IT'S A CONTEST!

The Challenger

In the words of the late Marvin Gaye, " LET'S GET IT ON! "

It’s official. Dato’ Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil has made the imminent choice of contesting for the Wanita top post in her announcement early this afternoon. This is a right move on her part in announcing her decision based on the groundswell before the Right Honourable Prime Minister returns from abroad in fear of perhaps being persuaded to stand down and agree to the original, yet not practical plan of power transfer in the month of June of 2009, which is only three months after the UMNO Convention, leaving the Wanita wing without an official leader and deputy.

In the past few days one after another head of the Wanita Divisions pledged their support for the early and more practical transition, including the ones who had nominated Rafidah in their divisional meetings before this. They say it was alright initially because the UMNO Convention was originally planned for December, but with it being postponed to March, it is hard to justify Tan Sri Rafidah holding on any further.

Puan Nahar bt Ahmad, Wanita Head of the Kota Raja Division, Selangor fears that with Shahrizat as only an Acting Chief, and without an official deputy, it might invite a certain wanita leader from a component party to demand the right to spearhead the Barisan Nasional Wanita wing in the coming General Elections if the next UMNO elections will be yet again postponed to give way to it.

Mirror mirror on the wall,
Who'll be the Victor after all?
Mirror mirror on the wall,
Who do you see will have a great fall?

WANITA LEADERS – SHOW SOME CLASS!!!!

Do those standing behind look like they can thrust the movement forward?

It seems the sickness that has been manifested in the main body until recently, which is to avoid a contest on the pretext of maintaining unity, has crept into the Wanita wing.

This “peralihan kuasa” crap is beginning to get on the nerves of every UMNO member because of the constant whining of supporters of both Rafidah and Sharizat. They pretend to seek unity and want to protect the strength of the wing, yet their behavior prove otherwise.

The wing showed more class under the stewardship of Tun Fatimah and Tan Sri Aishah Ghani, perhaps because these two former leaders turned themselves into servants of the wing instead of using it to enhance their political positions and for personal economic gains.

In the last 30 years, how have the women’s wing evolved? Most of the branch and division chiefs are still computer illiterate, the branch chiefs still attend cooking and sewing classes like when the wing was known as Kaum Ibu back in the 50’s. I ask again, how have they evolved? It seems like they are deliberately kept at that level to ensure that they are loyal to their leaders and continue to follow orders like soldiers on the pretext of doing it for the future of their children and those who come after them, when they are actually conditioned that way so that only the few can remain at the top for long spells.

I wonder how many in the Wanita Executive Committee possess college degrees. How many besides Rafidah, Sharizat, Raja Ropiaah and Dr Noraesah are fluently bilingual? After 62 years in existence, what have they achieved? They are by far the most loyal and hard working members of UMNO, but don’t they deserve better? Why are the less loyal and new members in UMNO getting more benefits, receive Datukships and are wealthier under the party? Could it be because the rookies are young and fresh or the Wanita leaders are not fighting hard enough for their welfare? Should the Wanita members be treated this way for all their sacrifices? Shouldn’t their leaders help them to get better lives just like they do for themselves?

Now, it seems they are taught to suppress democracy. The majority of UMNO members do not see what the big fuss is all about. Why are they acting like wild creatures snatched from the woods and left in the middle of the city? Why do those close to the top leaders act deranged and disoriented? The State chiefs too should just shut up and let the forces of democracy decide whom they want to lead them. That is democracy. Unlike those at the top, the grassroots have no problem in falling back in line once the election is over. The leaders are the ones who have to learn how to conduct themselves appropriately. UMNO doesn’t belong to the powerful few.

I never thought I’d say this, but Wanita UMNO should learn from the Pemuda wing on how to embrace democracy and behave like leaders with class. Take the nominations and go to the polls without whining like old spinsters, no pun intended. It is further damaging to the image of our party which is for the most part already in shreds.

The Constitution allows contests and protects the outcome. However, if a transfer of power between Rafidah and Sharizat doesn’t materialize after Rafidah wins uncontested, there is no provision in UMNO that can force the latter out for the next 3 years at least.

SO, Wanita UMNO should stick to the Constitution and avoid future trouble by creating sticky situations with no provisions. If Rafidah wins, she should rightly continue to lead the movement until the next election. If Sharizat wins, it is self-explanatory.

If 117 nominations outnumber 73, why is the candidate with the most nominations and her supporters making the most noise?

Today, I read the Prime Minister will speak to the leaders upon his return from Uzbekistan to resolve a problem that already has a solution staring in everyone’s faces. I can only wish him good luck in dealing with Rafidah, especially when his sidearm is loaded with blank cartridges, so to speak.

Lastly, without showing too much disrespect, I urge the visitors of The Patriot to scroll up and take a really good look at the picture above. Now tell me honestly, besides Rafidah and Sharizat, do you see any potential in ANY of the rest to lead the movement? Isn’t it evidence enough that they are pre-conditioned to remain in the 50’s while one or two shine like a hundred carat diamond in their midst?

Too much has been said about grooming with almost nothing to show for. It is time the Wanita UMNO leaders straighten their Kebayas and show some class.

AL-FATIHAH

The Patriot and friends would like to extend our deepest condolences to our guest writer Datuk Jamaluddin Mansor on the passing of his beloved mother on 13 November 2008=14 Zulkaedah 1429H.

May Allah's blessings be showered upon her soul and may she rest in peace amongst the Righteous.

Al-Fatihah.

INGATAN KEPADA AZIM ZABIDI: JANGAN KERANA PUBLISITI MURAHAN, MASALAH DALAMAN UMNO DIJAJA.

RASUAH POLITIK – DIMANAKAH SEBENARNYA PUNCANYA?

1. Saya merasa kesal dengan sikap Bendahari Agong UMNO Dato’ Seri Azim Zabidi yang menyentuh mengenai masalah politik wang dalam mesyuarat pemilihan UMNO yang sedang berlangsung merujuk kepada kenyataan beliau yang dipetik dari agensi media antarabangsa Bloomberg pada 6 November 2008 sebagaimana dilaporkan didalam The Malaysian Insider http://m.themalaysianinsider.com/articles.php?id=11919.

2. Sebagai penyandang jawatan tertinggi dalam parti dan juga merupakan seorang Pengerusi sebuah bank seharusnya beliau faham akan saluran yang betul untuk menyatakan apa juga kepincangan yang berlaku dan bukannya meluahkan isi perut ke tempat yang tidak sepatutnya lebih-lebih lagi terhadap pemberita luar negara yang sentiasa mencari ruang serta peluang menganggu gugat urusan pentadbiran dan kedaulatan Negara. Kita pihak akar umbi menyuarakannya dengan harapan pihak atasan UMNO mengambil kira dan iktibar dari apa yang kita katakan jesteru mengambil langkah-langkah yang positif untuk mengatasinya, bukan menyahut dengan menjajakan lagi masalah kita ini untuk dipaparkan oleh media barat.

3. Bagai orang tidur disorong batal, hal-hal dalaman mengenai UMNO akan disensasikan dan ditokok tambah kerana yang menyampaikannya adalah " orang kuat " UMNO sendiri.

4. Disebabkan sikap sebeginilah, UMNO semenjak 8 Mac sehingga ke hari ini terus menerus dibelasah, dipersoal dan tidak dihormati serta hilang kepercayaan oleh umum. Masing-masing mementingkan diri tanpa mempedulikan perjuangan sebenar UMNO yang telah diasaskan oleh para pejuang terdahulu.

5. Ahli-ahli UMNO peringkat akar umbi juga merasa terhina dan dianggap begitu murah sehingga seolah-olah boleh dibeli semata-mata untuk menghalalkan kehendak pemimpin yang tidak jujur dan amanah.

6. Pemimpin-pemimpin sering menyuarakan dengan lantangnya mengenai rasuah politik sedangkan MEREKALAH yang sebenarnya PUNCA kepada wabak penyakit yang mengular didalam UMNO pada hari ini. Jika tiada seorangpun dari pemimpin yang bertanding jawatan tinggi menghulurkan rasuah untuk mendapatkan undi, suka atau tidak, para perwakilan terpaksa juga memilih selain dari Pengerusi Tetap dan Timbalan Pengerusi Tetap, 1) Seorang Presiden, 2) Seorang Timbalan Presiden, 3) Tiga orang Naib-naib Presiden dan 4) 25 orang ahli-ahli Majlis Kerja Tertinggi. Maka jika mereka tidak tamakkan kuasa dan menghulur, maka tidaklah ada yang menerima dan tidaklah ada rasuah langsung.

7. Penyelewengan dan rasuah politik bermula dari atas. Ianya bukan masalah yang diwujudkan oleh orang bawah. Jika mereka tidak mengajar maka tidaklah orang bawah menjadi terpelajar didalam bidang ini.

8. Walaupun pihak pemantau kononnya sudah diwujudkan semenjak pemilihan yang sebelum ini, faktor manusia menyebabkan ketirisan berlaku, dan ianya berlaku dari pihak atasan juga dimana orang-orang terpilih yang mereka mahu selamatkan atau menang boleh diberi senarai nama-nama pemantau yang perlu di elak di setiap negeri supaya tidak melakukan kesalahan di dalam kehadhiran mereka. Calon-calon yang mereka tidak berkenan akan dibiarkan untuk mengambil risiko tinggi jika mereka mahu berjumpa dengan para perwaklian dengan muslihat masing-masing. Saya menjelaskan perkara ini mengikut kepada pengalaman yang sahih.

9. Sememangnya betul, masalah ini yang akan membawa kemusnahan kepada UMNO perlu di atasi, tetapi ianya perlu di SAMAK dan disucikan dari peringkat Majlis Kerja Tertinggi, barulah turun ke pihak akar-umbi.

10. Pada hari ini, kita sering mendengar cemuhan juga dari pihak-pihak veteran dan bekas-bekas pemimpin-pemimpin atasan UMNO tentang rasuah politik. Saranan dan nasihat saya adalah supaya bekas-bekas pemimpin ini juga sedarkan diri masing-masing kerana penyakit ini paling ketara diwujudkan semasa pertandingan untuk jawatan Presiden pada tahun 1987, yang melibatkan kedua-dua pihak dan bukan sebelah pihak sahaja sebagaimana yang di uar-uarkan selama ini, dan sekali lagi semasa pasukan atau ” Team Wawasan ” bertanding. Sebilangan besar dari mereka sekarang memegang dan masih lagi menawarkan diri untuk jawatan-jawatan yang amat tinggi pada hari ini. Bertaubatlah, dan jangan berkhutbah kepada pihak akar umbi seolah-olah kamu ini pemimpin-pemimpin yang suci dari pekerjaan yang dinamakan " rasuah politik " pada hari ini. Kamu tahu siapa diri kamu itu. Kami juga tahu siapa dikalangan kamu itu dan lebih UTAMA dari segalanya, Allah SWT mengetahui siapakah diri kamu sebenarnya.

11. SILA PERBETULKAN DIRI KAMU DAHULU SEBELUM MEMBETULKAN ORANG-ORANG BAWAH YANG DIROSAKKAN OLEH KAMU - KAMU SENDIRI.

12. KEPADA PEMIMPIN - PEMIMPIN UMNO YANG TIDAK TAHU MENJAGA MARUAH PARTI, SILA UNDUR SEBELUM KAMU DISUMPAH BANGSA!!!

THE ALL-AMERICAN PRESIDENT - A HALF BREED, NOT QUITE BLACK!

America is known as the land of the free, of opportunity, and home of the brave with her people being immigrants at one time or another.

What better candidate to be President than Barrack Hussain Obama? He is a half breed, his father being an African gentleman from Kenya and mother a Caucasian lady from America. A true African-American if ever there was one, but not quite a full red-blooded black American.

He is All-American because besides being a half-bred African-American, he is a Christian with a Muslim name, lived with his white grandmother whose name sounds Jewish and has an almost Kennedy-like charm on stage.

This gentleman who is almost too perfect to be true, ran his campaign with clinical precision. It was so good that everyone in his camp practically celebrated even before the polling stations closed in the precincts across the country.

On the other hand McCain wasn’t a strong Republican candidate. His choice for Vice President, though refreshing, wasn’t strong enough to bring confidence to the voters in case McCain suffered a major cardiac. Some even think she might very well be the cause of the cardiac arrest that might also see her take the oath of office as President not long after McCain took his, if they were not careful. No wonder Clinton fought really hard using everything she had even tears to no avail to win as the Democratic nominee. The actual fight for the White House was fought in the Democratic Party, not the general elections. The latter was just a formality witnessing President-elect Obama winning almost hands down.

Since everyone in America prefers to call him the first black American President, I’m almost hearing Martin Luther King six feet under singing “Free at last, free at last, by God Almighty, I’m free at last!”

Yes! Change may have come to America last night. Let’s hope it will come for the better for the rest of the world.

Congratulations President-Elect Barrack Obama!

OPEN LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT-ELECT Y.A.B. DATO SRI NAJIB TUN RAZAK

Y.A.B. Dato’ Sri,
Assalamualaikum WBT.

First and foremost, Praise be to Allah that finally you will be made President of UMNO come March 2009. Congratulations on winning the Presidency uncontested. Six months ago, this was almost an impossible feat. It has been a long journey on the path to Seri Perdana which in our view should have been your residence much earlier.

Dato Sri’ you will be taking over as Chief Executive of this great Nation in the most trying of times, which you are well aware of without a doubt. As Patriots, the people of Malaysia should band together and support your new team to help us all weather the storm that is to sweep past us in the coming months. We do hope you will bring fresh faces in this team that will carve the future of this blessed country of ours.

I read in your website your note of thanks to the many divisions who’ve put much trust in you, enough to give you all but one nomination for President. I’d like to humbly remind you Sir to thank also most importantly, those holding office, namely the cabinet ministers like Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Dato' Seri Utama Dr Rais Yatim, who were sincere and brave enough to air the views of the grassroots at the risk of losing their jobs for they played a very crucial role in expediting the transitional plan. Also, to Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed and ironically Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and the people behind them who were involved in pressuring the sitting President to do the right thing, i.e., to give way to you by finally succumbing to the calls and announcing his withdrawal from contesting for the Presidency.

Many UMNO members believe in your leadership and understand that you were in no position to show even the slightest decent to the man who appointed you to be his number two. The people working directly under you too had their hands tied because their adversaries could’ve traced any hint of mutiny right up to your office if they even tried anything. So those who wanted to do anything to make the change had to work closely with the ones openly attacking the incumbent, and unfortunately, in doing so, they indirectly attacked you too because understandably, you were adamant in agreeing with him. Those who were holding high positions in UMNO divisions yet were out in full force backing the renegades had much to lose but they knew that it was paramount that the party had to be saved. Please do not forget their sacrifice which with the will of Allah, will enable you to enter the President’s office through the front door in March of 2009. Had they not helped the others to pressure the incumbent to withdraw, the 134 odd Divisions that had nominated you as President would have had second thoughts about it. I should know because I met many of them to check if they were willing to nominate you as President, even before the incumbent decided not to contest. We respect the original plan to transfer the power to you but didn’t have much faith in it materializing the way it should, if we had to wait till 2010.

Dato’ Sri, a lot of things went wrong these last 5 years. Some perhaps were irreparable, others quite damaging to the Malays. Rightfully, you shouldn’t have to wait another two years, neither could the Nation afford another two years of the same.

Finally Sir, please do the right thing for our religion Islam, the Malays and the Nation. Please remember always that you are President of UMNO first and foremost, then Prime Minister of Malaysia.


May Allah SWT give you Taufiq dan Hidayah in your leadership for the good of the Nation.

Wasallam.

In full allegiance to the Party & Nation,
I remain,

Tengku Putra Haron Aminurrashid Jumat
UMNO Vice Chief
Pulai Division
Johor Darul Taqzim

POLITIK WANG (WANG POLITIK) ATAU RASUAH? KEKUATAN UMNO TERGUGAT

Oleh kolumnis undangan: Jamaluddin Mansor, Ketua UMNO Cawangan Jalan Sulaiman, Bahagian Bukit Bintang

Dalam keghairahan atau kerancakan UMNO mengadakan pemilihan kepemimpinan parti di peringkat cawangan, bahagian dan seterusnya peringkat Majlis Tertinggi (MT) tahun ini, maka muncul sekali lagi berita melalui akhbar-akhbar dan cakap-cakap di kalangan pemimpin dan pengikut parti di seluruh negara mengenai gejala politik wang.

Kenyataan akhbar beberapa pemimpin kanan parti meningkatkan keresahan pencinta parti yang amat takut terhadap kesan-akibatnya. Malah, tahun ini kira-kira 500 kes sudah dihantar kepada Lembaga Disiplin untuk siasatan dan jumlah itu dipercayai hanya “tip of the iceberg”. Perkara ini juga meningkatkan kekhuatiran pencinta parti walaupun ada segelintir pemimpin yang cuba meremehkan perkara itu.

Kesimpulannya, gejala politik wang sememangnya tidak dapat dinafikan kewujudannya. Persoalan yang harus dijawab segera ialah berapa banyak bahagian dan cawangan di seluruh tanah air yang dihantui gejala itu.

Politik wang atau wang politik sudah lebih dua dekad diamalkan dalam UMNO dan ia memuncak sewaktu pemilihan pemimpin UMNO. Setelah kian lama bertapak dan berakar umbi, kita boleh mengambil kesimpulan bahawa gejala itu sudah menjadi budaya atau amalan yang diterima dalam UMNO.

Ramai ahli yang menawarkan diri untuk bertanding jawatan dalam parti menyatakan kalau tidak memberi wang, hampir pasti mereka tidak akan mendapat undi. Maka mereka yang mahu menang dalam sesuatu pemilihan jawatan berkata, mereka terpaksa melakukannya walaupun hati kecil mereka melarang berbuat demikian.

Peraturan serta badan yang ditubuhkan untuk mendisiplinkan ahli-ahli, nampaknya tidak berkesan. Yang penting bagi mereka ialah mendapat sokongan untuk menang jawatan yang ditandingi.

Jelas juga, bahawa majoriti ahli-ahli UMNO yang mengamalkan politik wang tidak mengerti atau memandang remeh terhadap kesan buruk gejala perbuatan mereka itu.

Adalah amat menakutkan kerana gejala politik wang itu boleh memberi kesan buruk kepada UMNO dalam konteks sebuah organisasi, UMNO sebagai tunggak pemerintah negara dan akhirnya kepada diri mereka sendiri.

Mereka tidak dapat menghayati bahawa gejala politik wang akan hanya memberi ruang kepada individu yang sebenarnya tidak mempunyai nilai-nilai kepimpinan yang sejagat untuk menguasai hala tuju dan arah perjuangan UMNO dan negara.

Di kalangan pemimpin yang jujur dan berjiwa rakyat, mereka hanya menjadi penonton kepada percaturan ini.

Antara punca kurang penghayatan berhubung isu yang kian parah ini ialah kegagalan menimba ilmu secara menyeluruh. Mereka tidak dapat menghayati sejarah, tidak dapat mengaitkan bahawa punca kejatuhan empayar purba atau kejatuhan sesebuah organisasi antaranya adalah akibat amalan politik wang iaitu rasuah.

Jelas, penghayatan agama mereka juga adalah cetek. Justeru itu maka ramai ahli tidak menyedari bahawa amalan politik wang bercanggah dengan ajaran al-Quran dan contoh kepimpinan yang ditunjukkan oleh Rasullullah s.a.w.

Setengah ahli membaca Surah al-Alaq (Iqra’) tapi tidak ada penghayatan terhadapnya. Walaupun terdapat segelintir yang mengetahuinya, tetapi pemikiran mereka berpaksi kepada desakan hawa nafsu.

Malah, mereka bersolat, berpuasa, berzakat dan menunaikan haji pun sebenarnya tidak mengamalkan kehidupan secara Islam. Apa yang mereka lafazkan dalam solat sebagaimana terkandung dalam doa ifititah (Hidup ku, Mati ku, Solat ku adalah kerana ingin keredaan Allah s.w.t.) tidak diterjemahkan dalam kehidupan seharian mereka.

Keterperincian cara hidup bahagia yang di anjurkan oleh Rasullullah s.a.w diketepikan. Yang diisi adalah cara hidup ala budaya barat yang berpaksi kepada falsafah “hedonisme”. Hidup senang dikaitkan dengan perolehan harta dan seterusnya pangkat.

Yang berjaya adalah mereka yang mempunyai pangkat dan harta yang banyak. Mereka tidak peduli bagaimana pangkat atau harta itu diperolehi. Jauh sekali mereka memikirkan sama ada perolehan itu haram atau halal. Bagi mereka yang mengetahuinya sekali pun, amaran Allah s.w.t. dan Rasulullah s.a.w. diperkecil-kecilkan.

Kesimpulannya amat sedikit ahli UMNO menghayati sepenuhnya agama Islam, agama yang sebenarnya membawa kegembiraan kepada sesiapa yang mengamalkannya dalam kehidupan.
Persoalannya apa perlu dilakukan untuk mengurang, malah menghapuskannya kerana sudah jelas ia membawa kecelakaan kepada perjuangan UMNO. Perlembagaan UMNO jelas mencatat perjuangan UMNO untuk mempertahankan Islam dan mengangkat martabat bangsa Melayu dan negara.

Sebelum persoalan ini dijawab, ia amat perlu dikupas mengenai bagaimana dan mengapa politik wang menjadi budaya dalam UMNO.

1. Perkataan politik wang itu sendiri tidak melambangkan bahawa ia sebenarnya rasuah, apatah lagi perkataan itu tidak melambangkan erti “khianat”. Sebaliknya, ramai ahli mentakrifkan ia sebagai hadiah atau imbuhan atas usaha politik mereka. Disebabkan perkataan politik wang itu bukan bermakna rasuah atau pengkhianatan, mereka berpendapat apa salahnya mereka menerima sedikit wang daripada titik peluh mereka berusaha menghadiri upacara atau perjumpaan yang diaturkan. Mereka juga berpendapat bahawa ahli yang bertanding sudah tentunya akan memperoleh kekayaan dengan jawatan yang mereka menang. Mereka melihat bahawa ahli-ahli yang dulunya miskin atau berkedudukan sederhana mengubah corak hidup selepas mendapat jawatan dalam parti. Berikutan persepsi ini, mereka tidak mahu berfikir jauh dan lebih mendalam tapi sekadar mengikut dorongan nafsu untuk menerima hadiah atau wang yang dihulurkan. Justeru itu, mereka tidak dapat berasakan bahawa politik wang akan memporak-perandakan perjuangan parti yang sudah tentunya menjadi lemah.

2. Ramai ahli-ahli kabur untuk menilai siapa yang layak menjadi pemimpin mereka sebagaimana mereka tidak dapat membezakan wang kopi, hadiah atau politik wang. Ini berlaku kerana kurangnya penghayatan agama, menyebabkan pesanan pesan Rasulullah s.a.w. mengenai ciri-ciri atau sifat pemimpin iaitu pemimpin perlu dinilai dari sudut siddiq (benar segala perkataan), amanah (dipercayai), tabligh (menyampaikan segala perintah Allah s.w.t.) dan fatanah (pintar dalam segala hal), kurang mendapat perhatian.

3. Ramai juga ahli membuat pemilihan mengikut pengalaman peribadi seperti seseorang pemimpin menolong untuk mendapatkan misalnya biasiswa untuk anaknya yang tidak berkelayakan atau sebaliknya pula menolak seseorang pemimpin yang tidak membantunya untuk mendapatkan sesuatu kontrak. Amat kurang penilaian dibuat mengenai adakah itu cara yang dibenarkan. Cita rasa mereka menjadi keutamaan dalam pemilihan. Mereka berasakan, sebagai ahli UMNO mereka lebih layak mendapat kontrak atau biasiswa daripada mereka yang bukan ahli UMNO. Pemimpin yang tidak memberi kontrak atau biasiswa atau imbuhan lain kepada mereka dicemuh. Perbandingan cara ini sering didengar terkeluar dari mulut ahli-ahli UMNO. Mereka kurang menilai kebolehan dan kejayaan pemimpin dalam mencetuskan sesuatu dasar untuk kebaikan seluruh masyarakat.

4. Ada juga yang memilih pemimpin berpandukan kepada ketaatan kepada pemimpin tanpa menilai ciri kepimpinan seseorang. Mereka taksub kepada pemimpin.

5. Ramai juga memilih pemimpin kerana dibayangi kemudahan seperti pekerjaan, bisnes dan sebagainya apabila pemimpin berkenaan menang dalam pemilihan.

6. Hukuman yang diturunkan oleh Lembaga Disiplin bersifat pemulihan (“rehabilitative”) dan bukan pencegahan (“preventive”). Malah, ramai mengetahui kekurangan (“shortcomings”) Lembaga Disiplin dari sudut kemahiran kakitangan untuk menyiasat dan bilangan pegawai yang melaksanakan tugas pun berkurangan berbanding kes-kes yang di rujuk kepada lembaga itu. Mereka tidak perlu takut kepada hukuman kerana ia hanya melibatkan penggantungan jawatan atau kelayakan bertanding untuk sementara waktu. Ramai juga berkeyakinan bahawa rayuan boleh meringkan hukuman.

7. Fenomena baru yang dikesan adalah budaya melancong ke destinasi pelancongan di dalam negara dan juga luar negara. Setengah pemimpin yang berhajat untuk mengukuhkan pengaruh akan mengatur lawatan rombongan ke destinasi seperti Medan, Jakarta dan di mana-mana negara lain atau destinasi di dalam negara mengikut kemampuan mereka. Ada juga mengatur lawatan ke destinasi yang lebih jauh. Semua lawatan dilabelkan “lawatan sambil belajar”. Lawatan ini dilaksanakan sepanjang masa sebelum musim pertandingan.

8. Pada musim pertandingan pula, ganjaran percutian turut ditawarkan kepada ahli-ahli tertentu. Lawatan ini dibuat dengan niat agar perwakilan itu tidak hadir pada hari mesyuarat diadakan dan sekali gus tidak mengundi calon lawannya. Dengan cara ini calon yang menganjurkan percutian itu dapat mengurangkan undi pesaing walaupun tidak menambah undi dirinya sendiri.

Segala alasan yang digunakan ahli dalam pemilihan pemimpin adalah tidak selari dengan amalan sejagat, malah melanggar peraturan agama khususnya memberi kesan dan akibat yang buruk kepada semua.

Akhirnya, orang yang dipilih menjadi pemimpin adalah mereka yang tidak berjiwa masyarakat. Pemimpin yang lemah akal dan budi dan paling dashyat ialah pemimpin yang mengagungkan budaya barat yang liberal dan bertentangan dengan ajaran Islam. Bagaimana mereka hendak memperjuanghkan Fasal 3 Perlembagaan UMNO?

Keberkesanan UMNO menangani masalah gejala politik wang semakin rumit untuk dibendung. Hari ini sudah ramai pencinta UMNO meramalkan keruntuhan UMNO. Apa yang dapat menyelamatkan UMNO yang sedang dalam keadaan cemas dan tenat adalah kebangkitan semangat kekitaan dan menterjemahkan budaya yang sihat lagi murni.

Tidak ada peraturan atau perundangan yang dapat digubal untuk membendung gejala ini secara menyeluruh kerana sifat ahli-ahli pengamal gejala rasuah akan sentiasa mencari jalan untuk mengatasinya.

Oleh itu, ahli-ahli UMNO yang masih mempunyai semangat kekitaan perlu memperluaskan pengaruh mereka demi menyelamat parti dari hanyut dibawa arus gejala rasuah.
Masa semakin hampir, pilihan raya ke-13 tidak lama lagi dan rakyat akan menentukan kejatuhan UMNO kerana sifat rasuah ahli UMNO. Maka tercabut lagi taring UMNO yang sudah kian lama berjaya membangunkan negara dan bangsa Melayu.

Ahli-ahli UMNO perlu menjadikan pencegahan amalan politik wang, sebenarnya rasuah, agenda utama mereka bagi mengembalikan kepercayaan rakyat terhadap UMNO.

Datuk Jamaluddin Mansor adalah bekas Ketua UMNO Bahagian Bukit Bintang dan Setiausaha Badan Perhubungan UMNO Negeri, Wilayah Persekutuan. Beliau adalah juga Ketua Pengarang Majalah Milenia Muslim, Forward dan Aniqah.

TRAITORS AMONG US

While the former MCA Youth leader and current Vice President is dangerously fondling with the idea of scrapping the 30 % Bumiputera Equity, the current UMNO Youth Chief and Vice President wannabe is keeping his tongue tied while allowing the party elders, namely an 84 year old former President and a 62 year old Deputy Presidential Candidate to do his job of coming to the fore to defend the Malay rights currently enshrined in the Constitution.

Other political parties and NGOs with Malay participation are coming out one by one to denounce MCA’s statement while the supposedly UMNO's pressure group remains mute. There is little wonder why the Malays are quickly turning to PAS to continue their struggle. They say there is little Chinese money if not none at all in their leadership.

It seems after the cowardly act of apologizing to the non-Malays for not being able to defend and uphold the Malay heritage, the UMNO Youth Chief has resigned himself to not interfering with issues concerning the Chinese, even when they become antagonistic toward the Malays. Today, he prefers to labour over the petty topic of whether a debate should be held between candidates aspiring to be his successor. Hmm...Very important indeed. Perhaps he thinks the debate might spell the downfall of the Malay Supremacy while what is said by Gerakan and MCA in recent days would enhance our position instead. I'M BEGGINNING TO WONDER WHO'S SIDE HE IS PITCHING FOR!

Is this the kind of leadership material we want to lead the Party that best represents the Malays in this country? Do we want traitors to lead us? Have we not had enough?

He is not the only one. There is a whole catalogue of Vice Presidential candidates just like him who preach about defending “Agama, Bangsa dan Negara” but remain in their cool offices in their Armani/ Hugo Boss suits when our struggle is being attacked by friends and foes.

Come March 2009, UMNO delegates should send these fake leaders to the “guillotine”, metaphorically speaking.

MAY ALLAH'S CURSE BE UPON THESE PRETENDERS.

SNIPPETS

A WEAK UMNO TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF.

I remember vividly a warning statement a couple of years back made by Mr Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar on the possibility that non-Malays would take advantage of a weak UMNO.

Now we are discovering some truth in his foresight although a large part of UMNO being weak is attributed to his father-in-law, the Prime Minister himself.

Last week the Gerakan Wanita chief questioned the status of the Malays as bumiputeras. Two days ago the MCA Youth demanded for a second Deputy Chairman's seat in the National Front presumably to be occupied by MCA. Perhaps when they get there, they’ll demand for a Second Deputy Premiership. Then according to The Malaysian Insider, the outgoing MCA president asked for an “end to the Bumi equity rule” and without ambiguity accused UMNO of being a bully in the coalition in the very presence of the PM and his Deputy who are the top two leaders in UMNO.

This shameless pressure coming from one party that failed miserably after leading a State for more than four terms and another party that pathetically lost 25 of the possible 40 seats in Parliament seems justified when instead of heeding the advice for the Malays to be united from the conclusion of the Rulers Conference, UMNO leaders take potshots at each other for personal reasons. In yesterday’s New Straits Times, Dato’ Shahrir Samad unnecessarily took a swipe at Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin for voicing out the obvious concerns about the length of the campaign period which I too have mentioned in my article entitled “ Long Season to be Jolly for UMNO Delegates” before Hari Raya.

UMNO leaders are better politicians than they are public servants. There IS a distinct difference. Tan Sri Muhyiddin understands this. Dato' Shahrir understands it too but prefers to give the benefit of the doubt to his peers. Enough said.


CHUA SOI LEK- YOU’RE THE MAN!!!

A politician’s dream come true is if one is caught with his pants down ( literally ), makes a graceful exit and then a SPECTACULAR comeback on a higher plain. This is the Deputy President of a party that is asking for a second Deputy Chairmanship in the National Front.

And I thought UMNO had big problems.

GROUND ZERO - AN ANALYSIS OF UMNO'S NOMINATION WEEK 1

PREDICTABLE, UNBELEIVABLE AND OUTRAGEOUS! ALL IN ONE WEEKEND!

I’ve been asked to give my views on UMNO’s first nomination week by a highly respected gentleman of journalism.

Though I may not represent the majority on ground zero, here’s my take on it.

PREDICTABLE:

1. Yes when one person is preferred by the outgoing chief and that person is also the current Deputy President of UMNO, it’s a given that people will line up and slobber all over his hand and pledge loyalty. So it’s no surprise that Dato’ Sri Najib wiped the floor last weekend with the nominations.

2. Yes when a strong, experienced and senior political candidate for Deputy President was hauled up by the Presumptive Nominee for President and within 48 hours withdrew his candidacy, it is a given that the latter wants an easy path for a more deserving candidate whose tireless and risky effort has accelerated the impending departure of the incumbent President and will complement him with his support. True enough, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin later pledged his full support for Dato’ Sri Najib as President leaving Tengku Razaleigh out in the cold without really discounting him completely. No surprises with the majority of the nominations going to Muhyiddin.

UNBELEIVABLE:

1. When Dato’ Mukhriz Mahathir who was almost reduced to being a cry-baby for not being able to reach and meet members of the Youth-wing around the country suddenly had an explosion of nominations from the same, it raised eyebrows as the ones flying high prior to nomination week were Mr Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar and Dato Seri Mohd Khir Toyo. Could it be true that Mukhriz is indeed as popular as even he didn’t realize or is this a political illusion?

Note: I wonder if Mukhriz will be as vocal under Najib, now that they are in the same team. I wonder if Mukhriz was vocal before more because of his allegiance to the Nation or his loyalty and love for his father. I wonder if Khairy would play the reversed role of Mukhriz if he wins and doesn’t have his father-in-law as his guardian but the backing of the Youth to propel him. A usually concurring Youth leader serves no purpose. It is proven in the last ten years.

OUTRAGEOUS:

1. When Dato’ Sri Hishammuddin Hussein, perceived to be a non-starter due to his infamous ordeal with the Keris that should have stabbed him instead of the Party, obtained nominations in almost all of the divisions completed leaving more worthy politicians behind by double-digits, it looked obvious that he had a helping hand from a “concerned” relative. Either those who nominated him were (a) high on some mind altering substance, (b) easily forgetful or “mudah lupa” as Tun Dr Mahathir used to say or as predicted, (c) a hidden hand is in play.

Note: In the 90’s, I distinctly remember my Menteri Besar, Dato Abdul Ghani Othman and Dato Seri Panglima Osu Sukam garnering the second and third highest nominations respectively. They ended up in the bottom four ultimately. In Hisham’s case, they may be seen as obedient in nominating him if indeed there is a hidden hand or voice, but in the end, could common sense prevail?

Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib, Dato Seri Ali Rustam, and Datuk Nur Jazlan Tan Sri Mohamed.

1. Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah is facing an uphill battle due to the current scenario. Had the Prime Minister decided to contest with Najib maintaining his current position then my bet would be on TRH hands down because the PM has been deemed, with due respect, as damaged commodity. The culture manifested in UMNO today is of patronage. One dare not go against the person perceived to be next in line in fear of not being able to beg for future favours when he is anointed to his position. Trust me, if by the stroke of Allah, Tengku Razaleigh were to be made Prime Minister, in this case by technicality for instance, they’d have to close the road leading to his mansion due to the beeline taking their turn to kiss his hand. Such is the ways of UMNO leaders. Nominations will fall for him like snowflakes on a Christmas morning.

Note: Tengku Razaleigh is the man who should have been and could still be, but his campaign machinery leaves much to be desired. He is a bona-fide leader, but not many leaders of today’s UMNO know of his accomplishments. They only know his name unlike the leaders of the previous generation. He alone has sacrificed and given more for the party than all the members of the Supreme Council stacked together. IT IS NOT TRUE THAT MR BADAWI IS THE LAST FROM TUN RAZAK’S GENERATION OF LEADERS. HE FORGETS THAT TENGKU RAZALEIGH IS THE LONGEST SERVING PARLIAMENTARIAN AND WAS CLOSER TO TUN THAN ANYONE ELSE PERHAPS EVEN NAJIB, POLITICALLY SPEAKING.

2. Tan Sri Muhammad is in the twilight of his career. He has nothing to lose but everything to gain. I can’t see him as getting enough nominations but he will certainly give a good show if the opportunity arises. It needs to be remembered that he only lost to Tan Sri Muhyiddin by a mere 45 odd votes for Vice President in the last round despite the fact that the latter was supposed to be a clear winner having missed the cut to be Deputy Prime Minister despite being the preferred choice of the PM at the time.

Note: His time is up as he is not well liked for doggedly protecting his boss instead of advising him on the truth from the ground.

2. Dato Seri Ali Rustam on ground zero was initially tipped to be “the One” to give Muhyiddin a run for his money for the Deputy Presidency despite being not deserving to hold the position. The behavior of the UMNO members of today is not one to support those who excel in their duties but to embrace those with human-relation skills. I’m told that a good number of divisions in Johor were ready to nominate him (which is not unusual due to the “cold war” between the MB and Muhyiddin) until a mysterious wind blew over Johor very recently. Now they’ve shifted and will be nominating Muhyiddin as should be. We shall see the outcome these coming weeks. If Ali Rustam gets the numbers to qualify, Muhyiddin had better be propelling at full steam ahead.

Note: Ali Rustam could throw a spanner in the works when the going gets tough if he announces that if he wins, he won’t accept the Deputy Prime Minister’s post but would like to concentrate on fortifying the Party. I’m sure the Vice Presidential candidates will pull all their support for Ali as they would be the next in line to be picked from to fill the seat if Ali wins instead of Muhyiddin. This is against convention, however all else but the word of God can be amended.

3. Datuk Nur Jazlan, well what can I say? He is after all my Division Chief. At first instance I thought he did well to steal the thunder from Datuk Zahid Hamidi and Dato Seri Ali Rustam. The media went after him ever since and left the latter two in the cold. At least for now he looks more matured than Zahid for holding to his guns instead of looking like a child who didn’t think thoroughly before acting. After all, he merely expressed his interest and willingness to be nominated. If he succeeds well and good but if he doesn’t, at least he gave us an alternative. Who are we to say who should and shouldn’t offer themselves as candidates? This is democracy at its best. Do we not trust the delegates enough to nominate and vote with a right frame of mind? Do they need to be nursed into nominating and voting who we think they should nominate or vote? Haven’t we learnt from the mistakes of the great Tun Dr Mahathir of force feeding the leaders of his choice on us only to see us all suffer and be ridiculed henceforth politically? It is time the leaders stopped playing God in UMNO and let the grassroots pick their choice without duress, without undue influence.

Note: Nur Jazlan may not qualify to contest the Deputy Presidency but from the ground, I have found that the affluent young Malays and of course others find him a breath of fresh air, even if it is but for a brief moment. It will be difficult to penetrate through since 75 percent of the delegates usually are of the same people and mentality.

Next weekend should be interesting. Let’s see if all the divisions who nominate Najib will nominate his cousin as well. Let’s also see if the majority of these divisions nominate Najib, Muhyiddin, Hishammuddin and Mukhriz as a package.


If so, and if it prevails come March, then we bid welcome to the Kennedys and Rockefellers of UMNO.

HE WILL GO.

Thank you & goodbye.

The Prime Minister will be leaving his office earlier than expected. No it doesn't mean that he'll be signing off at 3pm everyday while Najib clocks out at the normal hour of 5 pm.

The gentleman politician will be retiring in March 2009 and will not be standing for election for President of UMNO. He picked the first option from my last posting.

Scenario # 1 WINS!

Recap: The PM’s back is against the wall. He tried his best to make the necessary and promised changes but they were slow in coming and didn’t quite meet the target by the last election date. At the same time, national unity nosed dived under his watch that open animosity between races began to rear its ugly head and the position of the Malays and Islam were threatened for the first time in many years. He lost his own State of Penang along with 5 other states and got whipped in the recent by-election in his homestate by his nemesis reflecting people’s rejection for his leadership.He sees the facts point blank and decides to resign gracefully and save UMNO from further embarrassment. He does so by announcing his retirement in March of 2009 and not offering himself to contest as President of the Party in March of the same.

The Presidential race will be between Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and Dato’ Sri Najib Razak. I have said that Najib might have the edge in nominations but we shall see the outcome. I may be wrong again.

Have a pleasant holiday Sir. Thank you for your selfless decision in favour of the Party and thank you for your services to the Country.

WILL HE? WILL HE NOT?

Will he hand it over?

Will he or will he not?

That is the question the whole nation is waiting to be answered.

In the next 48 hours, we will find out whether Datuk Seri Abdullah Hj Ahmad Badawi will declare either to contest or to stand down in the next UMNO elections due to be held in March of 2009.

Let’s play with the different possibilities available.

SCENARIO # 1.

The PM’s back is against the wall. He tried his best to make the necessary and promised changes but they were slow in coming and didn’t quite meet the target by the last election date. At the same time, national unity nosed-dived under his watch that open animosity between races began to rear its ugly head and the position of the Malays and Islam were threatened for the first time in many years. He lost his own State of Penang along with 5 others and got whipped in the recent by-election in his homestate by his nemesis reflecting people’s rejection for his leadership.

He sees the facts point blank and decides to resign gracefully and save UMNO from further embarrassment. He does so by announcing his retirement in March of 2009 and not offering himself to contest as President of the Party in March of the same.

The Presidential race will be between Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and Dato’ Sri Najib Razak. In this scenario, Najib will have the edge as many have declared their willingness to nominate him for President if Mr Badawi decides to leave.

SCENARIO # 2

The PM’s mind is poisoned by influential UMNO leaders into thinking that he is stuck in a corner, and there is no way out except the honorable one which is to withdraw from office. He gets the Supreme Council to agree to postpone the Convention to March 2008 and has 2 weeks to gauge the truth on the wavering support for him before he declares his position.

He realizes that even if he withdraws now, people will not be grateful to him for his sacrifice and will always see him as a failed Prime Minister. He later discovers that he will have the minimum required number of nominations to defend his position with more than 3 months to consolidate his stand using all the necessary resources available to him as Prime Minister of Malaysia, even if it means having to remove Najib from his current position.

He thinks for instance if he gets 60 nominations while Najib gets more and refuses to withdraw, he will have the power to retire Najib as Deputy Prime Minister and replace him with another candidate, possibly Zahid Hamidi and with one stroke catapult the latter as the strongest contender for the Deputy President’s post. At the same time he reshuffles the whole Cabinet and also retires Muhyiddin to cut off his authority and bring him down to size. With most of the UMNO leaders save Muhyiddin out to save their own necks and backsides, they will very quickly cuddle back up to the PM and seek his forgiveness and slurp all over his hand.

It is a known fact in UMNO that the majority of the delegates’ loyalty lies with those in office. For example, Musa Hitam got whipped by a less polished politician in Ghafar Baba who was the Deputy Prime Minister while Musa was the incumbent Deputy President defending his position in the party but was out of the Cabinet.

In addition, the PM’s counselors will also advise him that if he wins without Najib’s withdrawal from the race, naturally the transition plan will become null and void and he will be stronger than he ever was in UMNO.

The PM decides to contest.

The Presidential race will be between Pak Lah, Najib and Tengku Razaleigh. The winner will be one of the first two.

SCENARIO # 3

PM decides to run but hands over the power to Najib in March. Najib believes him and decides to remain Deputy till then because he’d like to be able to choose his deputy as opposed to having it force fed if he goes for broke and Muhyiddin wins the number two spot.

In the meantime, Muhyiddin too gets enough nominations for Deputy President and doesn’t quit. Najib will be frozen because his supporters who are angry with him for not contesting for President will support Muhyiddin out of spite.

The Presidential race will be between Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and the PM.

Tengku Razaleigh will win hands down with Muhyiddin possibly as his number two.


I THINK SCENARIO # 2 WILL PREVAIL. ABDULLAH AHMAD BADAWI WILL EITHER GO DOWN FIGHTING OR RISE LIKE THE PHEONIX FROM THE ASHES OF DEFEAT.

What do you think?

SELAMAT HARI RAYA AIDILFITRI 1429H

Asalamualaikum WBT.

Kepada semua rakan-rakan dan pengunjung blog " The Patriot " samada yang menyumbang mahupun yang membaca atau mengintai sahaja, kami sekeluarga ingin mengucapkan Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri 1429H. Dengan tulus ikhlas, kami menyusun jari memohon Ampun dan Maaf, Zahir dan Batin di atas segala bahasa dan kesilapan yang mungkin menghiris hati samada disedari ataupun tidak selama kita bersama.

Semoga Saudara/ Saudari sekeluarga senantiasa dibawah peliharaan Allah SWT.

Wasallam.

Tengku Putra H. A. Jumat
Johor Darul Takzim

LONG SEASON TO BE JOLLY FOR UMNO DELEGATES !

Coming from Johor, I'm used to celebrating the birth of our Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) over a period of 5 months while it is usually remembered and observed for a day in other States and Muslim countries. I look forward to it because these functions are usually coupled with Briyani in a large tray to be shared amongst Muslim brothers and sisters and a religious sermon to round off the evening.

I never realized that Christmas too can be stretched over a period of 5 months until the announcement was made after the Emergency Supreme Council meeting yesterday at noon. Yes indeed, from 9th November till March, "tis the season to be jolly "for those successful candidates in the divisional delegates meeting beginning October 9th. For the first time from as far as I can remember having been a delegate since 1996, this is yet the longest campaign period ever to be experienced.

I may be chastised for likening it to Christmas but let's not fool ourselves. Several times before, the campaign period has been shortened to avoid political corruption in the party. Did it help? Perhaps. Did it wipe out corruption completely? NO. The candidates always had ways of reaching the delegates.

Even when the team of watchdogs were deployed, there were leakages from those high above who wanted to protect their "favoured ones" by alerting them of the names of the personnel in each state watching out for money politics (as it was known then). I'm not just "spitting in the wind here", I'm talking through experience. I was one of those who were recruited to cleanse the party of such ills only to be treated like a leper once a candidate explained to our common friend why he was against coming to my residence where most of the Johor delegates had usually met potential candidates. Having been a delegate many times, those contesting for posts in the Supreme Council knew me and the others fairly well and was comfortable with holding clean meetings at my residence. No money changed hands but of course refreshments were served. Once my cover was blown, the venue changed, not because they were all dirty but because they just wanted to be safe. It's like you're driving within the speed limit but once you see a patrol car, you slow down just in case. I never trusted UMNO officials ever since and I'll give you one guess which finger I'll flash in their faces if ever they try to recruit me again for such a purpose.

To me, this extension primarily for the election of federal posts in UMNO is rediculous. We've already postponed it once to make way for the general elections, now we have to do it again presumably to save the President's face. Looking at it point blank, moving back the goal-post isn't going to change a thing if the momentum is against him. It'll just add the yardage that he has to recover to score at the other end! Either way, he'll be humiliated unless one possiblity occurs, i.e. he decides to either go out fighting or get a fresh mandate from UMNO using all possible resources he has available to him whether known or otherwise.

Whatever is said and done, yesterday, the interest of the party wasn't taken under consideration. We should've continued with the original schedule and let the chips fall where they may according to the party's constitution without paralysing Putrajaya for the next five months due to heavy politicking.

With that, a bonafide leader would emerge, colossal political corruption would be avoided and much attention can be given to the economy instead.

For the life of me I can't fathom why Dato Sri Najib won't grab what's already his for the taking given the circumstances and instead prefer to take further risks of losing his support from impatient members from the grassroots., many of whom are beginning to see Tengku Tan Sri Razaleigh Hamzah as the original and true candidate who is willing and able to carry their aspirations through.

The RAHMAN theory might very well turn into RAHMAT if the current trend persists. May Allah grant the Nation with the best possible leader. The Supreme Council, nay, the President and his Deputy may propose, but God disposes. That is a promise.

SAVING FACE OR THE PARTY?

Who is the one we should blame? The hand that gives or the one that receives?

In these last few weeks, these phrases kept on playing over and over in my head.

" Work with me, not for me. I want to hear the truth. My ears are on the ground ".

I wonder whether the person who said all these things really meant it or just said it because it sounded trendy for a politician trying to sound sincere.

Well last Thursday he heard the truth spoken in the Supreme Council, usually known for either apple polishing or rubber stamping his decisions. He has ears on the ground in the form of the Special Branch, Military Intelligence, KEMAS and even JASA (the well known body that brought thousands of branch leaders to KL to meet the PM giving some goodies to mark the occasion). I'm sure some truth came from these establishments but it doesn't look like he is properly digesting the information given. What's the point in having one's ear on the ground if one isn't able to figure out what noise it is and which direction it's coming from?

Now, he is asking the people to work for him instead of with him to ensure that he gets at least the minimum required number of nominations to qualify to run for President again.

A couple of months ago it was the question of whether his contender is able to garner enough nominations come December to contest for the Presidency. Today the situation is reversed. Again, we are hearing of State UMNO Liaisons openly supporting the 2010 power transitional plan. How can they pledge this when the members of the liaison committee themselves i.e. the divisional chiefs, aren't even sure if they'd be re-elected in their own divisions? In Selangor alone, when Mohamad Taib as State UMNO Chief announced their support at the beginning for Abdullah, it was discovered that more than half of the liaison committee members were letting go of their position as division chiefs. Does it make sense for people who are unable to nominate and support him to pledge their support for the same?

The people have spoken in March of 2008 and now UMNO members are telling the President to withdraw gracefully before he is humiliated in the coming UMNO elections. UMNO is seen to be the major reason for BN's slim win because the BN component party leaders are too polite to condemn the Prime Minister. His weak leadership has caused UMNO much distress and loss of respect from the other component parties.

Abdullah Ahmad Badawi should take a leaf from Mbeki's book and step down upon hearing the truth from his party. Abdullah Ahmad Badawi should learn from the MCA on how to take responsibility and withdraw gracefully when the people do not want to work with him anymore. Abdullah Ahmad Badawi should not attempt to save his face in the expense of the Party. Ironically, it is the act of saving UMNO that would save his face in the end. But I doubt if he has the decency to do this.

Almost irreparable damage is done to the party in his hands. If he is willing to win at all cost, and does so albeit with a black eye and a bloody nose this December, I won't put my money on the 2010 transitional plan but I'd double my money on BN being put to sleep in 2012.

ONE'S WINDOW SHOPPING, THE OTHER'S WINDOW DRESSING.

One's cheating the Rakyat, could the other one be attempting to fool the party?

One's a Master of Theatrics, could the other be trying the Art of Deception?

Anwar Ibrahim didn't keep his promise, but kept stretching his markers by asking the Rakyat to continue believing in his lies. To be honest, even I was waiting in anticipation to see if he could pull the rabbit out of the hat. He is cheating the Rakyat because he is trying to lure members of the ruling party, the coalition party that the rakyat voted for in the 2008 elections to join him, instantly making him the Prime Minister through the back door. Matters of the hind seem to constantly get his attention doesn't it?

I hope the people have learnt their lesson watching him maneouvre his way through their trust. The thing is, if he became Prime Minister and his time came to leave this world prematurely, who would succeed him, and would the rakyat be agreeable to the candidate? Would there be chaos? Could the other parties within the Pakatan come to terms with the person being the successor?

Simply said, they are not ready to lead yet considering they haven't worked out the differences between them. Pakatan's a bad choice right now.

As far as Barisan Nasional is concerned, they shouldn't be too worried about a breakup. People need to remember that UMNO has 79 seats, MCA 15, MIC 3 and GERAKAN 2. The others barring SAPP don't pose much of a problem for BN. MCA, MIC and GERAKAN need BN more than anything now because if they choose to leave the party to join the opposition, they'd be playing second and third fiddle to DAP and PKR. Surely the latter would maintain the lion's share and GERAKAN's chances leading Penang once again would be worse than a snowball's chance in hell. So, frankly speaking, they can keep their innuendoes. We've got more important things to worry about.

Regarding the window dressing. Of late, one after another carrot is waved at Dato Sri Najib to discourage him from going for the number one post and simultaneously sweet-coating it for the impatient UMNO grassroots to make them think that a quicker and sincere transition is imminent. The Finance portfolio sounds right for him having an economics background.

It looks like it's working as Najib has stepped back and forth a couple of times dancing to the desparate tunes of the embattled President. But the ultimate decision lies in the hands of the 191 UMNO divisions (with the will of God), most of which are already tired and afraid to gamble with another two years of political and economic uncertainty, not to mention disunity amongst the rakyat of different races. We want to be united once more as a nation albeit with cultural and religious diversity, and it can only be done with a strong and stable, no-nonsense leadership.

So let's see if this window dressing will actually help sell the product on display this time.

I personally buy a product that works instead of one that looks good on exhibition.

HAPPY MALAYSIA DAY!

We (Malaya) gained our Independance on 31 st of August 1957 corresponding to 6th Safar 1377H but Malaysia was formed with the inclusion of Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak on the 16th September of 1963 corresponding to 28th Rabiulakhir 1383H.

May God Bless Malaysia.

A KING'S RANSOM FOR A CONCUBINE?

The Law Minister is holding the Cabinet hostage over his displeasure on the ISA issue.

If I were one of his colleagues I'd guide him to the door without much fuss next Wednesday. He is behaving more like a Minister in Pakatan's never-neverland.

More later - I have a clearer conscience spitting fire after the break of fast. For now think of his threat as asking a King's ransom for an old concubine.

Continued-

He is of the view that "the ISA should be used to curb terrorism, which is why it was first enacted."

Perhaps to him preventing blood on the streets due to mounting anger relating to a cause worth dying for doesn't warrant the use of the ISA. Remember when a group of Hindraf supporters almost cracked open the skull of a Chinese police officer in Ampang not long ago?

Well that was a case where one party, the policeman, was restraining his force while the other party employed it. Now imagine if both large parties came without any restraint because of something they truly believe in and are willing to die for. Would we want to wait until that happens before doing something to rectify the situation? Wouldn't it be better if we cage the instigator first rather than see all hell break loose?

We are living in a multi-racial and multi religious country. Once sensitive lines are breached, it will invite big trouble if it is allowed to continue. We cannot gamble with giving people who constantly prod these sensitivities the benefit of the doubt. That is a no brainer accept for perhaps someone who has lost too many brain-cells cosuming alcohol.

Knowing people personally in social events and forums doesn't mean that one knows the person inside out. I mean can anyone describe if the person whom one claims to know personally is a wild creature after hours (keeping it kosher in here)? That would only be the case if one is privy to and participates in her activities all day and night.

Does a person have to brandish a gun and have a grenade on her waist before she is deemed to be a threat to national security?

Why should people fear anything if they are not doing anything wrong. I mean the rules of the game is spelt out crystal clear for everyone. Stay clear of the matters of race and religion and you can pretend like the ISA doesn't exist.

The home minister made the right move to come down hard on the perpertrators. Then, a ridiculous statement was made on the purpose of the journalist's detention that followed her release that was so quick it probably took longer for her to travel from Penang and back making the ISA look worse than it actually is. She must have served the shortest time in the history of the Act.

The irony here is that we have one minister who is willing to quit for a wrong cause and another minister who is afraid of losing his job for a right cause. If he isn't, he should have defied a presumably wrong call made by his boss.

Bloggers and reporters are not above the law which includes the ISA. We all have to be responsible for what we do and write. We musn't take our freedom for granted.

Read carefully the news report by Sin Chew and RPK's contraversial article. Check out Teresa's behaviour in harping on Malay and Islamic issues and ask yourself if there is any justification in their detention under the Act.

The Internal Security Act has served us well to preserve harmony. I'm willing and happy to see several irresponsible citizens dumped under this Act in exchange for a peaceful Malaysia. Why am I not worried about this Act? It's because I have no intention of breaching the law however unjust it may be.

So Zaid, do us a favour and leave your post. The ISA is here to stay and if you want to give the country an ultimatum, the majority will pick the ISA over you any day of the week and twice on a Sunday.

DATO SRI NAJIB, YOU DIDN'T REPRESENT ME SIR!

I'm a staunch supporter of Dato' Sri Najib Razak but I have to painfully state here that I didn't consider myself well represented when the man himself apologized to the Chinese community on behalf of the whole party of UMNO on the accord of one person's statement. If at all an apology was warranted it shouldn't have come from the top brass representing the whole 3.2 million UMNO members.


More to follow...I'm just too distraught to write more right now

Continued....There you have it. The Malay leaders in UMNO have adopted a new habit of jumping the gun everytime the Chinese community speaks slightly louder than a whisper about their supposedly "oppressed" community. It seems now we're always ever ready to apologise in fear of being called a racist. If this continues at the current rate, we will become as pathetic as the Americans where it is taboo to call a negro anything but Afro-American while the negros can call a caucasion "white boy" in public without any fear of being called a bigot.

Perhaps the problem is that the Chinese can understand the Malay language and listen earnestly to any Malay political event while the Malays know nuts and couldn't care less about what goes on in a Chinese political forum. Malay journalists are also useless in reporting non-Malay events because the Managing Editors of the Malay dialies are not intelligent enough to employ worthy reporters who can speak more than one language. Heck! They can't even quote the Malay leaders properly let alone summarise in the Malay language a press conference that is held in English or any other language spoken in Malaysia. That is why there are no charges against the Chinese and Indians on sedition or racism based on newspaper reports.

Anyway coming back to the apologetic UMNO culture, I'd like to recapitulate on a few events that should have caused much embarrassement to the Malays due to their leaders but dismissed off the cuff as innocent mistakes.

1. A Malay girl who was mistakenly thought to be a Chinese citizen was "abused" in a Malaysian prison. After a lot of flak by the Chinese community here, and without thorough investigation on something so elementary, the Home Minister was sent to China to apologise on behalf of the Government only to realize that it was a local of Malay ethnic origin.

2. The UMNO Youth leader (whose name is not even worthy of mentioning in my blog) introduced a Keris ( the Malay warrior's dagger) and named it Keris Panca Warisan waving it a few times with a cry that supposedly offended the non-Malays in a Youth Convention. The MCA youth wing paid him a visit and the hatchet was buried along with a substantial allocation for Chinese schools under that chap's Ministry. You'd have thought that was that, but the pressure kept rising from the community for the youth chief to apologize even after giving the handout to the Chinese schools. Yup! The rest his history, he succumbed to the pressure and like the scared puppy offered his apology, pathetically at a time when it most didn't matter, i.e. after we got "whipped" in the General Elections. The Chinese community still speaks ill of his past action even after his apology. He'd just as well have offered his resignation along with it and that would have made the Malays very happy indeed.

3. Recently, the UMNO Deputy President, after hearing calls for Dato' Ahmad Ismail's apology for referring to a fact in history by the Chinese leaders decided to offer an apology on behalf of the whole party. Lo and behold, 13 UMNO divisions in Penang backed Ahmad Ismail defying Najib's action and the President's call for his apology. So it seems besides me, there are more than 50,000 other UMNO members in Penang alone represented by the 13 divisions who begged to differ with Najib and Pak Lah.

Instead of being on the defensive and constantly cowed into obedience by Gerakan, MCA, DAP and Hindraf, in the last 4 years, what we'd like to know is what has UMNO done to condemn those who openly accuse our party alone of abuse of power and corruption? (as though they are squeeky clean).

According to the Malaysian Insider, this is what Lim Keng Yaik had to say about us. "We had the worst kind of Umno arrogance as a result of the 2004 elections. The abuse of power, corruption, negotiated tenders with government tenders going mainly to Umno-associated companies. All this is not decided by the Cabinet but by the Ministry of Finance. You think people don't know. Prices are jacked up and there is no check on the implementation of these projects." http://themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/malaysia/8459-keng-yaik-its-all-money-money-money-money-money

And according to the New Straits Times Online, Ong Tee Kiat, the presidential candidate told an MCA function that the party should consider pulling out of Barisan Nasional if Umno continued to champion the concept of Ketuanan Melayu.

http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Thursday/National/2334291/Article/index_html

These are extremely serious allegations made by the advisor of a useless component party which lost a whole state because of the same arrogance they condemned UMNO for, and a dangerous play with seditious remarks just to win an election by a presidential nominee of another component party.

The Billion Ringgit question is, what in the name God are our leaders doing to straighten these characters out? Or, if there is any truth in what Keng Yaik had to say, will the bandits be brought to justice to clear the party's good name?

Instead of going out of this world trying hard to win the hearts of the non-Malays, it is time the UMNO leaders started to pay more attention to the Malays who are fast running out of patience and looking toward the other party that is beginning to look like the real McCoy in the struggle for Religion, Race and Country.

SALAM RAMADHAN

One of the minerets of the Masjid Sultan Abu Bakar in Johor Bahru

I'd like to apologize for the delay in wishing everyone Selamat Menyambut Bulan Ramadhan. I should have done it as soon as the Crest moon of Ramadhan was sighted but was tied up with the activities welcoming this blessed month in my Division.


MAY ALLAH ACCEPT OUR IBADAH, FORGIVE OUR SINS AND EXTEND OUR YEARS. Amin.

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY !

LOOK AT THE PICTURE ON THE FRONT PAGE AND IMAGINE HOW IT WOULD HAVE FELT LIKE IF YOU WERE THERE AT THE STRIKE OF MIDNIGHT ON 31st AUGUST 1957 LISTENING TO THE LAST PLAY OF BRITAIN'S NATIONAL ANTHEM AND THE FIRST RECITAL OF NEGARAKU.

IT'S ON THE WALL !

The words are written in large CAPITAL letters for everyone to see.

Perhaps Datuk Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak needs to read it aloud for the One who is hard at hearing and possibly blind as well. The voters have spoken in Permatang Pauh.

Congratulations to Saudara Anwar Ibrahim. It needs to be said that there were more UMNO members there then the number of votes our man received, i.e. even the UMNO members chose not to back our nominee. Nonetheless, Anwar's win is legitimate.

Barisan Nasional got WHIPPED! Plain and simple. The voter turnout was less than the March election yet the winning margin increased for Pakatan despite the advantage BN had using the government machinery with unlimited financial resources. That's a TRIPLE WHAMMY!!!

Some argued that Anwar won resoundingly because of the September 16th deal that he's selling to the Rakyat. So the Permatang Pauh people were hoping to get a homegrown Prime Minister. I'd rather not venture on what worth they put on the current Prime Minister who is also the Chairman of the Penang State UMNO Liasion Committee.

It is shameful and selfish to stay longer than one's welcome. It's also mind boggling that the presumptive heir apparent who is supposedly highly intelligent puts much faith in the pledged power transition due to take place in two years time when several indicators including strong political intuition seem to show and feel that it is very unlikely to materialize.

We are told not to misconstrue the Permatang Pauh election results. Going back to the basics, I feel that some things should be taken at face value and we should snap out of this state of denial that we're in before we start believing in our own lies.

HOME RULE ! ! !

This is the most popular Merdeka picture. I wasn't born when this was taken of course and I'm sure none of the VVIPs sitting down behind the Tunku are with us today. If you look carefully, long and hard enough, you'll almost hear those famous exclamations of MERDEKA! MERDEKA! MERDEKA! The call of Merdeka covered the whole stadium and through thousands of radio transmitters across the whole Peninsula seven times over. Tears flowed sending chills through the spine knowing they were finally Masters of their own Soil. If we were there, on the concrete seats of the Merdeka Stadium, perhaps we would be more compassionate about it today and fly our flags (upright) with more conviction without having them to be given to us for free. Enough said. Give this photograph a hard long look and give it due appreciation.

FREE MERDEKA T - SHIRTS

In the Spirit of Merdeka, this blog would like to offer T-Shirts like the above which is also available in Black to the first 10 applicants for each colour, limited to one T-Shirt per person.
Please send the address for the delivery. Sizes are limited to S-M-L only. Since most of you prefer to read and not leave comments, for the purpose of privacy, your application will not be posted by the moderator.

The first FIVE applicants will also receive an exclusive notebook (not a computer) with historical pictures, from the signing of the "Perjanjian Persekutuan oleh Raja-raja Melayu dengan Kerajaan British, 1948" to the first opening speech of His Majesty the Yang Di Pertuan Agong in Parliament after Merdeka.

A real classic must have for true Patriots! Gimme a Holler!!!

MERDEKA!!!

SELAMAT MENYAMBUT BULAN KEMERDEKAAN

We are living in one of the most peaceful countries in Asia. A multi-racial nation rich with different cultures, customs and a variety of food that is compared to none in the world. Malays, Chinese, Indians, Eurasians, now Bangladeshis and off late Ghurkas from Nepal reside on our shores today. Besides the last two having joined us more recently, we have all lived side by side in peace and harmony for the most part of the last 51 years since Independance.

Peace is usually taken for granted as we claim that it is our right to have it. Well it is actually but how we handle delicate and sensitive issues relating to each other's customs and religion would determine how long we will enjoy this peace. We have history to fall back on and learn from. Once this peace that we have grown accustomed to is corrupted and destroyed, it will take generations to mend. Life is too short and the stakes are too high for us to gamble with it.

I miss the times when the only difference that mattered between us was religion. The fact that we were Malay, Chinese or Indian were almost insignificant because everyone then didn't step on each others' toes and knew their limits. Today, I don't see children of different races playing with each other in the playground anymore. It's pathetic how it has become.

The spirit that was forged between Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tan Cheng Lock and V.T Sambanthan has faded and strangely, it has done so rather rapidly in the last four years .

Below are pictures of the 50th Merdeka Anniversary Celebration that I organized at the Danga Bay in Johor that I would like to share with you which brought family members of the late Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, Tun Tan Cheng Lock and Tun V.T. Sambanthan together. Through them, I felt the spirit of comraderie of the Merdeka era come back to life that my eyes swelled up on stage while handing them portraits of their respective patriarchs with the Malaysian Flag flying behind each of them.







YM Tunku Muinuddin Putra Ibni Tunku Dato Ahmad Nerang. Grandson of Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj.

Madam Kunjari Tun Sambanthan, daughter of Tun V.T. Sambanthan.


Madam Tan Siok Choo, Grandaughter of Tun Tan Cheng Lock, daughter of Tun Tan Siew Sin and the Patriot himself.

In their veins flow the blood of true Patriots.

While the pioneers of Merdeka worked towards getting us closer together, those that came after them one after the other spread us apart making us aliens with one another. While it was the responsibility of our leaders to promote peace and harmony in this blessed land, the burden is now left on us to secure it. So let us salvage what is left of the Merdeka spirit and build on it to ensure a better future for all Malaysians. We can begin by appreciating, understanding and respecting our Constitution. Reflect on it.

MERDEKA!

DEFEND OUR SOVEREIGNTY & PROTECT OUR INDEPENDENCE

Asalamualaikum WBT and greetings to everyone.

Yes I am back! I saw no reason to remain quiet while all the other UMNO candidates from top to bottom continue to air their views on a host of matters.

I have decided to come out of hybernation especially because important events have cropped up that begged for UMNO participation but couldn't garner even one UMNO Youth EXCO member to defend such as Article 121 (1A) in the Constitution. All that was offered was the lip service given by the Youth Head and the EXCO in charge of Religious affairs. What appalls me is that they can come screaming their lungs out, when Islam is threatened thousands of miles away in the Middle East like Palestine but remain like sick mice when it is threatened here in Malaysia.

Yes, I'm talking about the Bar Council's recalcitrant behaviour touching on Islam, the religion UMNO leaders so heartily claim to defend but was nowhere to be seen when it needed defending. The Council's representative argued that they have no issue with Article 121 (1A) contradicting themselves in their agenda asking it to be revisited. On this score, in the name of God, King and Country, I would like to commend our counterpart in PAS, namely their Youth Wing and most importantly Saudara Zulkifli Nordin, MP, whom I was told is the former Youth Chief of the Kotaraya UMNO branch for their gallant effort and success in getting the forum to be aborted. Isn't it a shame that UMNO has to lose the real fighters for " Agama, Bangsa dan Negara " to the opposition leaving the lame ducks who are only good for crying out the slogan instead and getting rich doing it?

On that sorry note, I'd like to take this opportunity to urge every Malaysian citizen to Rise, Protect and Defend our Sovereignty, without which there would be no Independence. May Allah bless those who fought tooth and nail, and sacrificed much to achieve Home Rule from Great Britain without a shed of blood. and curse those who forsake the struggle.

To my fellow members in UMNO from the Supreme level down to the Roots, repent and be righteous again. We have astrayed from our original struggle. Work for the people and be grateful to those who have served. Make the change or be prepared to turn opposition in the next General Elections.