UMNO-BN PERLU TENTUKAN SIKAP TENTANG PERPADUAN NEGARA

Timbalan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi menyatakan kesalnya kerana beberapa orang yang berucap dalam perhimpunan Melayu Takkan Hilang di Dunia, anjuran BBM (Badan Bertindak Melayu), telah mengkritik pimpinan UMNO, terutama Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Abdullah tidak perlu kesal kerana beliau harus memahami bahawa lazimnya apa yang kita semai itulah nanti yang kita tuai.

Semua orang tahu bahawa perhimpunan yang diadakan oleh BBM pada hari Ahad lalu, sama juga seperti perhimpunan yang dirancang oleh GPMS terlebih dulu, adalah ekoran atau akibat daripada sikap serta pendirian yang diambil oleh Dr Mahathir. Selaku Perdana Menteri dan Presiden UMNO, Mahathir telah mengecam hebat golongan Cina yang dianggapnya ekstremis serta macam komunis, dan di samping itu berucap membangkitkan semangat keMelayuan dengan menyeru perpaduan Melayu.

Berhari-hari dan berminggu-minggu pihak media, terutama yang berbahasa Melayu, telah membesar-besarkan kecaman serta ucapan Mahathir tersebut. Bahkan mereka telah mengapi-apikan orang Melayu dengan semangat keMelayuan yang sempit. Strategi ini sengaja mereka jalankan semata-mata dengan tujuan untuk memulihkan sokongan orang Melayu kepada UMNO, yang sudah mulai malap itu. Mereka tidak mengambil endah apakah kelak akibat bermain dengan api perkauman ini ke atas perpaduan bangsa dan keamanan negara.

Kedua-dua GPMS dan BBM menyokong agenda perpaduan Melayu itu. Abdullah dan Mahathir tidak mengkritik, bahkan kelihatan merasa senang dengan tindak-tanduk GPMS, yang memang mereka restui, kerana ia menentang rayuan Suqiu dan menyokong perpaduan Melayu. Akan tetapi mereka mengkritik dan tidak menyokong BBM kerana, selain daripada bercakap tentang perpaduan Melayu, sesetengah pemimpinnya telah mengecam hebat pucuk pimpinan UMNO dalam perhimpunan yang telah mereka anjurkan.

Hampir semua tokoh di barisan hadapan BBM itu adalah bekas pemimpin yang sudah terpinggir dalam UMNO. Ada di antara mereka, sama ada yang masih dalam kerajaan ataupun sudah tidak lagi, telah terlibat dalam pencetusan peristiwa 13 Mei 1969 dulu. Ramai di kalangan mereka merasakan “hak istimewa” digunakan hanya untuk mengayakan atau menyelamatkan sebilangan kecil kroni pucuk pimpinan dan tidak memenuhi kepentingan mereka.

Mereka ini bersetuju dengan strategi untuk membangkitkan semangat keMelayuan dan perpaduan Melayu. Tetapi mereka juga mahukan sokongan daripada orang Melayu untuk kepentingan mereka sendiri. Untuk mencapai tujuan ini, mereka mengambil tindakan yang lebih Melayu daripada sikap pucuk pimpinan UMNO itu. Selanjutnya mereka mengecam pucuk pimpinan UMNO kerana dianggap tidak cukup Melayu kerana tidak mengabaikan kepentingan mereka.

PRM merasa bimbang bahawa strategi yang dimulakan oleh Dr Mahathir untuk mendapatkan sokongan bagi dirinya dan UMNO akhirnya boleh memecahbelahkan rakyat dan memusnahkan negara. Untuk menyelamatkan masa depan rakyat dan negara Malaysia, Barisan Alternatif (BA) telah mencadangkan kepada BN supaya diadakan satu persidangan berbagai-bagai parti, pertubuhan dan individu untuk membincangkan soal perpaduan negara. Sehingga ini BN belum memberikan respons mereka. Kami menyeru supaya BN menyatakan sikapnya.

Dr Syed Husin Ali Presiden PRM 6hb Februari 2001

UMNO-BN MUST CONFIRM STAND ON NATIONAL UNITY

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi expressed concern that a number of persons who spoke at the meeting on “Takkan Melayu Hilang di Dunia”, organised by the Malay Action Front (MAF), criticised UMNO leadership, especially Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad. There is no need for Abdullah to be so concerned, for surely he understands that you normally harvest what you sow.

Most people know that the meeting organised by the MAF last Sunday, just like the rallies planned earlier by the Federation of Malay Student Organisations (GPMS), are consequences of the attitude and position taken by Dr Mahathir. As Prime Minister and President of UMNO, Mahathir criticised a group of Chinese as extremists akin to communists, and at the same time made several speeches to raise Malay consciousness through Malay unity.

For days and weeks on end the media, especially those in the Malay language, played up Mahathir’s criticisms and speeches. In fact they have constantly fanned the fire of narrow Malay chauvinism. This appears to be a deliberate strategy aimed mainly at winning back Malay support for UMNO, that has been waning. In doing so, they do not seem to care for whatever consequence this may have on national unity as well as peace in the country.

Both GPMS and the MAF support the agenda for Malay unity. Abdullah and Mahathir are not critical of GPMS, but in fact comfortable with it, because it was against the Suqiu appeals as well as for Malay unity. But they are unhappy with and critical of the MAF, because many of those who spoke at the meeting it organised, besides supporting Malay unity also attacked the leadership of UMNO, especially Dr Mahathir.

Almost all those in the forefront at the MAF meeting are former leaders of UMNO who have been sidelined now. A number of them, whether still in government or already out of it, were involved with the outbreak of the 13th May incident in 1969. Many of the MAF leaders feel that “Malay rights” have been used only to enrich or bail out certain cronies, while their interests have not been fulfilled.

The majority of those who participated in the MAF meeting support the call for Malay unity. But The majority of those who organised or spoke at the meeting also wanted Malay support for their own interests. In order to achieve this objective, they resort to appealing to more chauvinistic Malay position than that taken by the UMNO leaders. They have to appear to be more Malay. They attack Mahathir and the other UMNO leaders for not being Malay enough, because these Umno/government leaders have not done enough to satisfy their interests, in particular.

PRM is alarmed that the strategy initially adopted by Dr Mahathir to regain support for himself and UMNO may ultimately result in disunity among the people, leading to chaos in the country. To save the future of the people and the country, the Alternative Front (BA) had already invited the National Front (BN), to a meeting for all political parties, as well as civil organisations and individuals, to discuss the issue of national unity. To date the BN has not given any response. If the BN leaders are truly concerned about national unity, they should now state their position.

Dr Syed Husin Ali
PRM President

6th February 2001