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It won't be long before the battle starts

Posted: 03 Dec 2011 10:00 AM PST

The assembly set the stage with a spirited call to restore Umno's pride and glory

As Umno president and prime minister, Najib's task is to rally the troops. And this he did in his closing speech at the assembly. Najib's deputy, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, did his part, too, knowing that all eyes are on them to show the way ahead.

By Ahmad A.Talib, New Straits Times

THE true success of Umno's general assembly will be known in the coming weeks. Once the lights are dimmed and the doors to Dewan Merdeka are shut, delegates would make their way to their hometowns with thoughts of their own.

There is much to chew on. Plenty of take-away messages, pledges to fulfil and some delegates have their own soul searching to do, too.

Indeed, this has been a different general assembly.

With the 13th general election expected next year, the just-concluded assembly could very well be the last gathering for delegates.

After all, the fiery speeches have been made and heard, it's now time to deliver. There's a potentially bruising battle ahead. No one but Datuk Seri Najib Razak knows when this battle will be.

As Umno president and prime minister, Najib's task is to rally the troops. And this he did in his closing speech at the assembly. Najib's deputy, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, did his part, too, knowing that all eyes are on them to show the way ahead.

Everyone was waiting to hear Najib's speech -- the general's orders, so to speak.

Puteri chief Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin set the stage with a spirited call that the movement will not shirk its responsibilities to help restore Umno's pride and glory.

Rosnah's firm and confident delivery received a rousing response from delegates, who gave an equally loud endorsement to Youth leader Khairy Jamaluddin.

Apart from winnable candidates, Khairy spoke of a winning machinery. When a winnable candidate met a winning machinery, victory could be assured, the young man said.

This has been a different assembly from previous years. It was well organised. In fact, to some delegates, members and observers, it was too organised.

Entry into the main hall wasn't easy. One required a smart card to get in, apart from the usual identification tag issued by party headquarters.

While this is certainly good, it had discouraged observers to join in on the last day. In previous years, there was standing room only as everyone packed the hall to hear the closing speeches.

This time, there was no food stalls in the five-foot ways, a feature that added colour and lent a busy atmosphere at the party headquarters.

After all, the assembly was held only once a year and party members wanted to be together and show their solidarity with party leaders, as one supreme council member said over tea.

Friendship and solidarity was also cemented in food stalls in five-foot ways as much as in Dewan Merdeka, a delegate from Malacca said.

This notwithstanding, delegates were generally pleased with the messages from Najib. They remember the war cry as the party prepares for the general election. They had wanted to hear a speech to complete the one he gave on the opening day.

Najib saved his best for last, and his loyal followers were not disappointed.

This has not been an easy assembly for everyone. There's a sense of great expectation, one that everyone in expected to share and deliver.

What next, I asked a young delegate as we walked out from the main hall. "We wait. It won't be long now," the Perakian said.

Najib’s choice: glory or infamy?

Posted: 02 Dec 2011 10:57 PM PST

Is the 1Malaysia concept merely an illusion and Najib is nothing but a dream peddler?

Is he living in a dream world? Why is it that he has failed to see the rot in his own camp? How can he be credible when those in his own party are bent on instilling fear, hatred and animosity in the citizens via Umno scaring the Malays and MCA scaring the Chinese?

Selena Tay, Free Malaysia Today

Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak is on a precipice. Make no mistake about that. One wrong step and he is a goner. Why is that so? None other than because those closest to him seem to want to put a damper on his plans and vision.

Take the 1Malaysia slogan which Najib is bent on promoting as a unifying force for racial unity and harmony. But Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin throws a spanner into the works by saying that he is Malay first and Malaysian second.

This certainly does not bode well for Najib. Still, the prime minister has no choice but to keep quiet in order not to seem at odds with his deputy.

He has said that Umno is not a racist party but the other Umno warlords seem to be targeting the Chinese and DAP as wanting to grab political and economic power.

This is a clear indicator that Najib is a lone voice in his idealistic dreams of being the leader of Utopia. He must wake up to the fact that there are dangerous elements in his own camp who seem to be thwarting his every move. And this is sending out conflicting signals to the rakyat.

Another "frenemy" (a deadly term used to describe someone who is also a friend as well as an enemy) of the prime minister is none other than MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek who is bent on disparaging hudud law.

Najib is working hard to portray himself as a Muslim leader but as MCA's Chua is so against hudud, it will dent Najib's Muslim leader image because if you are a Muslim leader, how can you not support hudud?

Of course, there are political pundits who say that BN's two-pronged strategy is this:

Umno will use DAP/the Chinese to frighten the Malays; and

MCA will use hudud to scare the Chinese in order to maintain their hold on power by presenting their respective parties as the best political choice.

Be that as it may, Najib must not forget that the rural Malays will also question why as a Muslim leader he is allowing MCA to bad-mouth hudud while at the same time always proclaiming that Umno is the only party which can champion Islam!

The rural Malay folks can see that his words and his actions are definitely not in sync.

Najib needs to be firm

The prime minister has to be decisive. He has to weed out all those who do not seem to share his dreams of an Utopian Malaysia.

He has to take a firm and forceful stand to see that everyone in his camp vigorously promotes 1Malaysia.

All those who bash the non-Malays must be severely dealt with and there must be no more of those who dare to promote the "I am Malay first and Malaysian second" line.

If Najib does not take steps to rein in the hate-mongers and war hawks in his party, then he is nothing but a leader with empty talk and he will go from hero to zero.

This is where Najib has failed. 1Malaysia is more like 1Najib with the "1" showing Najib to be the sole believer in his own ideals.

Najib has always tried to endear himself to all races, but his men are issuing hate-speeches against the Chinese. His men's actions are in direct contrast with his words. Why this confusing stand from his own party? As head of Umno, is he not able to command and elicit a unified stand from his party men?

1Malaysia shows Najib to be the lone wolf in Umno. He must have the courage to forge ahead with political reforms and transformation instead of just mouthing these words every now and then.

He must not give in to ethnocentric Malay NGOs. Otherwise, 1Malaysia is merely an illusion and he is nothing but a dream peddler.

Has Najib got what it takes to execute his plans? Does he dare to forge ahead or is he held back by fears of lack of support? Even schoolchildren these days are chanting "1Malaysia, 1Malaysia" but when they grow up, they may say, "Now what was that all about?"

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Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net

Sabtu, 3 Disember 2011

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

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