IT IS befuddling to read UMNO supreme council member Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan’s (main pic) statement that Barisan Nasional (BN) will explain to the voters of the Pulai parliamentary and Simpang Jeram state seats its reason for joining the “unity government” – it reeks of 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 for it to throw in its lot with Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and to be part of the unity government.
Without UMNO coming on board, the unity government would not have come into existence. Realising 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 its president as the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia and its various party leaders holding Cabinet positions. They were then in a position to reward others as heads of government-linked companies (GLCs).
All this while, it seems, there was no need to explain its decision to be part of the unity government which included DAP. There was no reason to justify itself for working with DAP in the unity government then. No one raised the UMNO general assembly’s “No Anwar, no DAP” decision then. When the going was good, it was all right to work with the DAP!
One immediate benefit in joining the unity government was that UMNO did not disappear into thin air after its disastrous performance in the 2022 general election.
Together with its partners in Barisan Nasional (BN), the coalition secured only 30 seats in Parliament. From a monolithic party, BN was reduced to an insignificant entity in national politics. And yet, it got a lion’s share of benefits despite its weak standing!
To remain significant and relevant, BN 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!
Despite the royal decree, didn’t Bersatu and PAS – part of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition – refuse to be bound by it without any consequences?
UMNO unfair to DAP
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 the 2022 general election) 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 DAP previously did not accept the status of Islam, the position of the Malay rulers, the position of the Malay language and the special position of the Malays under the Constitution.
Ahmad is not only being unfair to DAP but 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 DAP rejected all these matters mentioned in the Constitution. Please do so, so that we can also join you and condemn DAP for this alleged stupid stand!
On Dec 4, 2016, the then Bersatu chairman Tun 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 the MCA’s.
He explained that unlike the MCA whose party anthem was in Chinese, the 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 multi-racial one.”
He also noted the diversity of the DAP’s line-up, saying that even the non-Chinese were holding top posts. This coming from the DAP’s former nemesis speaks volumes about DAP’s position in the national polity. It nails Ahmad’s lie once and for all!
In trying to explain UMNO’s disastrous outing in the six state elections, Ahmad further claimed that “voters’ lack of understanding of these matters” had contributed to BN’s defeat in the three states – Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu – where it was mauled.
Ahmad must know that “lack of understanding” had nothing to do with UMNO’s defeat. Your party caused your own defeat by the way DAP was portrayed for over half a century!
The truth is your party created the monster in the DAP, and now you suddenly expect UMNO members to embrace the ‘devil’! How on earth is that possible? – Aug 22, 2203
P. Ramakrishnan is the former president of ALIRAN, a reform movement in Malaysia promoting justice, freedom and solidarity. He is now a veteran columnist and committee member of ALIRAN.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
