation as a preferred choice. Lets make it convenient and easy . If it happens, then Pak Lah is partially eligible to claim his ‘Bapa Pembangunan Insan’ title.

Part 2: Vying the Sixth

The best way to describe Mahathir wanting Najib Tun Razak to be the sixth prime minister would be simple: Terhutang Budi.

I suspect that during the Tun Razak minister ship, it was Mahathir only comeback opportunity. After losing in 1969 election and personally sending letters which demands Tunku Abdul Rahman resignation (which earned him the first ouster from UMNO), Mahathir landed between the cracks of the floor. Perhaps he may be at the crossroads and intend to pursue his carrer in medicine doctor at Klinik Maha of Alor Setar. Tun Razak at the time has realized that amidst the turmoil in UMNO which image tarnished pretty badly due to the 1969 incident, there is something else important to pursue: The gathering of Malay intelligentsia and future capable leaders. Names like Musa Hitam and Mahathir Mohammad was incarcerated into UMNO itself.

It was Tun Razak time when Tun Mahathir proceed from being a parliamentarian elected senator to a full fledge rakyat voted parliament member. Tun Razak may have set the path and foreseen the capability of Mahathir to lead the nation, in turn, leads Mahathir to hold high-profile cabinet positions such as Ministry of Trade and Industry and Ministry of Education. Tun Razak surely has put Mahathir in a political highway which is fast and quick yet still vulnerable to political saboteurs. Tun Musa Hitam at the time was also a hopeful child of the UMNO party which was groomed well enough to possibly become the next prime minister. Like Captain Faiz to Sheikh Mudzaffar he is like a secondary astronaut back up crew which go thru the same thing as the prime candidate does. Tun Musa was under the senior political mentor of Tun Dr. Ismail ( Tun Razak deputy)

Perhaps, just a guess, Tun Razak may have left an unspoken or spoken vision of seeing Najib, his eldest son to carry on the legacy left by him. It may have made known by Tun himself. And as a return favor towards Tun Razak which has opened wide the political opportunity windows, Tun may have made a pledge/promise in which to see Najib become a prime minister before he dies.

Probably, this is why Tun Dr. Mahathir is in strong urgency to see Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as prime minister to resign .The position can be succeeded by Najib Tun Razak as he is currently the legal ‘prime-minister in waiting’. This can further be proven by Tun Mahathir repeatedly saying that he intends to make Najib his successor, but the factor of his early age has hindered it from happening at this moment. The alleged Tun Mahathir deal with Pak Lah seems to put the picture much clearer, as the latter was supposedly to step down after a single 5 year term. The alleged ‘deal’ was refuted by Pak Lah.

Of course, the above are some of the wild guesses as observed from the past UMNO political scene, but the truth is when Tun Dr. Mahathir denounced his membership, Najib Tun Razak was thousand kilometers away from Malaysia. He was attending a trade related convention in Sharm-al Sheik somewhere in Egypt. When the news came to him that the former 22-year UMNO leader has quit from the party, the media reporters and journalist rushed to see him. Response was pretty shocking: He was seen crying with eyes a bit watery and voice a bit wobbling.

He even reinstated that he would personally meet Tun Dr. Mahathir to talk on his quit from UMNO, perhaps, to pursue the former PM in reconsidering his decision on the grounds that “his guidance and advice is very much needed in hard times when the party is in bad shape and badly need to strengthen up after a political tsunami during the march election”

The reaction in Egypt was so much different in Malaysia where Pak Lah henchmen were lambasting Tun action. From Rafidah to Zaid Ibrahim. From Shahrir Samad to Muhammad Tyson. They said that the old men is blackmailing, short-sighted, had a personal agenda, disloyal, etc. etc. What else the smaller UMNO branches leader can do? They did what they usually do before, being like a lackey, they gathered and discussed over a teh suam and a bunch of bananas. Pledge their undivided and loyal support to Pak Lah. Yet, giving this PM another comfortable imagery of being the ‘untouchable’, a similar comfort which Pak Lah gets before the March election. The Wanita had become like a bitch who had found a richer and more influential men to sidestep her own husband, literally, by dismissing what Tun has been saying lately. The other Tun who once worked hand-in-hand with Mahathir had turned his favor in joining the ‘others’ in dissing Tun. Apparently, like a rule of thumb, it is easier to hate people that people commonly hates. Almost everybody in UMNO does the same thing as the Malay sayings ‘Lalang kena tiup angin’

It has brought to me a question which why these screaming ‘Hidup Pak Lah!’ chanters were really into him leading UMNO or just had to plain pretentious loyalist?

Along comes the UMNO old timer, Aziz Tapa with his suggestion to drag the Monarchy along to settle this in-house political dispute. As he described “Both is fire. Fire going heads on against fire isn’t going to settle a thing”

On the opposition sides, the odds are very cloudy and uncertain. ‘Malaysian Malaysia’ party may be plotting their own agenda/drama/counter-reaction if the royalties were to oppose their candidacy of prime minister after what had happened in Perak. This plot got to create a big bang as it marks the zenith of their success and epitome of their effort which may be brightly marked in the chapters of their establishment in ‘revolutionizing’ Malaysia and altering the social fabrics.

The royalty, indeed must be prepared to answer a few questions posed by the ‘Malaysian Malaysia’ which had spend millions of human thinking hours digging the constitution in to find a way in asserting their desires. They may start with trivial ‘trigger’ question such as: - Why have you shown sense of dislike/fear/disgust when our candidate is being proposed democratically as PM? They would ask what have you done back then till you feared our candidate as PM today? Are you implying that our party members are non legitimate citizen of Malaysia? As the constitution stated that being a Malaysia citizen is prerequisite to become a PM.

Instead, it can be a less prerogative affair. Do not forget, this "Malaysian Malaysia" party has Malay members too. Perhaps, they would have placed a Malay candidate and made him/her as a ‘vacuum’ prime minister. As for top-crop leaders, they turn themselves as masters of puppetry.

The PAS side may take a spiritual approach and their vision of Islamic Malaysia may catapult this wonderful nation into the pre-independent era where Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu and Perlis were in non-aligned states while the rest took a liberal way, putting their own ‘prime minister of non-aligned Malay states’ perhaps their own shadow cabinet . Surely, this is what we predicted by marriage of convenience, a polarization not by race, instead by ideologies according to regions. Anwar, the un-surrendering hustler vying to be the first non-national front PM has got his hands shaking frantically to carve his name in Malaysia history textbooks ( by September 2008, he expected an early election, just in time I would be a legal voter. Yay!). His dreams: The first defect of UMNO which made it to become a PM, making UMNO looking like the worst decision of the century.

His road is never that easy. He may be strong willed and laid spectacular promises like reducing the price of fuel ‘exactly the day after he was sworn as PM’ (Harini saya jadi PM, esok turun harga minyak!) which makes the mat lumba+custom kereta roaring like lion king and queens. He should have not forget the terms of understanding between his party and the other two forged were rather towards toppling BN and stuffing leaders like Mahathir into jail, not any concrete terms/guides/understanding of ruling this nation in a harmonious way if God willing them to create a federal government. The other two parties too may be vying for the PM position and had long established in the arena of politics. Why should they bow to an amateur party?

In this tumultuous period and tireless race for the sixth PM, what can we as a rakyat do? Where does UMNO and Malays lead after all this? Time never waited for anyone as this the fifth PM seat becomes hotter.

Thank you for reading this second and final part of the Lackey series. You may leave your share of thoughts/feedback/response on the comments section!

Part 1: Enigma and Eclipse

1988- UMNO split into two and Team B created Semangat46; 1998 - Anwar was sacked and some of UMNO heavyweight did leave the party, 2008 – What now, UMNO ?

When a prime minister is sworn in, he or she had made a contract just like any other civil servant to provide the best service for the country. To bring out the best of their wit, brawn, strength and for the well-being of the country. To assist and ensure that the daily running of administration went as smooth as it can possibly be . They were summoned to give undivided attention towards the problems. They were given the duty to help And when times come, their service had been no longer needed or due age factor, perhaps, personal decision, they are free from these responsibility and continue their daily life

What does an ex-prime minister has to trouble themselves to involve in hectic government bureaucracy and criss-crossing politicking when they can enjoy the freshly crisp newspaper over a cup of tongkat ali while grabbing a pencil to settle a soduku or two at the comfort of own home. They may have more than enough to spend with their pension/gratuity scheme which keeps coming in every month.

But no money could compensate the trouble and tiresome role of prime minister. State assemblymen gets death threat and mailed with live bullets for their minor legislative recommendations, just imagine how prime minister with their vast influence of power gets live bullets and threats. During my fishing trip in Kenyir back last year, a man told me that a Mentri besar (state minister) he knew had six bomohs (shaman) to protect him everywhere he goes; staving off evil spirits and avoid any untoward harm. I guess, a prime minister then should be having a dozen of bomoh trailing wherever he goes as he is more vital and important. Just a thought.

For me no evil spirits or whatsoever jinx can influence the wisdom of a leader. The strength of thinking and the mantle of mind is the one that dictate the behavior and decision of a certain leader. The passion of leaders to get things organized and executed successfully leaves no room for little things

The fracas began when Tun Dr. Mahathir admitted that “ he sometimes made mistakes in making decisions”, even the strongest of bomohs cannot stave away the bad auras in making bad decision.

The moment Tun Dr. Mahathir started to criticize the current leadership of Malaysia casts confusions over me. I thought he was over with the government? It’s been a year since he passes the baton to his handpicked successor and now he wants to be replaced. Why would’nt Tun Mahahir just stays at his home and enjoy a fresh crisp newspaper and settled a soduku over a cup of tongkat ali?

Shouldn’t Mahahir showed his undivided support towards UMNO and his successor. Does the role of Proton advisor, Petronas University chancellor and President of the Perdana Leadership makes him busy enough?

Picture this, Tun Mahathir as a retired PM. Supporting all Pak Lah decisions. When reporters with their flashy cameras and sound recorders came by, he would have commented on the recent March election as “kita tak ada rezeki. Kita akan cuba lain pilihanraya akan datang”. Tun Mahathir then would be rhetorically writing a column or two in the newspapers that Pak Lah is the best and should be strongly nominated as Bapa Pembangunan Insan. Tun Mahathir would be praising Pak Lah because his non-confrontational method makes Malay a stronger and resilient race in Malaysia in-line with UMNO purpose. Tun Mahathir would just announced that he is stunned that Pak Lah can achieved 5 development corridors during his 5year tenure as PM while he can only made 1 corridor during his 22year premiership. Tun would have lauded Pak Lah decision in limiting the expenditure on superstructures and megaprojects. Tun publishing a book entitled “play safe: new trend of national spending for a developing country”. Picture Tun making rounds of speech urging the rakyat to wait and give Pak Lah time to initiate changes. Even though his policy changes are poorly implemented, ineffective or lead to bigger loopholes.

Of course, the above description is just an imaginary Mahathir which stood by UMNO right or wrong. Yet, its too far too sad to believe that as a fact. I wouldn’t believe that would be Mahathir. Tun Mahathir never wanted to associate himself with the weak and incapable. He is a political realist. He sees too many and too much of mockery towards the Malays due to UMNO failure to step-in and confront. Its Pak Lah style of reservist ‘elegant silence’ sets an example to other followers. Politics is a dirty game of no moral on grounds of freedom and equality. When UMNO showed silence, the opponents showed no empathy but keep beating the drum making more noises.

Noises during the Mahathir era are bearable and more sensitive. There were complaints of KL roads full of hole, Muslim civil servant not wearing veil, haze (which opposition blame on Mahathir megaprojects, partly blamed on Mahathir firaun dictatorship), Why Siti Hasmah did not wear veil, corruption which resulted in KLIA, Sepang F1 and Petronas Twin Tower coming out of nowhere and allegedly nepotism which now we sees Mukhriz himself became an MP at 43 while Khairy is 34 and aiming to be a PM before 40.

But politics now has been blown out of proportion and insensitive. The Monarchy has been virtually dragged into the scene. Opposition has become bolder in questioning the rights of Malay. Once is fine, twice is still comfortable, but comes three and countless of times, its not only morally degrading for the Malays but also may spurn new cadets that openly and bravely tries to refute Malay rights. Like blind loyalist hummed by the music of equal opportunities, they are like race horses which eyes were covered to win.. Honestly, the swiftly looked Malay rights and agendas seem incorrect and unjust, and would guarantee a good chance of winning if it were bashed. Frantically moving forward thinking they were right from the start

Yet, the idea of confronting head on is something that not all leaders could do. One mistake shall ruin a political career. Odds are, if Khairy wouldn’t have been associated with Pak Lah, this Oxford educated politician could have been the single strongest staunchest opponent of ‘Malaysian Malaysia’ ideologies brought forth by the opposition. He has proven himself to be capable of confronting heads on and are quite familiar with their tactics and stratagem. Poor boy, Khairy is proven not to be very popular outside UMNO.

It was Tun Mahathir himself that made himself available when on times like these. He never let him sharp critical mind and deep wisdom being consumed by old age. Never laid back at home enjoying a cup of tongkat ali while filling some soduku boxes. Never his style to let a disease inside UMNO festers. It is his timely move. So do the opponents themselves see this as a window of golden opportunity. Lately the opponent did not resort to personal attacks on Pak Lah, but concentrated on attacks of his administration. The opponents would love to see Pak Lah retain his position, as they smelled their victory seems to be on a straight well-tarred and unobstructed road. Weakening the outside before seeing the rot inside UMNO settle the rest.

Opponents were playing chicken switch game, where Tun’s every action were prepared with placards to lambast/condemn him with allegations. His urge for the PM to be replaced were being criticized as being ‘interference of government proceeding’. If Tun were criticizing the bureaucracy of Pak Lah run government he would have been accused of trying to be a PM for the second time. I hope, with long experience and strong political wisdom, Tun would strike a good chord in achieving his vision. Enduring in this three way argument is proven hard, especially Tun who can be seen as opposed by both sides and seen as the weakest entity.

If Tun wanted to see Pak Lah being succeeded with a new leader, whom would it be? If it were mend for Najib, why? And on the opponent side, who is vying for that post?