THE MIGHT OF THE KERIS

Keris Panca Warisan. What a magnificent name for a Keris. It is claimed that it almost brought the downfall of the Barisan Nasional in the recent General Elections. Yes indeed ladies and gentlemen, it wasn't the blatant arrogance of the UMNO leaders campaigning in their flashy cars, showing off their corporate friends from the City promising to bring vast development translating into a higher cost of living in an already comfortable area; It wasn't the reckless eagerness of candidates forcing the PM's hand to allow them to stand in constituencies they have no business contesting in, thereby denying the local leaders who were much, much more deserving the privilige to serve; It wasn't the brash leaders of one or two component parties within the Barisan Nasional who were behaving like the opposition in residence while the DAP were the opposition in exile, questioning openly the government's stand on several issues discarding the opportunity to discuss it in the weekly Cabinet meetings. No, it wasn't the failure of the other component parties to convince their constituents to consider the good work they have done for the community and not the petty antics of a youth leader who was merely trying to inject spirit into his members in an annual general assembly. No, it wasn't the major failure of a feared leader who has ruled his party with an iron fist for more than 20 years to improve the economic status of his people, but whose family lives very comfortably nontheless, leading to his community spreading their discontent on the Streets of Ampang. No it wasn't the failure of a leader who didn't take obvious pre-emptive measures over seditious remarks that led to an open and violent demonstration that literally cracked the head of a police personnel. The list goes on for many of the more obvious reasons that should take precedence over the matter of a ritual in an Annual Meeting of a Malay party. The Keris it seems has more power to negate all the good work done by all the politicians of all ethnic backgrounds stacked together in Barisan Nasional. Can you swallow this theory? If you can, then you must have a big and deep throat.

" Our dignity does not depend on the Keris" , said the Deputy Prime Minister, but he must remember that it is our symbol nonetheless. The Keris is placed in the centre of the UMNO flag and also the logo, and Hishammuddin has admitted that he "cannot defend the symbol of our heritage", which is smack in the middle of both.

So to summarise. The Keris is not our dignity but is no less the symbol of our heritage placed in everything that is UMNO that Hishammuddin cannot defend.

In conclusion. Hishammuddin's enhancement in Malay politics might be cut down to bits by the very Keris that he brandished. It is said by a wise man that the Keris, once unsheathed will protect the person as long as he uses its power with full responsibilty and fairness in the struggle for the community. If there is impurity in its use, then the hand that grips it will in turn earn its wrath.

If the Custodian of the Panca Warisan cannot defend it, then he should not be accorded the privilige that comes with the responsibility. With God's will, those who have forsaken it will be delivered a cruel hand come December 2008.

Such is the might of The Keris.

RESPONSIBLE LEADERSHIP BY EXAMPLE

The General Elections have passed and we’ve witnessed the worst winning record Barisan Nasional has ever scored in the history of this country. Contrary to general consensus, we didn’t lose the elections, we only lost 5 States and 10 out 11 Parliamentary seats in the Federal Territory.

Naturally, in such shocking circumstances (by BN standards), everyone’s crying for blood in the political sense. It burns the blood even more when everyone down to the grassroots are asked by the members of the UMNO Supreme Council to look upon themselves to self-criticize, evidently to distract the nation from their hand in this widely uncelebrated victory.

Besides a very small number of “straight from the hip shooters” like Shahrir Samad and Zaid Ibrahim, (who have been appointed ministers leaving there a smaller number yet of straight shooters among the members) a larger number of officials in this beloved party of ours prefer to remain quiet and is only seen to come out fighting not in the name of God or the Party but to defend our leader. What they fail to realize is that if they took personal responsibility for the sake of the party on a collective decision made based on their reports, the President wouldn’t have to be defended as those more directly responsible would have cushioned the deep impact that came with the worst winning record for the Barisan in 50 years.

I personally take umbrage on behalf of the thousands in my division whom I have witnessed work tirelessly to maintain the comfortable hold that UMNO has in our constituency , to the fact that WE are asked upon by esteemed members of the Supreme Council to self criticize and look at our own mistakes ( that is my understanding of “muhasabah diri”). The grassroots in UMNO are like "the forward pack" while the leaders are like the backs in rugby. The “forwards” work like cows to win the ball only for the "backs" to score and take all the glory. It is usually the forwards who come out ugly and dirty while the backs sometime come out of the game with minimal dirt on their shirts with lovely companions at the party afterwards.

Why should the members below have to look within themselves for fault when year in and year out at the branch and divisional delegates meetings, they have identified through their motions the problems being faced within their respective communities? In addition, in the meetings they also expressed their fears and even identified the problems they would face in their respective branches come election time. Have those at the UMNO house in PWTC taken their fears seriously?

The government has a good number of intelligence sources all over the country. I know in my division alone we have these officers who interview people in villages and parks and take notes to file reports. Many of these agencies exist to check on the general sentiments on the ground and send these reports to the top echelon at state and federal levels. They also check up on possible candidates to ensure that they are well screened and squeaky clean. This is not an advantage that is enjoyed by the opposition. So, with the reports from the thousands of UMNO branches and the advantage of having these government agencies serving the leaders, shouldn’t they be in a position to make the best possible decisions in relation to the general elections?

I ask again, why should we on the ground be asked to self criticize when we have been providing the true picture and statistics to the top? We don’t make the decisions, the Supreme Council does and if this is the result, I’m beginning to wonder what usually transpires in that august meeting room weekly. Do all these people speak the truth to our President, or do they even speak? I’m told of at least one person in there who has not spoken once since holding office by virtue of a quota from one of the wings. Do we need passengers in the Supreme Council? The wings are already represented by their respective leaders in there, why add more representatives if they can’t give good input to the leadership?

I would like to shorten your misery reading this article by sincerely congratulating Dr Khir Toyo for taking the bold (because it is almost never done in our form of politics) and responsible step of withdrawing from holding the office as Chairman of the Selangor Barisan Nasional and Selangor UMNO Liaison Committee. This is indeed a handsome gesture showing responsible leadership that needs to be emulated by his peers that suffered the same hand in the last General Elections. A leader taking responsibility is indeed a rare breed in Malaysia. Very seldom one owns up until he is truly exposed as we’ve seen in many cases before.

Dr Khir’s action displays his respect and love for the party and even more, his sincere respect and support for the President and Prime Minister. If the other Menteris Besar and State Liaison Chiefs had taken full responsibility for their losses in their respective states, the Prime Minister wouldn’t have been under much pressure to resign. Did they hand in their reports to the Supreme Council before the PM announced the dissolution of Parliament? Did they run a mock run of the elections in their States? Who were their sample voters? What were the results?


Those members of the Supreme Council from Vice President downwards would have defended the President more accurately had they collectively called for the resignation of the State Liaison Chiefs that lost BN’s control in their respective states instead of hanging on to the age old Malay cliché of “ Ini bukan masanya untuk menuding jari”, and asking us to “muhasabah diri”. The former is usually employed to absolve those saying it from any responsibility. The selfishness of the losing State Liaison Committee Chiefs and their fake support for our President is evident in the absence of responsibility being taken. I ask these Malay leaders who so loosely use this cliché, when is it ok for the mass to point their fingers? There is a strong contradiction in their call. What is the point of holding postmortems if you do not intend to point the finger on the causes of the defeats in these states?

The Prime Minister is not totally responsible for the defeat. This is debatable but I can swallow it. What I cannot accept is that none of those more directly responsible for the State defeats barring the good Dr Khir Toyo is stepping up to take full responsibility for the defeats. The Supreme Council has also failed to pressure them to this end. The Prime Minister is sincere in wanting to instill integrity in the running of this great Nation. It is sad to see that very few of those whom he has entrusted in UMNO are willing to carry out his pure aspirations. I strongly urge those Members of the Supreme Council who have failed to speak the sincere truth and assist the President accordingly in the management of UMNO and the country, to withdraw from contesting in the coming UMNO elections. The UMNO delegates are well informed today and I’m sure they will make the right choices.

As it is the will of God that disposes while men proposes, as a practicing Muslim, I surrender my arguments but all things being equal, leaders have to take some responsibility and not blame God for their actions.

Dr Khir Toyo has shown great strength in taking responsibility and putting UMNO above self interest. Let us hope the same light is shown upon the State Liaison Chiefs of UMNO Kedah, Perak and Kelantan. Let us see if they are sincere supporters of YAB Datuk Seri Abdullah Hj Ahmad Badawi.

Finally, I read a few days ago a comment by a leader that “for a person to ask someone to step down he must first have some credibility. I put it to him if he is reading, what political credibility will we all have if UMNO is no longer deemed relevant amongst the Malays?

LEVEL HEADED RESPONSE NEEDED

One of the many reasons why Malays are feeling tired with UMNO and have turned elsewhere in search of an alternative party that also represents the Malays and Islam is because many UMNO leaders tend to insult their intelligence by not pausing to think before they speak in response to reporters, whose main aim is to pit one UMNO leader against another just to acquire cheap publicity and news. These same leaders also say one thing while blatantly exhibiting the contrary, in the same interview. Some also make the most illogical statements thinking the Malays watching are silly enough to absorb whatever they say without processing it. Let me justify my comment.

While we flip the TV channel away from the loud mouthed Melodi host from TV3, we pause and pay attention when UMNO leaders make press conferences thinking that there are important messages for the grassroots. Last night, little did we realize when we watched yet another press conference by the recently dropped Wanita leader and her deputy, that they would behave not unlike the TV host from Melodi, instead of showing class, finesse and strong leadership of the likes of Tun Fatimah Hashim and Tan Sri Aishah Ghani, the Wanita leaders of the past.

Emotions were running high in the press conference and despite the many microphones placed on the table in front of them, they were speaking loudly, insinuating that there are outsiders trying to break them up, evidently displacing their disappointment and clearly trying hard to hide their contempt for the Prime Minister’s decision of not appointing anyone from the Wanita Exco to the Cabinet.

While asking all the UMNO members to come and ”gel” the party together and “not have factions within the party”, Rafidah and her gang showed strong animosity towards Azalina Othman, a second term Cabinet Minister who is an UMNO member and is a woman by gender but not quite accepted to represent the wing.

This is clearly an instance where emotions spoke without the benefit of intellect and the hypocrisy was shown on TV and felt by the viewers. The hypocrisy is in the call for the grassroots to mend their ways to heal the party yet the bigwigs in the party are openly showing contempt for each other. This is what makes the Malays sick to the bone.

I used the word “gang” two paragraphs above because it seems like the Wanita is creating a party within a party and the leadership of the wing is using this and their membership numbers to extort the top leadership with many demands, often reminding everyone of their strength.

Sharizat said “ We have one common struggle. No one should underestimate the spirit of Wanita UMNO. Please remember we will rise again.”

No one here is underestimating their spirit, and the wing has not fallen from grace just because their leader is not in the Cabinet. If Wanita is a wing representing the gender, then there is a very capable Minister in Azalina and, although Sharizat didn’t win in the last elections, she still carries Ministerial status and is an Advisor to the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister decided to field new faces. I’m sure the Wanita wing that is 1.3 million strong which includes Azalina has equally if not more capable leaders to allow Rafidah to rest from the Cabinet after 20 odd years. There are 1.3 million members to choose from for heaven’s sake.

Had Noraesah or Sharizat won their seats, we would be very surprised if they were not appointed full ministers. How many of the current EXCO members won their seats and of the few, how many are academically qualified and have good command in the Malay and English languages? A Ministerial post is not quite the same with a State Executive Councilor’s post, if they are considering the lady from Johor, because it is more universal and the one offering stewardship must be of the same caliber of Rafidah, Sharizat or Noreasah. By looking at those behind Rafidah last night, I’d say the Prime Minister made the right decision.

It is time for the elders to start grooming the young and qualified to replace them so that they won’t have to hog the position for decades.

UMNO Leaders should also refrain from commenting on issues brought to them by reporters which they have no inkling of. For instance, they shouldn’t dismiss Tengku Razaleigh’s effort to call on everyone to discuss the issues without carefully giving it enough thought, or even viewing his full press conference. Dismissing people is easy. Even my 10 year old can do it. More importantly do they have a better plan or do they just know how to make passive comments about their peers in the same Party as though they are wiser? It’s alright to dismiss one’s effort if an alternative one of a better scale is put in its place. These people would have more respect from us than the pessimist within our leadership.

One statement that defies logic was uttered by the Youth Chief, that this time is “unsuitable” and not “conducive ” for anyone to offer himself to change the leadership. Now, I’m NOT saying that we need a leadership change here but I’m just challenging Hishammuddin’s statement for clarification. The party just lost 5 States and 10 out of the 11 Parliamentary seats in the Federal Territory. This is undoubtedly the worst record in the history of Barisan Nasional. Despite the strong feeling amongst the UMNO Supreme Council, everything is not hunky dory within the party on the ground. Now, thinking with a clear and lucid mind, would this be a good time to make a change or would it be easier to do so when we command 90% of Parliament, recapture all the lost States and have the UMNO party at its strongest? Logic would dictate that under no circumstances should the party leadership be changed when we are at our strongest position. It would be political suicide for the challenger.

Again, not well thought of comments such as these from second line leaders pisses off the well informed Malays of today because they simply won’t swallow the verbal diarrhea that comes from these people.

Leaders should just remember that we have constitutions i.e. Federal Constitution for Malaysia and the UMNO Constitution for the Party etc. Let’s just follow them and refrain from forming unnecessary and silly opinions. One doesn’t have to speak just because reporters stick a microphone near one’s mouth. More often than not reporters start instigating by spinning the question to draw an angry remark and true enough, one says something unintelligent feeding them with more ammunition to instigate the original source with one’s response. For example: Tengku Razaleigh didn’t hold a press conference to announce his bid for the Presidency but to explain about the widely circulated letter to all the branch leaders. He was however asked by one reporter if he would contest for the President’s post. His response was he would only if the members wanted him to and if he had enough support. Even he didn’t think it was an easy achievement. Now having heard that, the reporters itched to reach other leaders within the party to spin the question and put it like this; ” Dato’, what are your comments on Tengku Razaleigh’s announcement that he is challenging Pak Lah for UMNO President?” (Making it sound like the Press conference was solely to launch his challenge for the seat). Why do these overzealous second-liners in UMNO always fall into the reporters trap like this? I would have thought those whom I voted in to lead were intelligent enough not to be manipulated by the media and stacked against each other like clowns. Pak Lah has more sense when dealing with these culprits; either dismiss them or be short and sassy.

Coming back to Tengku Razaleigh’s suggestion, since it is not seen or felt like the members of the UMNO Supreme Council is assisting the President in solving the issue at hand facing the party, he has called UMNO members to seek an EGM to frankly discuss the problems we faced in the recent elections as provided for in the UMNO constitution.. It may be supported by the grassroots, but if an affirmative action plan is seen initiated by the Supreme Council, the grassroots might just reject Tengku Razaleigh’s suggestion. Members can think, weigh the consequences and decide wisely for themselves without having to be told what to do by people with vested interests at the top.

Similarly, his offer to stand in the election for President of UMNO should not be over-killed to the extent that people support him not because they believe in him but out of spite for the second-liners who are overzealous in showing their support for the incumbent. Why the much hue and cry over such an offer which is provided for in the Constitution? Why do people have to form an opinion on it other than say it is his right and wish him good luck in getting the 58 nominations to qualify? He has offered himself before but only managed one nomination. The members are matured enough to make the right decision without being treated like children.
The more sensible voices amongst the second line UMNO leaders came from Khaled Nordin and Muhyiddin Yassin. The Higher Education Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin said today that Tengku Razaleigh has every right to offer himself for the post of UMNO President and members have the same rights to reject him too. "That is his right. If the members do not support him, that is also their right," said the Johor UMNO Liaison Committee Deputy Chairman after attending a meeting with branch leaders of the Pasir Gudang division.

UMNO Vice President and new Minister for International Trade and Industries Muhyiddin Yassin also didn’t object outright to Tengku Razaleigh’s suggestion for the EGM. "Please ensure that whatever action we take will not weaken the party. If it can strengthen the party, then we cannot prevent it. "It's up to Ku Li (Tengku Razaleigh). As a member of the UMNO Supreme Council, I believe in the party constitution. He is free to do what he likes as long as it is not against the constitution," he said.

Those who are quick to jump to the microphone every time a reporter shows up should learn from these two leaders on how to address the media.

SIAPA YANG HARUS MEMUHASABAH DIRI?

Pilihanraya umum yang ke-12 telah pun berakhir dan keputusannya sudahpun diketahui umum. Sungguh memeranjatkan!.

Pada malam 8 Mac 2008, saya dan rakan-rakan yang telah memerhatikan Bilik Gerakan BN Pengkalan Rinting (A) di kediaman saya selama 37 hari di Pulai Johor, telah bersetuju untuk memerhatikan keputusan-keputusan pilihanraya dari seluruh Negara di Saujana, iaitu kediaman rasmi Dato’ Menteri Besar Johor. Sambil membuat persiapan, saya mengikuti rancangan di beberapa rangkaian televisyen Malaysia dan mendapati bahawa berulang-ulang kali keputusan kemenangan yang sama dari Sabah dan Sarawak diumumkan. Dengan rasa kurang senang, kami melayari laman maya (internet) untuk mendapat keputusan-keputusan terkini dari tempat lain. Sebagaimana yang kami sangkakan, laman berita dimaya memberi keputusan dengan pantas dan tepat membuat rasa tidak sedap hati itu bertukar menjadi realiti. Banyak kerusi-kerusi di 5 buah negeri telah jatuh ketangan pembangkang. Keputusan-keputusan ini belum dikeluarkan di televisyen yang masih lagi mengulangi keputusan kemenangan yang sama selama setengah jam.

Kami pun membuat keputusan untuk menangguhkan rancangan kita ke Saujana oleh kerana yakin hanya keputusan dari rangkaian televisyen utama yang kurang telus dan tepat sahaja yang akan ditayangkan disana.

Keputusan untuk ke Saujana hanya dibuat setelah kami mendapat tahu bahawa negeri-negeri Kedah, Pulau Pinang dan Selangor sudah jatuh ketangan pembangkang dan negeri Perak juga menuju ke nasib yang sama.

Sampai sahaja kami di Saujana, sepertimana yang di jangkakan, ramai yang berada di sana masih tidak tahu menahu tentang kejatuhan Kedah dan Selangor ketangan pembangkang dan sebaik ianya dimaklumkan, suasana bertukar menjadi muram dan gusar kerana dengan Kelantan dan Pulau Pinang, ia bererti 4 buah negeri sudah bukan di bawah pemerintahan kita lagi. Kemudiannya dimaklumkan juga bahawa Perak telah jatuh ketangan lawan dan di Wilayah Persekutuan, kita telah kalah 10 dari 11 kerusi Parlimen.

Tiba-tiba mee rebus dan pasembur yang di hidangkan di Saujana terasa tawar. Kehangatan darah yang mengalir di tubuh kita pun seolah-olah terasa beku.

Alhamdulillah, di Johor, kita menang 25 dari 26 kerusi parlimen dan 50 dari 56 kerusi DUN. Tetapi tumpuan beralih kepada keputusan yang tidak disangka-sangka dikawasan dan negeri-negeri lain.

Dalam mencari-cari mengapa terjadinya tsunami politik yang melanda kami ini, kami diberitahu di antaranya mungkin kerana 82 ketua-ketua bahagian tidak terpilih untuk menjadi calon-calon dipilihanraya yang lepas. Selain dari mereka yang dengan rela mengundur diri seperti Ketua UMNO Bahagian Kluang, Datuk Ghaffar Garahu, adakah yang lain ikhlas dan menerima keputusan itu dengan penuh rela hati? Mungkinkah penyokong-penyokong mereka boleh menerima keputusan untuk tidak mencalonkan ketua mereka itu dan terus berkerja keras untuk calon yang lain? Mereka sahaja yang boleh menjawabnya.

Diperhatikan juga ramai dikalangan calon-calon pula yang telah melobi dan berjaya menjadi calon di kawasan atau negeri tempat mereka dilahirkan namun mereka menetap sepenuh masa di Kuala Lumpur dan tidak pernah peduli untuk mengunjungi kawasan yang mereka hendak mewakili waimah seminggu sekalipun. Sedangkan manusia yang berpasanganpun memerlukan lebih kurang setahun untuk berkenalan sebelum membuat keputusan untuk bernikah, adakah mereka fikir jangkamasa dua minggu berkempen itu cukup untuk berkenalan dan bermesra dengan 50 ribu pengundi dikawasan baru itu? Adakah mereka telus dan ikhlas kepada Perdana Menteri apabila mereka melobi dan meyakinkan beliau tentang kemenangan yang boleh diraih oleh mereka di tempat yang mereka sendiri dianggap seperti orang asing? Adakah ia adil pula kepada mereka-mereka yang sudah mencurahkan jiwa, raga dan segala kemewahan demi untuk bangsa Melayu di kawasan masing-masing, dan menaiki hairaki UMNO dibahagiannya secara berperingkat-peringkat dari bawah selama 20 tahun semata-mata untuk melihat orang luar menjadi calon di kawasannyua itu? Inilah persoalan yang selalu bermain-main dibibir orang-orang tempatan dan penganalisa politik UMNO amnya di seluruh Negara.

Turut diperhatikan ialah trend dimana setiausaha-setiausaha politik, pegawai-pegawai khas menteri-menteri dan setiausaha eksekutif Perhubungan Negeri yang mungkin tidak memegang jawatan tinggi didalam bahagian tetapi diberi tempat atau dicadangkan untuk menjadi calon. Ini bererti perkhidmatan mereka kepada Menteri lebih di hargai dari perkhidmatan pemimpin-pemimpin tinggi di bahagian yang dipilih oleh akar umbi, kepada masyarakatnya.

Di pasca pilihanraya setelah kita mengalami kekalahan yang paling teruk dalam sejarah (kekalahan 5 negeri dan 10 dari 11 kerusi parlimen di Wilayah Persekutuan), kita diakar umbi pula disuruh bermuhasabah diri oleh Naib-naib Presiden dan ahli-ahli Majlis Kerja Tertinggi UMNO. Persoalannya sekarang,siapakah yang harus berbuat demikian memandangkan di peringkat bahagian-bahagian dan cawangan-cawangan, kita telah bertungkus lumus dan bermati-matian untuk menegakkan keunggulan parti dan segala rumusan dan suara-suara sumbang dari peringkat bawahan sudahpun di utarakan melalui usul-usul dan ucapan penangguhan disetiap Persidangan Agung UMNO Bahagian-bahagian untuk dibawa keperingkat pusat. Adakah usul-usul dan cadangan-cadangan dari peringkat bawah ini diambil perhatian dengan teliti oleh pihak MKT? Kerajaan mempunya berbagai-bagai agensi risikan di bawah mereka dari JASA, Cawangan Khas, risikan tentera, BKN, Kemas dan lain-lain. Adakah hasil risikan mereka ini yang diajukan kepada pihak atasan diambil kira langsung? Apa pula dengan laporan-laporan dari Pengerusi-pengerusi Perhubangan Negeri-negeri yang berkenaan? Hukum akal yang semporna akan membuktikan jika ianya diambil kira secara menyeluruh, mustahil kita boleh menerima azhab kekalahan di 5 negeri dan Wilayah Persekutuan.

Maka dari pandangan kami di peringkat bawahan ini, yang SEHARUSNYA MEMUHASABAH DIRI adalah pemimpin-pemimpin atasan khususnya Ahli-ahli Majlis Kerja Tertinggi dan Pengerusi-pengserusi Perhubungan UMNO Negeri yang turut menghadiri mesyuarat tertinggi UMNO. Y.A.B. Perdana Menteri merangkap Presiden UMNO tidak boleh dibenarkan memikul tanggungjawab ini berseorangan melainkan jika masalah-masalah dan petanda-petanda cemas atau nasihat yang telah diajukan kepada beliau oleh ahli-ahli MKT tidak dihiraukan dan keputusan secara keseorangan diambil.

Pengerusi Perhubungan UMNO Negeri Selangor iaitu Dato’ Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo telah mengambil langkah yang tepat dalam meletakkan jawatannya sebagai peneraju kepimpinan UMNO dan Barisan Nasional Selangor. Langkah ini wajib diikuti oleh Pengerusi-pengerusi Perhubungan UMNO dan BN negeri Kedah, Perak dan Kelantan. Sebagai Pengerusi-pengerusi, merekalah yang seharusnya arif tentang masalah yang di alami oleh BN di negeri masing-masing dengan jentera-jentera kerajaan yang lengkap dibawah pemerintahan kita untuk membantu mereka. Perlu di ingat pihak pembangkang tidak mempunyai kelebihan menggunakkan jentera-jentara ini. Apakah laporan atau hasil dari “election mock run” yang dibuat oleh mereka ini? Siapakah “sample” rakyat yang di jadikan pengundi? Adakah semuanya laporan baik yang dipersembahkan di dalam mesyuarat Majlis Kerja Tertinggi?

Jika mereka benar-benar ikhlas dalam hendak mempertahankan Presiden UMNO dan Perdana Menteri kita, maka merekalah orang-orang yang pertama tanpa teragak-agak seharusnya meletakkan jawatan supaya tekanan terhadap Perdana Menteri untuk mengundur diri menjadi hambar dan kurang bermakna. Naib-naib Presiden, Ketua Penerangan dan yang lain-lain di dalam MKT seharusnya dengan nada yang sama menuntut Pengerusi-pengerusi Perhubungan ini (jika memberi laporan salah di dalam mesyuarat) untuk mengundur diri supaya maruah dan integriti yang selama ini ditekankan oleh Perdana Menteri didalam kerajaan kita sentiasa di jaga. YAB Perdana Menteri telus dan ikhlas dalam usahanya untuk menegakkan integriti didalam kerajaan beliau tetapi malangnya pemimpin-pemimpin yang dibawah beliau tidak mahu mendukung asprisai beliau itu. Ini menunjukkan bahawa kepentingan peribadi mereka adalah lebih mustahak dari kepenting parti dan sokongan mereka kepada Datuk Seri Presiden adalah semata-mata sokongan yang palsu.

Sebaliknya, untuk mengelakkan diri dari mengambil tanggungjawab yang diamanahkan rakyat dan perwaklian UMNO, mereka mengambil jalan senang untuk menyuruh kita pula supaya “tidak menuding jari”. Perlu mereka menginsafi andaikata Pengerusi-pengerusi Perhubungan negeri-negeri ini lebih bertanggungjawab diatas kekalahan mereka, maka akar umbi sendiri akan membela Datuk Seri Presiden dari menerima tekanan yang kuat.dari mana-mana pihak. Kebiasaannya, orang yang bersalah samada secara langsung atau tidak yang selalu menyuruh orang lain supaya jangan menuding jari.

Ada juga dikalangan pemimpin-pemimpin yang saya sanjungi menggunakan perkataan “hikmah” dan “ taqdir “sebagai alasan. Apabila Taqdir Illahi sudah dimasukkan didalam sesuatu perbahasan, sebagai umat Islam yang taat, saya terpaksa akur tetapi saya tahu bahawa pertanggungjawaban juga dituntut di dalam Agama Islam. Ironinya, pemimpin yang saya masih sanjung ini ( kerana beliau bersifat terbuka dengan perbahasan walaupun ianya bertentangan dengan pandangan beliau ) pernah memegang jawatan dalam jawatnakuasa kira-kira wang Negara. Seharusnya beliau lebih menekankan tentang pertanggungjawaban didalam tugas disamping kewangan walaupun ada hikmah disebalik semuanya yang berlaku. Tidak mungkin alasan hikmah itu boleh menenangkannya jika wang Negara telah tersalah guna dan beliau pula yang ditanggungjawabkan untuk mencari puncanya.

Berbalik kepada persoalan siapakah yang harus memuhasabah diri. Ramai yang hendak melakukan postmortem. Postmortem biasanya dilakukan kepada mayat untuk mendapatkan sebab-sebab kematian dan bukti-buktinya boleh digunakan didalam kes-kes pembunuhan untuk membawa sipenjenayah itu kemuka pengadilan.

Andaikata mayat itu dilanggar oleh bas penumpang yang laju, umpamanya, maka postmortem tidak perlu dilakukan kerana sudah tentu simati itu meninggal dunia kerana kepalanya pecah dan tulangnya hancur dan bukan matinya kerana kencing manis atau darah tinggi.

Maka, dalam konteks politik pula, jika kita sudah tahu sebab-sebab kekalahan ini, buat apa lagi perlu dipostmortemkan? Jika ia dilakukan juga, apakah mereka bersedia bertanggungjawab apabila hasil postmortem itu menunjukkan kelemahan mana-mana pihak atau hanya mengenal pasti kelemahan itu untuk tujuan simpanan fail? Jika kesilapan yang besar boleh kita maafkan, maka pihak yang ditanggungjawabkan pada masa-masa akan datang tidak akan mengambil terlalu berat akan amanah yang dipikulnya nanti. Allahu Alam.

Maka saya merayu kepada Pengerusi-pengerusi Perhubungan UMNO dan BN Negeri-negeri Kedah, Perak dan Kelantan untuk mengikuti jejak Dato’ Seri Dr Khir Toyo demi untuk mendukung dan mempertahankan integriti parti selaras dengan aspirasi YAB Datuk Seri Presiden. Syabas Dato’ Seri Dr Khir kerana andalah yang benar-benar menyokong kepimpinan Presiden dan menjaga integriti sebagai pemimpin UMNO.

Presiden UMNO sahaja mungkin tidak harus dipertanggungjawabkan. Perbahasan ini boleh diterima walaupun pahit, tetapi ahli-ahli MKT yang gagal membantunya harus mengambil tanggungjawab dan berundur dari menerajui atau menawarkan diri untuk duduk di kerusi empok Majlis Kerja Tertinggi UMNO di masa akan datang. Insha’Allah, para perwakilan sudah celik dan tahu tentang perkembangan diperingkat UMNO pusat dan akan lebih berwaspada apabila memilih calon-calon yang menawarkan diri dipemilihan akan datang.