Thursday, July 28 @ 12:24:35 MYT
Oleh Dr Dzulkifli Ahmad
Director, PAS Research Centre.
Judging from the ambience of the recently concluded Umnos General Assembly, a lot have been said about the wrongs of Umno. It was really rare. But after all that have been said and done, will anything get really done?
The openness is to be expected. Umno has just to wash all her dirty linens now, in the full vision of the entire rakyat. It is meant to exhibit its commitment to change and reform. After all, there must be some ways to drain those stinking pus and obnoxious discharges before it erupts nearing election time. The timing is right as they are well before mid-term. It is time to be less cautious, perhaps even more bold. Mistakes could be atoned and redressed, while criticisms from political foes could be duly acted upon, comes next election.
Granted those vibes, Umno has little regards for others. It was quite an outing to show-case the transparency of the Malay nationalist party. What is there else to safeguard of the self-esteem and honour of the oldest and biggest Malay nationalist party after all the disgrace? Why?
Preceding the General Assembly, the cascade of humiliating events that have unfolded, left Umno with hardly anything else worthy to be defended. Last to appear was the suspension of a Vice-President, besides dozens others including divisional heads, deputy ministers, etc. incriminated for corruption. Equally humiliating was the revelation of debts owned by a compulsive gambler of a former Umno Chief Minister, to a staggering amount of over RM 30 millions. Is that the tip of the iceberg? God knows how many more culprits are lying low now. Dragging on is the AP issue. The feuding parties are equally blameworthy. The greatest loser are surely the Malays and the rakyat.
What were said to be hate-campaign and baseless accusations of the opposition parties in the last two national elections, so timely raised it ugly head, prior to the last assembly, to vindicate amply all claims of the opposition.
The approval of Umnos leadership to permit members to discuss literally anything was no where close to placate all their crimes of omissions and commissions. Even more astonishing was their hypocritical attitude to join the fray of firing salvos at the Malays. But which Malays? The answer is so obvious, but they were remarkably oblivious and unrepentant, as if they are spared.
Which Malays were responsible for the handouts to the tunes of billion of ringgits in mega-privatization projects? Which Malays had caused leakages of contracts and permits esp APs, meant to help the bumiputera?, Which Malays failed their own race in securing 30% Malay equity for the period of NEP?, Which Malays have caused computers labs to be pronounced unfit even before being used by rural Malay students?, Which Malays stole millions of ringgit, meant to help hardcore-poor Malays and left unscathed? Which Malays were responsible for the closure of many bumiputera colleges, of reducing bumiputera study loans both the public and private colleges, because they have extravagantly spent the rakyat money in mega-projects during the heydays?, Which Malays withdrew the subsidy of petrol and diesel that affects severely the poor Malays (and others)?, Which Malays usurped the rights of other Malays to enjoy the rights of development when withholding the oil royalty in state ruled by other Malays to the amount of RM 3.8 billions? Which Malays were responsible, as claimed by an economist (Danial Lian, The Edge, April, 2004) to have drained a whooping sum of RM380 billion in rent-seeking activities or more popularly known as crony capitalism for over 2 decades? Which Malays?
To the long list of questions that is almost endless, the answer is surely so obvious. There could be no other Malays other than those that were in the helm of power. They are surely the Umno Malays or Umnoputera. Could they now be allowed to shout at others, blaming every political friends and foes alike, for their debacles and worst still, almost literally at keris-point, coercing their BN fraternity and in fact the entire nation to now accept the revival of the sacred New Economic Policy (NEP)?
Distributive justice and equitable opportunities are the epitome of our shared-vision as a nation. Yes we surely and fully understand our unique and peculiar history. We totally cherish and espouse our plurality. That is a God-given thing. However, we need to take a long hard look at solving our national problem through a slightly different perspective, an approach that transcends various biological, racial and cultural divides.
I will have no qualms to reiterate in no uncertain terms, that Islam stands for and advocates Justice and Equitable Opportunities. However, should any affirmative action or positive discrimination measures be required, it must be qualified as a Function of Needs/Merits. It cuts across race, culture and even beliefs! Period.
This may sound idealistic and politically naive. Be that as it may, a thinking through must be done to see to the mechanics and the modus-operandi of the future social and national development policies. It must be a commitment of the all political parties, technocrats and the entire civil society. Surely it is an uphill task and a tall order. This will truly be the Politics of Justice of both Universal and Transcendental Justice! It heralds a new beginning of a new national construct. A progression and not a retrogression.
Any attempt at reviving an outmoded faulty paradigm of political expediency, spells dooms for the already much impoverished nation. It will further breed a new set of rent-seekers (ie cronies) and all its attendant malaise of the nation. In the light of creating towering Malays and for all the wise mantras that our premier has come to be amply endowed with, shall we humble ourselves to admit that: We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used, when we created them (the problems) Albert Einstein.
It will be the Great March Backward!
- zs
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