IN LIGHT of its Islamophobia animosity with PAS, one wonders if DAP has found a new Malay-Muslim ‘buddy’ in its long-time foe, UMNO.
Or this is merely a political mirage which mirrors the proverbial “the best of friends today can be the worst of enemies overnight while the worst of enemies today can be the best of friends tomorrow”.
“Ironic. UMNO leaders are outracing each other to sing praises of the DAP” was how veteran journalist and blogger Datuk A. Kadir Jasin summed up the scenario at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur where the 2022 UMNO general assembly was staged yesterday (Jan 12).
The party’s deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan who led the chorus of praises for DAP stated that there was no pretence between UMNO and DAP who for the first time in history are now co-existing together under the roof of a unity government.
“Our stance must be based on political reality, and it must be adapted to the current needs and dynamics,” he spoke at the opening of UMNO’s Women, Youth and Puteri congress on Wednesday (Jan 11) evening.
“We know where they stand, and they know where we stand. They’re not pretending to be friends, and we aren’t either. We’re aware who DAP, PKR and Amanah are, and we’re making decisions based on the best way to manage our differences.”
But the Rembau MP and Defence Minister was spot on in his evaluation that should UMNO choose to be with Perikatan Nasional (PN), “it would just be a third player who share the same demographic interests” with little benefit in store for the party in the long run.
Mohamad also struck the chord when he justified that the outcome of past few national polls had clearly shown that support among the Malay community towards UMNO had not risen despite its treatment of DAP – a clear-cut evidence that the party’s stance towards DAP has no bearing on Malay support.
“It (Malay support) depends on our ability to convince the Malays that UMNO offers a better option to fight for the interests of the nation. This includes leading a government free from corruption and abuse of power,” he envisages.
UMNO Youth chief Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki went a step further to equate the cooperation between UMNO and DAP within the ambit of the unity government as similar to the political dynamics of Prophet Muhammad.
He likened such ties that revealed by the Prophet through the “Hilf Al-Fudul” agreement with the Quraysh infidels in Mecca and the agreement with the Jews in Medina.
“We can’t remain old-fashioned by assuming that all our political strategies so far have been perfect while our enemy is more daring to explore new frontiers and even nod in the murky water for power,” he pointed out in his UMNO Youth movement address.
“There is a limit to being enemies. It’s obviously more beneficial to harness friendship. Therefore, UMNO Youth wants to remind all our allies in the government, if you want this administration to last for a long time, then always prioritise the interest of the masses.”
He added: “Let’s showcase our ability and success working together. Just don’t repeat the 22-month-old government’s blunder that ended up a total failure by alienating the support of the majority.” – Jan 13, 2023
