LETTERS
Dec 13, 2000
Answer these, Umno Youth!
Hardly surprising that Barisan Nasional's loss of Lunas to Barisan Alternatif
has ruffled all sorts of political feathers, not the least of all, within Umno
Youth.
This was manifested in the resignation (later retracted) of its deputy (albeit
another of those infamous sandiwara that they have learnt to adopt).
And reading through the various news reports, it would be fair to assume there
are quite a bit of goings-on within the movement.
I am unsure if the movement is just plain dumb, or simply gullible, although I
suspect it is more a case of vested interests that have clouded the ability of
its exco members to see, digest, think and react
to the reality of the situation.
Any which way one looks at it, it can only spell ‘irrelevance' staring down
hard on the movement. With this in view, I will try to enumerate in the simplest
of language, to basically tell the entire leadership of Umno why Malays are now
shunning them like the plague. If there are points that need further
clarification, then ‘go to the grassroots'.
Find out from them, firsthand.
I am not a politician. And in my eyes, Umno Youth today is toothless, all
the more glaringly so when compared with the movement under Harun Idris, Suhaimi
Kamaruddin, and of course, Anwar Ibrahim. Maybe Umno
Youth should start paying attention to non-politicians like me, to see simple
things that the politically trained eye does not see.
Lest I be scorned at as a racist, I apologise to ‘the others' who, I
have not the slightest doubt, are as Malaysian as I am. But at issue here is
Umno Youth and the Malays.
1) Anwar Ibrahim. This has to be the issue. It is often said that the
Chinese view this as a Malay quarrel. And Malays, being generally Muslims, want
the answers. I can assure you that Umno Youth will do well to provide the
answers truthfully and in all honesty.
2) Corruption and the abuse of power. Anwar's conviction involved not a
single sen, and he gets six years. What about the case of the share-allotment?
Complete with ACA's investigation papers and the AG's recommendations? This case
involved tens of millions of ringgit that could have been distributed to
hundreds of Malays. Is it not in Umno's ‘charter' to protect the interests of
the Malays? Or do you not consider sharing the cake as a means of protection of
interests?
3) The rape of the judiciary. What about the holiday in New Zealand where
the Chief Justice (no less) accidentally bumped into a lawyer, whose case was
before him? Does Umno Youth expect the Malays to swallow
the "no case" verdict of the Attorney-General?
4) The privatised projects, or is it ‘piratised projects', which
subsequently have been or are in the process of being bailed out. MISC, Indah
Water, Renong and now MAS.
And the ongoing clean sweep of three-quarters of the Financial System
under the flagship of Malaysian Plantation Bhd, as exposed by the MP from
Kemaman in Parliament a few days ago. One does not have to be a crime reporter
to identify the ultimate beneficiary of the entire deal.
5) Police brutality. This problem is real. We have heard about it,
especially from those who have had the misfortune of having to spend time in the
police lock-ups. But they were a tiny minority. Their voices of complaints
fizzle out after Michael Chong's press conference. Even after the Anwar saga,
there were still opinions that say that this is more the exception than the
rule.
The police treatment of Reformasi supporters brings this problem out into
the open, beyond all reasonable doubt. Umno Youth has to see it before it can
believe that there are cases of police brutality. And that
was what thousands of Malays did. They saw, either firsthand or via the
Internet, videos or VCDs that definitely were not doctored.
Having seen what we saw, we started asking whether it was indeed necessary
for the Police to act as they did against their own race? We are now wondering
who the real enemies are. The standard answer, ‘arahan', does nothing to
appease the already angry Malay.
6) The party leader tells people who are willing to listen that he does
not fear the courts and that he was never called to testify. Only, "They
(the defence) were only thinking of calling me!" A classic case of having
lost track of which is a lie and which is not. Whereas Malays were brought up,
berani kerana benar, takut kerana salah (only the gulity need to be afraid of
the truth).
7) The party leader is in a constant state of war with the religious
elders and scholars. We are all in agreement that Islam is a dynamic way of life
and has to be re-looked and re-assessed with the times. But please, this does
not apply to hukum-hakam (Islamic jurispundence). Even when re-assessing the
non-hukum, he will have to leave it to others who are more qualified to do the
job, and do it independently. Giving blank cheques to the likes of Astora Jabat,
Nora Marzuki and Kassim Ahmad, only makes matters worse, not only to the
movement, but also to Islam.
8) Can Umno Youth satisfactorily explain (especially to the Terengganu
Malays) why after 25 years, oil royalty payments have suddenly become wang ehsan?
After 25 years of the state government being entrusted with
the disbursement of this royalty, it has suddenly become necessary for the
federal government to take charge? And in your attempt to explain, please do not
say that politics had nothing to do with the decision.
9) Umno Youth must be able to convince many Malays why Malaysia needs very
repressive press laws. Otherwise, the movement must work towards the easing up
of many of the conditions that has to be met for, say, the
application of a publishing/printing permit.
Again, we are agreed that press freedom cannot be absolute. Press freedom
should never be taken as a passport to commit slander nor disseminate lies.
But press freedom should minimally report that there were indeed 30,000 to
40,000 people gathered on the Kesas Highway on Nov 5, and definitely not 1,000
as reported. It should not attribute a press statement to Lim
Kit Siang from Lunas, when the poor man was nowX-Mozilla-Status: 0009 short,
press freedom should minimally mean truthful reporting, even if it hurts Umno
Youth. Is that too much to ask?
There you are. The basic things wrong with Umno Youth. Without these being
addressed and resolved, no amount of finger-pointing or name-calling can reach
the very root of the problem that is facing Umno
Youth, by extension Umno and by further extension the government. The movement
is too politically mature not to have been able to see the writings on the wall.
But to voice it out? Well that is another issue.
No matter, disregard these very basic issues, then do so at your own folly.
Personally, I won't cry for Umno Youth, for I have found a very able replacement
(of government) in Barisan Alternatif. And I will fight
for that cause. My father (may Allah bless his soul) will surely understand.
Kassim Abu