Aliran Monthly 20(2) Page 1 PP3739/12/2000 ISSN 0127

40 Pages·2012·2.95 MB·English

PP3739/12/2000 ISSN 0127 - 5127 / RM3.00 / 2000:20(2)
Aliran Monthly 20(2) Page 1
COVER STORY
The UMNO Malaise
End Of History And The Last Rebel
by Dr Maznah Mohamad
TTTTT here are enough sup- integrity and sidesteps de-
porters and oppo- mocracy when ‘advised’ by
nents who think that the Supreme Council to toe
UMNO, the party is in dan- its line.
ger of becoming ‘irrelevant’ to
future Malaysian politics. Yet No room for rebellion
some leaders behave as if the
fallout from the ‘Anwar af- That’s why Tengku Raza-
fair’ was a mere ripple, and leigh Hamzah has had so
UMNO is unsinkable. much trouble even succeed-
ing at the “nomination
If UMNO, the nation’s po- round” for the May UMNO
litical Titanic, remains election. Given this state of af-
afloat, it does so at a high fairs, democracy will be fur-
price. The wide-spread be- ther derailed. Soon, UMNO can be challenged.
lief is that a large part of its members will forget the no-
membership cowers in fear contest ruling for UMNO’s In one sense, the attention
of a witch-hunt, chants a top two posts. No one will paid to the likelihood of Ku
chorus of lies, stays mute in again be interested to know Li’s challenge might not even
the face of injustice, com- if and how the UMNO presi- matter. Things have got so
promises principles, scorns dency or deputy presidency bad they can hardly get worse
Aliran Monthly 20(2) Page 2
C O N T E N T S
COVER STORY
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Aliran Monthly 20(2) Page 3
– unless we miss the most and Islam, coexisting uneas- a remarkable point and may
important point of this latest ily with modernism and irrev- provide it verve for several
episode, which is UMNO’s erence. more cycles of its political
malaise. karma.
UMNO has not quite had a
The Malaise will be the overrid- distinct ideology. Instead, it But as the Anwar Ibrahim epi-
ing but hidden agenda of its has successfully manufac- sode and its social, cultural
coming General Assembly. But tured Malayness by claiming and political consequences
this will not be resolved its mission to be defending have shown, UMNO has
through the outcome of its the Malay race, religion and reached the limits of its mo-
finely ‘orchestrated’ election. nation (membela bangsa, nopoly of Malayness. The
Instead, the results may even agama dan negara). This has party has finally reached a
deepen if not sow the seeds for led many people to believe quandary as to how to keep
the party’s eventual undoing. that UMNO is a Malay chau- on reinventing this Malay-
vinistic party. But it isn’t so. ness. Proceeding from this
Presently no individual or fac- Openness, good governance point onwards would be the
tion within UMNO can cred- and democracy have never most difficult task facing
ibly mount The Challenge. been UMNO’s primary con- UMNO because cracks in the
Room for rebellion is agoniz- cerns. Still the party is one of party’s life span have already
ingly small while the risk is
chillingly high. Besides, a
change in UMNO leadership Openness, good governance and
may not lead to party re- democracy have never been UMNO’s
forms. No one knows this bet- primary concerns.
ter than the party’s president,
who was once the party’s
fearless rebel but has since Malaysia’s most inclusive es- started to emerge.
become its most intolerant tablishments. A Gujerati Mus-
steward. lim, an Arab Malay or a Herein also lies UMNO’s dan-
Sabahan Bumiputra can ger of becoming irrelevant. If
Manufacturing
equally become an UMNO UMNO fails to project a fresh
Malayness
member. definition of Malayness, then
If UMNO is unwell, why the future belongs to some
doesn’t it tumble quickly? Without being exclusive in its other players. UMNO may be
One reason is that UMNO em- definition of a Malay, UMNO a wealthy party but it will
bodies Malay culture. manufactured an encom- only be a shell that is unable
passing Malay identity which to house the ‘new’ Malay.
It may sound far-fetched and it successfully used to estab-
simplistic to say so, but lish the Malay as ‘first among Losing dynamism,
UMNO manifests Malayness, equals’ in this nation, to re- immune to reforms
and the average UMNO distribute wealth through the
member represents the quint- NEP, and to co-opt resurgent Clearly UMNO has lost di-
essential Malay – gullible, Islamic movements. All of this rection and dynamism. By
weak, indecisive, yet defiant, became the elements that fed the time of the Anwar affair,
ambitious and crafty. In into the project of congealing virtually all credible dissi-
UMNO’s Malayness, one the Malay quintessence - dents – who might have
finds a fusion of feudalism which the party has done to formed ‘the conscience of the
Aliran Monthly 20(2) Page 4
party’ – had been flushed out UMNO’s leading lights play this and that noble principle.
from the party. Without them, fast and loose with concepts But for them, staying aboard
The Challenge cannot become of justice, transparency, fair- the gravy train of reward and
a reality. ness and democracy. Just power is the real thing. Prin-
read Razaleigh’s statements ciples can be traded-off or
However, dissatisfied UMNO before and after he rejoined abandoned without scruple.
members have little ground UMNO. Compare Rais
Inertia, the bane
for complaint. They didn’t bat Yatim’s statements today
of party life
an eyelid when unethical and with his book, Freedom Under
undemocratic practices were Executive Power, which was UMNO is stuck in inertia.
rampant during the general written when he was with Musa Hitam’s recent speech
elections. Why should they Semangat 46. in Johore (see page 7) was a
now expect their party elec- veiled attack on the party’s
tion to follow standards that UMNO has not been re- leadership and its undemo-
they weren’t prepared to up- formed since Razaleigh and cratic practices. Musa’s
hold earlier? Rais rejoined the party. Why widely publicized speech
does neither of them speak of caused a stir among UMNO
Fear, too, explains why noth- UMNO’s deplorable state of members (and many
ing radical will happen in governance? Why don’t they Malaysians) but couldn’t ini-
UMNO. People are reluctant re-issue the writings and tiate a tidal wave for reform.
to mount challenges not just statements they made years Those most moved by the sub-
because they may fail, but be- before re-joining UMNO? Are stance of Musa’s criticisms
cause of what will happen to they no longer interested in were upset, but not enraged
them if they fail. The humili- the ‘justice’ they once fought enough to take up the cudg-
ation of Semangat 46 and for? One wonders why the els for change. UMNO mem-
Razaleigh, and the horrors grassroots are not more con- bers and Malaysians alike
that befell Anwar are re- fused or disillusioned about have learnt to treat criticisms
minders that any challenge the party’s actual struggles against the present order like
against the UMNO leader- given the pendulous swings water off a duck’s back or as
ship must be a do-or-die bat- to which principles are sub- yet another daily offering that
tle. jected. soon evaporates into thin air.
There is another reason why As for those leaders who UMNO has not been spared
UMNO will remain un- have been utterly ‘loyal’ to the the present regime’s emascu-
changed, stagnant and un- party all these years, even less lation of almost every institu-
able to reform itself from needs be said. tion that can promote and
within. Some people think protect civil liberties. Hence,
that replacing the present In short, don’t look to UMNO the inertia of UMNO’s mem-
leadership will lead to reform leaders to lead genuine re- bership is just as effective as
and renewal. But that’s prac- form. They may now and outright repression in keeping
tically impossible when then posture as defenders of ‘people in place’ and guaran-
Soon, UMNO members will forget the no-contest ruling for UMNO’s
top two posts. No one will again be interested to know if and how
the UMNO presidency or deputy presidency can be challenged.
Aliran Monthly 20(2) Page 5
teeing ‘business as usual’. braced Malay doctors and the publication of Harakah.
lawyers. After that it brought The template for a future
Malaise
in radical Islamists. UMNO has been laid down.
When was the last real rebel- So long as UMNO can
lion within UMNO? Most recently UMNO took on project itself as the political
board Malay businessmen embodiment of Malayness, it
When Musa Hitam resigned and locked their class inter- will survive. In this respect,
as deputy prime minister in ests with the party’s interests. PAS already poses an obvious
1986, he did not revolt. He Consequently, Malay busi- alternative and a serious
simply gave up because he nessmen are collectively challenge.
couldn’t take the heat. Tengku UMNO’s patron and money-
Razaleigh was no rebel, ed backbone – but they are But any redefinition of
merely a contender for the also the very source of the Malayness may not fall into
presidency. And if Anwar party’s social liability. either UMNO’s or PAS’ ver-
Ibrahim meant to rebel in sion. One hopes that the proc-
1998, his nascent mutiny was Hence, whom, after the ess of Malay politicization
snuffed out even before it had Malay businessmen, can may be entering a more com-
a chance to erupt. UMNO ride on to evolve as plex but more enlightening
dynamically as it once did? phase – ironically because of
The bold and defiant Malay the crisis which UMNO has
of whom Dr Mahathir was UMNO itself has no satisfac- caused.
undoubtedly the last success- tory answer, as can be
ful one is becoming an un- judged by the attempts by It remains to be seen
known protagonist in certain UMNO quarters to whether a credible chal-
UMNO. In Malay theatre- revive their obsolescent for- lenge takes place in the May
parlance he would be the apt mula of calling for ‘Malay UMNO election that can
personification of the Pem- unity’ as if the Malays are a lead to the party’s renewal.
berontak Melayu Terakhir. besieged community. Some If an unreform-ed UMNO
UMNO politicians and a politics continues to domi-
When a political party loses mainstream Malay daily nate Malaysian society, it
all spirit of ‘defiance’, it also newspaper have attacked does not take much to guess
loses all chances of vibrancy, Astro (the cable TV) for hav- what darkness will be in
reform and renewal. Losing ing ‘too many’ Chinese and store for the rest of us, who
much Malay support at the Tamil foreign channels. But have been bystanders in this
last election should have been is this anything more than latest round of a charade of
enough of a ‘wake-up’ call for a pathetic admission that an election. We will be bet-
UMNO to invent a new and UMNO no longer offers ter off not to wait with
vibrant sense of Malayness. anything more original than bated breath wondering if
But it’s not happening. a worn-out claim of defend- all hell will break loose in the
ing ‘Malayness’ against coming showdown. Instead,
In UMNO’s 44-year history, non-existent ‘non-Malay we should wonder if we are
one of its chief strengths was threats’? not in fact witnessing the
its ability to co-opt different twilight moments of one
Curtains?
strategic Malay constituen- chapter of Malay history
cies. It first depended on It is equally irrelevant to and the dawning of another.
Malay teachers and religious UMNO’s claim on Malayness But pray that the next one
leaders. Then it actively em- for the government to restrict will be less grim. q
Aliran Monthly 20(2) Page 6
UMNO POLITICS
What Has Happened
To UMNO?
Rejuvenate UMNO and change yourself before you are changed
by Tan Sri Musa Hitam
SSSSS ince my withdrawal or willing to withdraw volun- full awareness of our respon-
after the election of tarily and give way to young sibility, and for the interest of
the UMNO leader- and new talents, we will con- the people. If we violate these
ship in 1987, I have refrained tinue to be supported by the principles, we will eventually
from making any statements people as their representative. lose our mandate. When we
on the political develop- lose our mandate,
ments in UMNO. Many there will be disorder
have asked if I have re- and chaos and finally
ally retired or if my si- we will sink.
lence is in reality a tac-
tic or strategy. Power is indeed per-
plexing. The more
By the Grace of God, I powerful a person
have successfully disci- gets, the more power
plined myself from re- he covets. This is espe-
turning actively into the cially true in a society
UMNO political arena. which measures suc-
God willing, I will con- cess according to ma-
tinue to do so; I do not terial attainments;
plan to be active in poli- power is increasingly
tics again. used as a tool for ma-
terial attainment and,
It is difficult to accept subsequently, material
and believe such a stand. attainment itself is
But to me, this is the used to maintain
stand that is appropriate for Otherwise, our party will in- power or gain more power.
UMNO as long as we wish to creasingly be divorced from
continue practising democ- society. As a result of the Malays be-
racy and wish to represent the ing motivated by material
people in the true sense. I be- The power that has been en- advancement, the character
lieve that as long as many trusted to us all this while is of their leadership and the
heads and leaders are ready meant to be used justly, with style of their politics has
Aliran Monthly 20(2) Page 7
changed. Whereas the earlier young, old, labourers, the tion, but also adapt our think-
UMNO leaders were teachers learned, the rich, the poor - ing and action to it.
and the issues that lifted them worked hard and earnestly
up or brought them down for the opposition parties, no If we only demand that they
were related to education, matter whether it was PAS, thank us continuously as be-
increasingly more business- DAP, Parti Rakyat or fore, they will regard us as
men and entrepreneurs have KeADILan. Only in Chinese- being behind the times.
taken over the leadership. majority areas were the BN
The issues have also changed and UMNO leaders and So many Malay youths,
to issues of business licences, workers relaxed. “There’s no when I’m exchanging views
contracts and so on. Ques- problem here, Tan Sri,” they with them on current issues,
tions of irrigation, drains, ag- told me jovially. complain to me that, “The
riculture, schools and higher trouble with the leadership is
education have been What has happened? What that whenever they try to ex-
drowned out by issues like has happened to UMNO? plain issues to the public,
Malay business “opportuni- UMNO has become a Malay they seem to insult our intel-
ties”. party that is dependent upon ligence.”
Chinese support?
During my entire political In other words, they are no
career, when I visited every There’s nothing wrong with longer prepared to accept a
corner of the country, at any the Chinese supporting statement wholesale without
gathering, I felt confident of UMNO. That is a good sign. thinking critically. We have
the support of the Malay so- But in the present political lost credibility; their trust in
ciety for UMNO. On the other environment when so many us has been eroded.
hand, it was difficult to be Malays have deserted UMNO
certain of Chinese support or and support rival parties — We cannot dodge the issues
even be sure of their stand. even the DAP — UMNO they bring up with decades-
members must reflect on and old arguments. Let me raise
Now the situation has be conscious of our weak- frankly the issues that were
changed. On polling day dur- nesses, analyse ourselves. used widely during the last
ing the recent general elec- elections with great deleteri-
tions, I spent the whole day If the leaders don’t want to ous effects on us:
visiting polling stations in the do so and continue to blame
(1) The Anwar Ibrahim
Federal Territory and areas others, it is definitely a bad
Issue
around Selangor. sign - that UMNO will be-
come irrelevant before long. From the start, we said that
My experience was extremely the Anwar Ibrahim issue is
peculiar, one that I had never The Malays have become so not a big issue. But each time
experienced in my entire life. well educated, mature and we hear our leaders speak in
In Malay-majority areas, BN bold, bold in taking a stand the campaign, Anwar Ibra-
leaders and workers looked on all kinds of issues, whether him is condemned more
weary and exhausted as well it is politics, administration, crudely and more frequently,
as pressured. economy, education, etc. This without any restraint.
is undoubtedly a result of
This was because in a very UMNO’s own efforts. We To me, Anwar Ibrahim is in-
open, fearless and unhesitant should face this situation deed unimportant. The issue
manner, so many Malays - with pride and determina- that was used very effectively
Aliran Monthly 20(2) Page 8
by the opposition parties was two attractions that resulted didates from their own party.
how “cruel” the BN govern- in overwhelming acceptance
(4) Condition Inside
ment was in the way it of UMNO, especially among
the Party
dragged Anwar to the lowest the Malays. These were the
pit, and that too when he had concepts of “Clean, Efficient
just been idolised as a national and Trustworthy” and
leader. “Leadership by Example”,
both of which abide by the
To the Malay community, es- teachings of Islam.
pecially those who feel “pity”
for Anwar, “cruelty” and The practices that were de-
“pity” had become the source manded of UMNO of that
of anti-government argu- time (I still remember how
ments and a whisper cam- excited the UMNO Supreme
paign which had a great Council was over these con-
negative impact on us. cepts!), seems to me, to have
been forgotten while we are
(2) The Issue of still trying to get close to the Since UMNO was established
Corruption, Cronyism people. Finally, in the last few on 11 May 1946 in Johor
and Nepotism years, the leaders seem em- Bahru, it was a political party
barrassed to even mention that was open, accessible and
No matter what arguments the concepts of “Clean, Effi- represented Malays from all
our leaders use to counter cient and Trustworthy” and segments of society.
accusations of corruption, “Leadership by Example”.
nepotism and cronyism, the When I was serving the party
perception of many members In my opinion, the perception then, there were no lack of
of society is that it indeed ex- of the people is that PAS, as a members of the Supreme
ists. party that rules in only one Council, PM, DPM, Ministers
state, practises these concepts and Menteri Besar who were
In politics, what counts is far more than UMNO does. criticised vocally without
image or perception. No mat- By doing so, PAS has been hesitation.
ter how we try and ask that able to prove its credibility
such cases be brought to jus- and project a positive image. In the past decade, UMNO
tice in the courts, reported to has changed. Its AGMs,
the police or other parties that Don’t UMNO members see whether at the divisional,
are responsible, when the all this? Aren’t UMNO mem- state or national level, have all
people see the extravagant bers who come from the become highly organised and
and wasteful lifestyle of those grassroots, from among the tightly arranged, so tightly
in power and compare it ordinary citizenry, aware of that we have deviated from
against the actual income all these issues? Of course our original purposes.
these people are supposed to they see it, of course they are
get, they cannot accept our aware! I’m sure they see and The speeches and statements
arguments. are aware. Some see so well are aimed more at attracting
and are so aware that they the interest and attention of
(3) Religion have become frustrated, so those in power. The more
much so they quietly and se- powerful the person the
In the early 1980s, there were cretly refuse to vote for can- speech is directed at, the
Aliran Monthly 20(2) Page 9
higher the praise. The level of be obstructed with conditions extends to their supporters.
tolerance for criticisms and that are too stringent or be
differences of opinion de- prohibited from contesting His job is jeopardised; his
clines, the more powerful the any position by a decision of business, his loans, his chil-
leader becomes. the Supreme Council. dren’s scholarships are also
threatened. Not surprisingly,
Under such conditions, it is In the process of choosing the the contests are so intense
not surprising to see our par- top leadership, the widest and finally divisive. Hatred
ty’s meetings increasingly be- opportunity should be given continues, animosity contin-
coming “endorsement” meet- to anyone who wishes to of- ues and purging continues.
ings and not meetings to put fer himself. All members Under such conditions, con-
forward the laments, criti- should be given the chance to test within UMNO has truly
cisms and demands of the record their stand through become a matter of life and
people. Not only that, who- the electoral process. death.
ever dares to criticise or give
a different opinion is branded I am sure that no human in I can see that the process of
disloyal and faces all-out con- this world is 100% liked or condemnation has already
demnation. supported. I don’t believe Dr started via certain newspa-
Mahathir is supported 100%. pers - when there’s mere talk
(5) Concept of Loyalty I don’t believe Datuk that Tengku Razaleigh wants
Abdullah Badawi is sup- to contest. If this tactic con-
The concept of loyalty in our ported by 100% of the mem- tinues in the UMNO elections,
party has become confused. bers. it will definitely backfire.
Loyalty to the party has be-
come confused with loyalty to What is detrimental when a In my closing speech in 1987,
individual leaders or those contest is disallowed is that I asked all the delegates to
who hold office. Only those those who face no contest “take good care of UMNO”,
who shout, “support and will feel “a false sense of but today, my plea is “rejuve-
agree” are considered loyal. popularity” and “a false sense nate UMNO” and “change
Those who give different or of security” …he will feel that yourself before you are
counter arguments are he is so popular and will con- changed”.q
sidelined or branded trouble- tinue to enjoy full support for
makers. This “support and life!
agree” syndrome has killed EEEEExxxxxccccceeeeerrrrrppppptttttsssss ooooofffff ttttthhhhheeeee ssssspppppeeeeeeeeeeccccchhhhh
the readiness to put forward What is splitting our party is bbbbbyyyyy fffffooooorrrrrmmmmmeeeeerrrrr UUUUUMMMMMNNNNNOOOOO
constructive opinions. the political culture in UMNO DDDDDeeeeepppppuuuuutttttyyyyy PPPPPrrrrreeeeesssssiiiiidddddeeeeennnnnttttt,,,,, TTTTTaaaaannnnn
now - both the winning and SSSSSrrrrriiiii MMMMMuuuuusssssaaaaa HHHHHiiiiitttttaaaaammmmm,,,,, wwwwwhhhhheeeeennnnn
(6) UMNO Constitution losing side realise that there oooooffffffffffiiiiiccccciiiiiaaaaatttttiiiiinnnnnggggg aaaaattttt ttttthhhhheeeee aaaaannnnn-----
will be attempts to finish off nnnnnuuuuuaaaaalllll gggggeeeeennnnneeeeerrrrraaaaalllll mmmmmeeeeeeeeeetttttiiiiinnnnnggggg
In the chapter on elections, the loser’s political career. The ooooofffff UUUUUMMMMMNNNNNOOOOO bbbbbrrrrraaaaannnnnccccchhhhheeeeesssss iiiiinnnnn
my opinion is that every mem- loser will be cursed, con- ttttthhhhheeeee JJJJJooooohhhhhooooorrrrr BBBBBaaaaahhhhhrrrrruuuuu dddddiiiiivvvvviiiii-----
ber who wishes to offer him- demned and obstructed not sssssiiiiiooooonnnnn ooooonnnnn 1111199999 FFFFFeeeeebbbbbrrrrruuuuuaaaaarrrrryyyyy
self for whatever position, only in their political activi- 22222000000000000000.....
whether it is the President, ties but also to the extent of
Deputy President, Vice Presi- threatening their rice-bowl. SSSSSooooouuuuurrrrrccccceeeee::::: MMMMMaaaaalllllaaaaayyyyysssssiiiiiaaaaaKKKKKiiiiinnnnniiiii
dent or Supreme Council, This fate is not limited to (((((TTTTTrrrrraaaaannnnnssssslllllaaaaattttteeeeeddddd bbbbbyyyyy AAAAAllllliiiiirrrrraaaaannnnn)))))
should be accepted and not those who contest, but also
Aliran Monthly 20(2) Page 10