Democracy dying in Umno
Oleh Ibnu Hakeem
Five UMNO members have filed a complaint with the UMNO disciplinary committee on 29th September 2006 that money was used during the Kubang Pasu Divisional meeting held on 9th September 2006 to ensure former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was not elected as a delegate to the Umno general assembly. It remains to be seen if the Umno disciplinary committee will thoroughly investigate the complaints by the Kubang Pasu Umno members.
But can the disciplinary committee do a good job? Well, for starters, ex Menteri Besar of Kedah, Osman Aroff, is a member of the panel. But Osman Aroff is also one of the culprits who were campaigning against Tun Dr Mahathir in Kubang Pasu. So exactly how much justice can we expect from the disciplinary committee?
When the complaint was first lodged on 29th September 2006, the five complainants were told that their complaint could not even be accepted. Only after much argument was it reluctantly accepted by one Brig General (Rtd) Husainay Hashim. Disciplinary matters are usually resolved in two weeks -- meaning a decision is due on Friday 13th of October 2006. According to the Hollywood movies, Friday the 13th is an unlucky day. Since party president Abdullah Badawi is a firm believer in superstition and fortune-telling, and perhaps Hollywood, he will most likely ask the committee to postpone its decision to another date.
The fact is democracy is dying in UMNO. For the first time the party has made known a new official policy that members who criticize the party leader can be terminated. This official policy was confirmed by Radzi Sheikh Ahmad, UMNO Secretary General, after Zaharin Yassin who runs the blogsite Sang Kelembai -- a vocal critic of the party president -- had his party membership terminated. When asked if Zaharin’s sacking was a warning to other bloggers who are Umno members, Radzi said, “It sends a clear message.”
This is the new culture in UMNO. The leadership is assuming the role of extreme ‘control freaks’. No criticism of the party leader shall be tolerated. Anyone who criticises the party leader suffers the risk of having his party membership terminated. However, this privilege does not extend to other lesser party leaders. Hence, Selangor Menteri Besar Mohd Khir Toyo is frequently assailed in the Press. Khir Toyo is perhaps seen as a potential threat to the party leader’s family members.
The cause of this whole problem is the party president and Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi who is just bungling and snoozing his way through his job. And things are already falling apart. The stock market is following the example of the Prime Minister and snoozing along too. The GLCs or Government Linked Companies are now seeking more protection behind the Official Secrets Act or OSA because many of them like Khazanah Nasional Bhd and their subsidiaries do not want to divulge how much money they are losing -- usually in disastrous investments overseas.
Even the disastrously failing readership of the New Straits Times bears testimony to this fact. As the Prime Minister’s cheerleader and chorus line, the NST is suffering a declining readership of only 494,000, not too far away from The Sun which has improved its circulation to 342,000. According to recent market surveys, The Star on the other hand, enjoys a circulation of almost 1.5 million, a million more than the NST. In sharp contrast, Malaysia Today enjoys hits of over 1.5 million a day. This means that even this column, The Straight Times, has a larger readership than Kalimullah’s or Brendan Pereira’s ‘cium buntut’ writings in the New Straits Times.
Accurately reflecting his popularity, the decline in the NST’s readership has worsened after Abdullah assumed the premiership. The bungling snooze-ball just does not make good copy. But when a leader is incompetent yet insists on staying in power, something has to yield. That something is freedom and democracy. Hence we will see more restrictions on freedom in UMNO and perhaps on the rest of the country as well. And other than in UMNO, there will also be manipulation of the various instruments of power in Government.
Mathias Chang has correctly objected against the Public Accounts Committee making any ruling over the sale of Government owned Avenue Capital to Kalimullah Hassan’s ECM Libra. Mathias’ fear is that if the PAC finds in favour of Kalimullah it may affect his legal suit against Kalimullah that is pending in the courts. And if the PAC discovers wrongdoing, will Kalimullah be pulled up? This is yet to be seen too.
In the present scenario, Joe Si Tanggang or Johari Baharom, the Ketua Bahagian of Kubang Pasu, seems set to walk scot-free even if wrongdoing is proven in Kubang Pasu. So even if the Public Accounts Committee admits to wrongdoing in the Avenue Capital caper, it remains to be seen if any lawbreakers will be brought to book.
But what happens when the party president has to step down? What happens to people like Joe Si Tanggang and Kalimullah? One is reminded of disposable tissue. Folks like Kalimullah and Brendan Pereira will need quick exit plans -- their future may not be very bright inside Malaysia. Brendan can look across the Causeway. But where can Kalimullah go to? The weather in London is just too nasty. And ‘balik kampong’ to Maslampatti in Azamgard in India is also not a great option.
What goes around must come around.
Five UMNO members have filed a complaint with the UMNO disciplinary committee on 29th September 2006 that money was used during the Kubang Pasu Divisional meeting held on 9th September 2006 to ensure former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was not elected as a delegate to the Umno general assembly. It remains to be seen if the Umno disciplinary committee will thoroughly investigate the complaints by the Kubang Pasu Umno members.
But can the disciplinary committee do a good job? Well, for starters, ex Menteri Besar of Kedah, Osman Aroff, is a member of the panel. But Osman Aroff is also one of the culprits who were campaigning against Tun Dr Mahathir in Kubang Pasu. So exactly how much justice can we expect from the disciplinary committee?
When the complaint was first lodged on 29th September 2006, the five complainants were told that their complaint could not even be accepted. Only after much argument was it reluctantly accepted by one Brig General (Rtd) Husainay Hashim. Disciplinary matters are usually resolved in two weeks -- meaning a decision is due on Friday 13th of October 2006. According to the Hollywood movies, Friday the 13th is an unlucky day. Since party president Abdullah Badawi is a firm believer in superstition and fortune-telling, and perhaps Hollywood, he will most likely ask the committee to postpone its decision to another date.
The fact is democracy is dying in UMNO. For the first time the party has made known a new official policy that members who criticize the party leader can be terminated. This official policy was confirmed by Radzi Sheikh Ahmad, UMNO Secretary General, after Zaharin Yassin who runs the blogsite Sang Kelembai -- a vocal critic of the party president -- had his party membership terminated. When asked if Zaharin’s sacking was a warning to other bloggers who are Umno members, Radzi said, “It sends a clear message.”
This is the new culture in UMNO. The leadership is assuming the role of extreme ‘control freaks’. No criticism of the party leader shall be tolerated. Anyone who criticises the party leader suffers the risk of having his party membership terminated. However, this privilege does not extend to other lesser party leaders. Hence, Selangor Menteri Besar Mohd Khir Toyo is frequently assailed in the Press. Khir Toyo is perhaps seen as a potential threat to the party leader’s family members.
The cause of this whole problem is the party president and Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi who is just bungling and snoozing his way through his job. And things are already falling apart. The stock market is following the example of the Prime Minister and snoozing along too. The GLCs or Government Linked Companies are now seeking more protection behind the Official Secrets Act or OSA because many of them like Khazanah Nasional Bhd and their subsidiaries do not want to divulge how much money they are losing -- usually in disastrous investments overseas.
Even the disastrously failing readership of the New Straits Times bears testimony to this fact. As the Prime Minister’s cheerleader and chorus line, the NST is suffering a declining readership of only 494,000, not too far away from The Sun which has improved its circulation to 342,000. According to recent market surveys, The Star on the other hand, enjoys a circulation of almost 1.5 million, a million more than the NST. In sharp contrast, Malaysia Today enjoys hits of over 1.5 million a day. This means that even this column, The Straight Times, has a larger readership than Kalimullah’s or Brendan Pereira’s ‘cium buntut’ writings in the New Straits Times.
Accurately reflecting his popularity, the decline in the NST’s readership has worsened after Abdullah assumed the premiership. The bungling snooze-ball just does not make good copy. But when a leader is incompetent yet insists on staying in power, something has to yield. That something is freedom and democracy. Hence we will see more restrictions on freedom in UMNO and perhaps on the rest of the country as well. And other than in UMNO, there will also be manipulation of the various instruments of power in Government.
Mathias Chang has correctly objected against the Public Accounts Committee making any ruling over the sale of Government owned Avenue Capital to Kalimullah Hassan’s ECM Libra. Mathias’ fear is that if the PAC finds in favour of Kalimullah it may affect his legal suit against Kalimullah that is pending in the courts. And if the PAC discovers wrongdoing, will Kalimullah be pulled up? This is yet to be seen too.
In the present scenario, Joe Si Tanggang or Johari Baharom, the Ketua Bahagian of Kubang Pasu, seems set to walk scot-free even if wrongdoing is proven in Kubang Pasu. So even if the Public Accounts Committee admits to wrongdoing in the Avenue Capital caper, it remains to be seen if any lawbreakers will be brought to book.
But what happens when the party president has to step down? What happens to people like Joe Si Tanggang and Kalimullah? One is reminded of disposable tissue. Folks like Kalimullah and Brendan Pereira will need quick exit plans -- their future may not be very bright inside Malaysia. Brendan can look across the Causeway. But where can Kalimullah go to? The weather in London is just too nasty. And ‘balik kampong’ to Maslampatti in Azamgard in India is also not a great option.
What goes around must come around.
posted 5:45 PM
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