Arise PAS and Umno!

A few commentators privately commented in this blog asking whether I am supporting the Unity Government suggested by PAS President, Haji Hadi Awang. Some feel that certain parts within my previous article which had lamented on the inability of the Malays of different political idealogies to sit down together and unite under a mutual cause was my agreement towards a Unity Government.

Well, the answer is, I am against Unity Government of PAS and Umno. However, a caveat – I would be more supportive if PAS can discuss with Umno is several platforms involving Malay issues i.e., working together to strengthen any areas the Malays are lagging behind.

Let’s discuss the first scenario specifically why I am against the Unity Government of PAS and Umno. Firstly, it is more important for BN especially for Umno for PAS to remain in the opposition coalition.

Apart from the fact that Barisan Nasional is already the best formula for the ruling government of Malaysia, PAS as an opposition will be the insurance for the Malays in general. Imagine if the opposition comprises only of non Malay majority parties while the government consist of Malay dominated parties. What should happen if the government loses support and lost in a general election? The opposition will then form the government without any Malay representatives in it.

Surely that will be disastrous for the majority of Malaysians. That is why, one of the outcome in the ousting of PAS from BN in 1978 was the creation of Malay voice in every opposition coalition established just before each general election.

Inadvertently, it became a good strategy for the two biggest Malay parties in Malaysia at that time. All know that PAS, with its idealogy, is poles apart with the DAP. Thus, any fundamentally strong opposition will face great difficulties to exist.

For example, Pemuda PAS had urged to government to continue with the NEP in their party general assembly recently. Thus, as an insurance, PAS should be in the loose coalition of opposition parties.

Secondly, I find it sickening to see old men such as the ulamas in PAS and experienced politicians like those in Umno cannot even show some form of amiable attitude towards each other.

How can this be? PAS ulamas can be friendly with other people but with Umno leaders, they became arrogant and conceited. Although Umno leaders had shown open mindedness in dealing with the flip flopping of PAS leaders, the ulamas treated this open mindedness with disdain.

This is what I meant in the paragraph of the previous article – the reluctance to see eye to eye resulted in the inability to achieve anything greater or better. I wrote:

Perpecahan yang melanda bangsa teramai di Malaysia inilah yang menyebabkan tiada tapak untuk menganjakkan cara pemikiran mereka ke tahap yang lebih baik. Tiada tapak untuk memulakan anjakan bermaksud, segala usaha yang dilakukan untuk memperkasakan bangsa telah digagalkan oleh sifat hasad dengki, tamak, gila kuasa, fitnah-memfitnah, kafir-mengkafir dan lain lain lagi…

Because Malays indulged themselves into too much politicking which often than not, constricted their ability to be farsighted. Their lust for power and constant bickering over the smallest of issues led them to be divided. And once you are divided, any effort to work for betterment will not be successful…

Any effort to strengthen the Malays say, to make English a compulsory pass subject will be opposed by the Malays (PAS) themselves just for the sake of opposing!

I am all for the PAS leaders and Umno leaders to discuss any issues to uplift the current mediocre state of the Malays. But I am against any government which consist only PAS and Umno. On that note, all this political one-upmanship of of political debate, unity government and political mud-slinging need to stop or else, nothing will change.

We know that being stagnant in a rapidly changing world is to become regressive.

When Nik Aziz said:

“Hendak sebut apa lagi kerana Umno benar-benar memisahkan agama dan politik. Umno buat kerja tidak serupa dengan kehendak Nabi Muhammad s.a.w.”

Does he realise that if Umno allegedly separates religion and politics, he is more guilty of mixing politics with religion!

His own political expediency is more important than gaining the chance to bring Muslim Malays closer through mutual causes? What kind of ulama is this?

I guess in his books, the Prophet S.A.W did not teach all Muslims to stand united. I am really disappointed with Nik Aziz. Words cannot describe how I feel.

Why can’t the malay politicians from PAS just cut all these timewasting rhetorics and meet with Umno soon? What stopping them?

The DAP?

PAS needs to realise  that all this while,  their election machinery and their members are being used by its political partners to the greatest effect. PAS has nearly a million members as opposed to the DAP who allegedly has about 50,000 members. A million doing the work for 50,000? A million being cajoled into submission by a mere 50,000? PAS has been relegated to become an army of gurkhas without any say in the strategic planning of Pakatan Rakyat.

Yet, arrogantly PAS thinks it talks from a position of strength. With around 25 seats in Parliament, they will lose more in the next general election should they persist in remaining aloof towards any discussion in the Malay progress.

With this, should Pemuda PAS feel anxious and nervous about any efforts that call for the abolishment of Malay special position or the NEP, they should read Utusan Malaysia’s article  entitled Bangkitlah Melayu.

Last time I checked, PAS’ partner, Mr. Lim Kit Siang lambasted that article because he felt that Malays should not make any calls to strengthen themselves. When everyday since a few years ago, the Malays were subjected to ridicule in the blogoshere, where insulting calls to abolish the Monarchy, Article 153, ridiculing Islam, calling Malays as baboons etc. could be read on daily basis, it was not surprising that the blinkered and chauvinistic Lim Kit Siang failed to mirror himself when he labeled that article as racist.

Nevermind that the article actually called on the Malays to halt the political divisiveness and remain united.

In the end, with the Prime Minister giving out more and more policies that favour the non-bumis, the Malay solidarity will become even more important in the challenging times ahead.

And what are PAS and UMNO leaders doing now? Fighting over who is more pious? Arguing over who is more politically relevant? Fighting over who will be in heaven in after life and who will be in hell?

In my eyes, both are prime candidates for eternal damnation should they fail to crawl out of this pathetic political standoff and do something constructive about it.

(to be continued)