By P. Ramakrishnan
The truth is you created the monster in the DAP and you suddenly expect the members to embrace the devil!
It is befuddling to read Umno supreme council member, Ahmad Maslan’s statement that BN will explain to the voters of Pulai parliamentary and Simpang Jeram state seats its reason for joining the unity government – it reeks with hypocrisy!
Wasn’t this explained way back in November 2022 when Umno decided to throw its support to form the unity government? There must have been some compelling reasons to throw in its lot with Anwar and be part of the unity government.
Without Umno coming on board, the unity government would not have come into existence. Realizing this, Umno extracted the maximum benefit for supporting Anwar and succeeded beyond its wildest dreams!
Umno has been with the unity government for almost nine months with the Umno president as the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia and its various leaders holding Cabinet positions. They were also in the position to reward others as heads of GLCs.
All this while, it seems, there was no need to explain its decision to be part of the unity government which included the DAP party. There was no reason to justify itself for working with the DAP in the unity government then. No one raised the Umno general assembly decision, “No Anwar, no DAP.” When the going was good, it was all right to work with DAP!
One immediate benefit in joining the unity government was the fact that Umno did not disappear into thin air after their disastrous performance in the 15th general election (GE 15).
With their partners in BN, they managed to secure only 30 seats in Parliament. From a monolithic party, it was reduced to an insignificant entity in the national politics. And yet, it got the lion’s share in benefits in spite of its weak standing!
To remain significant and relevant, it seized the opportunity to be part of the unity government. Its claim that it did so in deference to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s decree for a unity government can only be taken with a pinch of salt!
In spite of the royal decree, didn’t Bersatu and Pas, the coalition in Perikatan Nasional, refuse to be bound by it without any consequences?
Ahmad Maslan’s claim “that DAP had agreed to accept four matters in the federal constitution before BN decided to be part of the unity government after (GE15)” is absurd, and ridiculous!
According to him, “DAP has acknowledged the status of Islam; position of Malay rulers; position of Bahasa Melayu and the special rights of the Malays (under the constitution).”
This frivolous claim implies that the DAP previously did not accept the status of Islam, the position of Malay rulers and the position of Bahasa Melayu and the special rights of the Malays under the constitution.
Maslan is not only being unfair to the DAP, he is also not speaking the truth. It is nonsense to make such a claim!
Hasn’t that been the position of DAP all along? Tell us when the DAP rejected all these that are mentioned in the constitution. Please do so, so that we can also join you and condemn the DAP for this alleged stupid stand!
On 4 Dec 2016, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad made a surprise appearance at the DAP National Conference uninvited to the surprise of all those present
Speaking to reporters later, the former Umno president said there was a stark difference between the DAP national conference and that of MCA’s.
He explained that unlike MCA whose party anthem was in Chinese, DAP’s was in the national language. “This shows that DAP is more nationalistic than MCA. DAP is not a Chinese party, but is a multiracial one.”
He also noted the diversity of DAP’s line-up, saying that even the non-Chinese are holding top posts. This coming from the DAP’s former nemesis speaks volumes for the DAP’s position in the national polity. It nails the lie of Maslan once and for all!
Maslan, in trying to explain Umno’s disastrous outing in the six state elections, claimed, “voters’ lack of understanding of these matters” had contributed to BN’s defeat in the three states – Kedah, Kelantan and Trengganu – where it was mauled.
Maslan, it has nothing to do with “lack of understanding” that contributed to Umno’s defeat. You caused your own defeat by the way the DAP was portrayed for more than half a century!
The truth is you created the monster in the DAP and you suddenly expect the members to embrace the devil! How on earth is that possible?
FIrst published at this link on 21 August 2023
(The views expressed are those of the contributor and do not necessarily reflect the views of Rebuilding Malaysia.)
P Ramakrishnan is the long-serving former president of Aliran who served for three and a half decades on its executive committee and has been with Aliran since its inception in 1977.
Now an ordinary Aliran member, he continues to highlight issues of public interest to a larger audience.
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