LET THE GAMES BEGIN

Ladies and gentlemen,

This could be my last posting if the Little Red Book that denies all UMNO candidates the right to issue anything through the electronic media etc takes effect by tomorrow as announced on TV1.

I will seek further clarification on this from the UMNO HQ and if permitted to continue blogging, I will do so only after getting a definite clearance from the powers that be.

In the meantime, from this day forth until six months after the UMNO elections (believe it or not), I will be in hybernation, ie. if I win my bid for Division Vice Chief. If not, then I won't be compelled to comply any further.

Thank you for reading me.

Happy Birthday to HRH The YDP Negeri Sembilan, Happy Birthday to His Majesty The Sultan of Terengganu, Selamat Menyambut Hari Kemerdekaan, Selamat Menyambut Bulan Ramadhan, Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Happy Birthday to HRH The Sultan of Pahang, Happy Deepavali, Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Adha, Happy Birthday to HRH The Sultan of Selangor, Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year and Selamat Menyambut Awal Muharram all in advance. May God Bless Malaysia. I hope we're still in one piece post December.

DO UMNO MALAYS DESERVE GOOD LEADERSHIP

A DEFINITE YES! But as they used to deserve good leadership then, they are now forced to earn it, no thanks to Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

I try not to sound like a broken record so I'll skip repeating the score in the last General Elections. Under the current circumstances and with the widespread cry for the Prime Minister of Malaysia and President of UMNO to retire, it is indeed a monumental task to replace him through the current system if he wishes to remain President.

Much power had been vested in the UMNO President and the Supreme Council to suggest and propose with little resistance the rules and regulations or even guidelines that sometimes go against the UMNO constitution but to their own advantage. These powers were introduced sometime during the 22 years of Tun Dr Mahathir's rule. One of them is the 30% quota for a Presidential candidate to qualify to contest. This comes to 58 nominations needed to cross the bar.

Today, most Malays are tired of the bickering amongst their current leaders, tired of the bad leadership that they know needs changing but is made more difficult to affect, and tired of the previous leader who says the right thing but was guilty of imposing then the very system that is failing the party now. Most Malays are so frustrated that they prefer to throw their hands down and let the chips fall where they may.

The system has made local leaders more subservient to their superiors than to the party. The grassroots generally want change but with strong resistance from the division with much self interest, they would have to fight for it even harder than they should.

The New Malay Dilemma is that we want change but not many are ready to make the sacrifices our forefathers made when they achieved Independence. Today, although the country is independent, the UMNO Malays are not entirely so. Most of them are dependent on leaders at different levels all the way up to the top, either for contracts, state decorations or most often than not for positions. We seem to have lost our direction because the struggle is no longer to preserve the special privilege to be a Malay born in Malaysia, but to preserve the positions of our respective leaders in order to maintain our power in the community and the spoils that come with it.

To make this big change, we the Malays must be brave and independent in our thoughts and exercise our rights without fear or favour. We must remember to repay the good deeds of those who were and are constantly at hand to assist us, not only the last hand that does so. We must choose the right person who has the charisma, foresight, wisdom and who is also independent from family interference be it from a brilliant son in law or even a saucy consort.

The Malays have expected and received good leadership since Merdeka. Today however, if they fail to earn it, they will cease to deserve it.

There is a Hadith that says, " Destruction awaits those who choose a man who knows not of the field he is chosen for. "

May the best man win the day for the sake of our Nation.

TIDAKKAH BADAN PERHUBUNGAN NEGERI-NEGERI PULAU PINANG DAN SELANGOR MELANGGAR TATAETIKA PARTI?

Dalam dua hari yang berlalu, di dalam Berita Perdana, pemimpin-pemimpin UMNO dari dua buah negeri telah mengumumkan secara terbuka sokongan mereka kepada kedua-dua pemimpin Negara untuk di kekalkan kerusi-kerusi mereka di dalam pemilihan UMNO yang bermula tidak lama lagi. Mungkinkah perbuatan mereka itu telah melanggar Tataetika UMNO yang telah di persetujui dalam Mesyuarat Majlis Tertinggi pada 27hb Mac 2008?

Perkara 5 SALAHLAKU.

Ahli parti di larang dari melakukan perkara -perkara berikut:

5.3 Penerbitan dan Penggunaan Media Massa Elektronik atau Internet.

" menerbit, menyiar atau menulis apa-apa risalah, majalah, makallah, buku atau lain-lain karya secara langsung atau tidak langsung, yang mempunyai unsur-unsur menyokong, memfitnah, mencela, mengkeji, atau mengandungi kenyataan palsu terhadap mana-mana Ahli parti yang di siarkan melalui media massa, elektronik atau internet dengan tujuan untuk mengelirukan sesorang berkenaan Ahli UMNO yang lain, mempengaruhi atau mendapat undi atau sokongan bahgi pihaknya atau orang lain dalam mana-mana Pemilihan Parti."

Mungkinkah dengan menggunakkan televisyen untuk mengisytiharkan sokongan terbuka kepada YAB Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi dan YAB Dato' Sri Najib Tun Razak sebagai Presiden dan Timbalan Presiden oleh Timbalan Pengerusi Perhubungan Pulau Pinang dan Pengerusi Perhubungan Negeri Selangor itu bersifat sebagai pelobi yang secara terang berkempen dan boleh menjejaskan pencalonan penyandang Presiden dan Timbalannya? Apakah tindakan yang akan diambil keatas mereka? Ini perlu dihalusi supaya ahli-ahli dari MKT ke akar umbi dapat tahu dimana batasannya. Rakyat jelata yang bukan ahli UMNO sedang melihat bagaimana UMNO sedang menjalankan peroses pemilihannya. Sudah tentunya kritikan keras akan di keluarkan apabila jelas kelihatan ada darjah berkembar (double standard) didalam pentadbiran parti yang menguasai kerajaan yang boleh menjejaskan kredibilitinya untuk terus memimpin.

Ahli-ahli UMNO seluruh negara sekadar ingin tahu dengan jelas dan tepat apa yang boleh dan apa yang tidak boleh di lakukan dan samada peraturan ini berkuatkuasa keatas kesemua ahli-ahli UMNO atau hanya yang bertanding di peringkat bahagian-bahagian sahaja.

KONSPIRASI MENGKUSUTKAN LAGI PEMIKIRAN RAKYAT

Tidak cukup dengan kemelut yang diwujudkan oleh ahli-ahli politik dan orang-orang suruhan mereka, para ulamak juga mula masuk campur. Ada yang kerana benar-benar ingin mengamankan keadaan dan ada pula kerana ingin mencari publisiti untuk bertentang sesama sendiri dikhalayak ramai membuat rakyat khususnya yang berbangsa Melayu dan umat Islam meluat dengan tabiat mereka yang lebih jijik dari ahli-ahli politik.

Saranan Mufti Perlis adalah tepat kerana masalah fitnah-memfitnah ini bukan sahaja dosa besar tetapi ia juga adalah masalah persepsi orangramai. Walaupun hukuman telah dijatuhkan oleh mahkamah, ramai juga yang akan mempunyai syak buruk tentang keputusan hakim, lebih-lebih lagi apabila hukuman tersebut tidak memihak kepada mereka. Dari itu, sebagai umat Islam, ada kaedah lain yang boleh mententeramkan jiwa orangramai, iaitu dengan cara "Muhabalah" sebagaimana yang di sarankan oleh Mufti Perlis dan disokong oleh Tok Guru Nik Aziz. Pada firasat saya, sudah tentunaya umat Islam tidak akan bersyak-wasangka dengan keputusan Allah SWT.

"Muhabalah" adalah dimana pihak-pihak yang terlibat menyerahkan kepada Allah SWT dengan lafaz meminta Allah supaya melaknati mereka yang bersalah yang bersembunyi di belakang tabir pembohongan.

Umum mendapati bahawa apabila kaedah undang-undang masih membawa kemusykilan, kaedah ini sahaja yang boleh mengamankan pemikiran umat Islam dan di dalam keadan yang kusut seperti yang kita alami pada hari ini, kaedah ini patut di guna pakai, lebih-lebih lagi apabila peruntukan ini ada disediakan di dalam Agama Islam.

Terasa kecewa apabila saya membaca di Bernama hari ini bahawa Ketua Pengarah Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia berpendapat bersumpah dengan menjunjung al-Quran atau 'mubahalah' tidak perlu dilaksanakan kerana ia bukan sahaja akan mendedahkan keaiban seseorang di khalayak umum malah akan menimbulkan kesan lebih besar terhadap umat Islam.

Mungkin beliau tidak bergaul dengan khalayak umum dari itu beliau tidak dapat merasa nadi rakyat ketika ini khususnya orang Melayu dan umat Islam kerana ini menyentuh maruah pemimpin-pemimpin Melayu dan perbuatan luar tabi'i dari segi Agama Islam.

Celikkah mata hati Ketua Pengarah tersebut. Adakah beliau sedar bahawa kita sudah melepasi lingkungan keaiban dan sekarang apa yang kita mahu adalah keadilan bagi yang teranyaia? Beliau menyambung " Banyak cara lain boleh digunakan bagi menentukan kesahihan dan kebenaran terhadap setiap tuduhan yang dibuat. " Saudara, anak-anak saya yang belum baligh pun boleh menidakkan usaha-usaha orang lain seperti Saudara tetapi yang kita mahu adalah cadangan yang proaktif bukan sahaja untuk mendapatkan kesahihan dan kebenaran tetapi juga yang boleh meyakinkan rakyat.

Pada hari ini, rakyat sudah meluat dengan telatah ahli-ahli politik negara. Tidak payahlah Mufti-mufti berlaga-laga di khalayak ramai untuk menunjukkan kononnya dialah yang lebih Islam atau berpengetahuan dari rakan sejawatnya dari negeri lain. Ini adalah lebih jijik dimata kasar rakyat kerana kita muak apabila melihat ulamak-ulamak kita pula yang cuba bermain politik di antara satu sama lain demi untuk mencipta nama di dalam media.

Mufti Perlis telah memberikan cadangan yang baik untuk ketenteraman jiwa rakyat lebih-lebih lagi yang beragama Islam. Ramai di kalangan rakan-rakan saya dan tentunya orangramai yang terasa seolah-olah dipermain-mainkan, turut berdoa agar sesiapa yang telah menkhianati kita dengan kes-kes yang menggoncangkkan Negara ini sehingga terasa gegarannya di Amerika Syarikat akan dilaknati Allah dan ditimpanya kecelakaan yang setimpal dengan angkara pembohongan yang dilakukan kepada kita, Rakyat Malaysia.

Andaikata Mufti Perak atau Ketua Pengarah JAKIM tidak ada cadangan lain yang boleh menyenangkan hati rakyat, maka dipersilakan berdiam dari berkata-kata seolah-olah Khatib sedang berkhutbah kerana RAKYAT SUDAH MELUAT dengan karenah kamu-kamu dan mereka yang bersekutu dengan kamu itu!

Seharusnya ulamak-ulamak negara kita menjadi contoh kepada ahli-ahli politik untuk mensucikan perjuangan mereka, bukannya mengikut tabiat buruk ahli-ahli politik negara kita itu untuk di bawa kedalam institusi Agama Islam. Kalau tidak mahu bermuhabalah pun tidak mengapa, tetapi sila bermuhasabah diri sebagai pemimpin di dalam Agama suci kita ini. Jangan sampai kamu-kamu juga dituduh turut berkonspirasi untuk mengkusutkan lagi pemikiran rakyat yang sedang merana akibat kenaikkan harga barangan keperluan hidup.

Allahu Alam.

CORRECTION TO MCA YOUTH LEADER'S PERCEPTION

I would like to respectfully make a small correction to the statement by the MCA youth leader YB Datuk Liow Tong Lai.

While it is correct that UMNO was responsible in dragging down MCA in the last election it isn't entirely true that the reason for it was due to MCA's soft stance on UMNO's governance. If at all this is true as perceived by many, why then did GERAKAN, the opposition in residence get blown out of the water, so to speak? They were utterly outspoken in issues and were in direct confrontation at times with UMNO, yet they lost one whole state.

“People feel that Umno (has) become arrogant. When it is too powerful, (the people) feel that (Umno) ignores the feelings of other races,” said Liow, who is also health minister.

This statement implies that only the Chinese were responsible for putting MCA in it's place and because they lost confidence in MCA's ability to stand up to UMNO, they turned to the opposition. Need he be reminded that MCA enjoyed the confidence of a large number of Malay voters too and they won many seats the last time because these voters had confidence in the government then. They lost this time because the Malay voters chose the opposition and I'm sure it's not because MCA didn't stand up to UMNO. If anything, they lost the Malay votes because UMNO became too liberal that topics which were deemed seditious were allowed to be touched unchecked by the current administration.

If I can remember vividly, when the MCA Youth delegation met Hishammuddin on the issue of the Keris, they went home with a certain allocation in the millions for Chinese schools and everyone smiled from ear to ear leaving Hisham's office letting bygones be bygones. I guess it was not meant to last long as Hishammuddin had to apologize for his gesture when the MCA Youth that were happy with his explanation and allocation then didn't bother to convince their voters of the same. I wager UMNO delegates in turn this December, will not let this one go as a bygone for Hishammuddin . He will pay his price.

UMNO under Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi tried to change even before MCA and MIC did after their bashing. It changed by being more open, liberal and allowing more freedom of speech. The other parties who were not accustomed to it under the previous administration didn't know how to handle this newfound freedom and went overboard with their demands turning UMNO into being more arrogant and forcing Hishammuddin to brandish the Keris (which he so foolishly apologized for). This liberalization which later turned UMNO into an arrogant party after the fact was the cause of the setback experienced by BN.

When too many people are allowed to talk and the wrong emotional statements are registered and printed, all hell breaks loose. MCA, MIC, GERAKAN and PPP should equally be blamed. They should collectively take responsibilty because they were unable to handle the changes made by UMNO post Dr Mahathir.

BN is still the best solution for our Nation. Now let's heal the wound, pull together and work hard to win back our lost ground.