Baksheesh in UMNOland By M.G.G. Pillai [EMAIL PROTECTED]
NO CORRUPTION IN UMNO, so the anti-corruption agency (ACA) cannot step in, says the deputy prime minister, Dato' Seri Najib Tun Razak. Yes, it can, says the ACA director-general, Dato' Seri Zulkapli Mat Noor, and anyone can file a report. Of course, it can, says the Prime Minister, Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. "If in money politics, there are things that violate the law," he said, the ACA could act on its own or on complaints lodged. But is there not a rule in UMNO that if a member files a police report, he is suspended or sacked? Times have changed. The UMNO election in September tarred every one, from president to the branch member, with corruption by whatever name UMNO calls it: money politics, "politik wang", "wang politik". This distinction, one now suspended UMNO leader told me, is crucial: "Politics in UMNO is expensive; no one works for free these days, but without workers, you are dead before you begin. That is politik wang, which every UMNO politician must have. Then there is wang politik, the money you spend to get election after the politik wang is taken care of." He was suspended, he avers, for 'politik wang', not for 'wang politik'. But he does not address the crucial question: is not both 'wang politik' and 'politik wang' corruption? Or that one must be corrupt to be an UMNO politician? The UMNO election upsets only showed that the challengers bribed their way to office more efficiently. The challengers were not organised in times past, and those in office, the president's men, had no competiton. Often, the president called his detractors in, bribed him with contracts and jobs and, when that failed, with bankruptcy and worse. If you do not believe this, ask one who refused what was offered: the former deputy president, Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim. But UMNO's political destruction of him backfired: UMNO itself went into deep thrombrosis, its leaders deaf, blind and dumb. The new president could not make himself heard, did not yet have the aura of office to bring UMNO's thousand mutinies to heel. The members did not hesitate to demand some of the money spread around, with the candidate unprepared to pay out marked for defeat. What upset this is a ground revolt, for which little credit is yet given, of those who felt this would destroy UMNO, and gathered a force which would vote only for candidates who did not bribe their way through. Its members voted for a list that sent several political careers crashing to the ground. It would not have been as bad if UMNO had to confront only corruption. But not the unexpected release from prison of Pak Sheikh. He was jailed in a series of kangaroo court trials for corruption and sodomy, which he insisted was politically motivated, that his political difficulties began when he challenged cronyism, corruption, privatisation and unconcern for the people. The ruling cabal was frightened enough to force him out. It pulled all stops, and fell foul of Malay culture. Who suffered politically and culturally was not Pak Sheikh but his tormentors, chief among whom was the former prime minister, Mahathir Mohamed. His political stake rose by the day as UMNO's declined. Curiously, UMNO cannot reverse itself for two reasons its leaders insist does not matter: Pak Sheikh, who is not only an expelled UMNO member but one who would never be re-admitted; and corruption, by whatever name, which UMNO leaders aver does not exist in it. But these two reasons which frightens UMNO no end. __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Read only the mail you want - Yahoo! Mail SpamGuard. http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> $4.98 domain names from Yahoo!. Register anything. http://us.click.yahoo.com/Q7_YsB/neXJAA/yQLSAA/JcWolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Alternatif-Net : A Discussion Forum Focusing on Issues Related to Justice Forum Perbincangan Maya Yang Fokus Kepada Isu Keadilan Disclaimer: Messages sent do not represent the stand of the Barisan Alternatif (BA) unless otherwise stated Complaint : Send to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Sub : Send blank e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsub : Send blank e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/alternatif-net/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/