pre-script: FYI, apparently another ceramah at Bukit Selambau tonight was broken up because of FRU harassment.
It’s almost embarrassing to say I’m shocked. You’d think we’d be used to it by now. But maybe it’s a good thing that we still cannot abide by these discrepancies between word and deed; let us never come to tolerate it.
Excerpts from and comments on Najib’s kononnya nak jadi Obama speech (here and here) tonight.
Incoming prime minister and Umno president Najib Abdul Razak said the new media cannot be regarded as an adversary.
“We were lulled by the massive mandate given to us to the extent that we made no preparations for battle within the cybersphere. In the end, we were rudely awakened in 2008 when we suddenly realised the folly of not understanding the power of the new media,” he added.
Like it or not, Najib said: “We cannot regard the new media as our enemy.”
Fact: Barely hours prior, Umno banned almost all online media from covering their assembly. Suara Keadilan and Harakah also suspended. Sounds like enemy-making behaviour to me.
“Umno, or for that matter any party or organisation will be destroyed if its leaders are enshrouded in the evils of money politics. Leaders of good standing who do not indulge in corruption will be sidelined in favour of those who bribe. The party will be led by those who will bring their culture of corruption in the way they lead,” he added.
Question: Why was Najib-linked Razak Baginda’s company Perimekar paid RM 500 million during the purchase of submarines? Is it reasonable to believe that Perimekar provided services worth that much? Is it reasonable to believe that Najib did not benefit one bit from said payment?
I suspect Najib has made more money corruptly possibly than any person living in Malaysia.
“We must ensure that we as a party cease and desist from the deplorable acts of eliminating and blocking talented members from making progress in the party. Such despicable behaviour only serves to alienate those who sincerely wish to contribute to the struggle.”
Fact: Ali Rustam, Norza.
“Umno holds sacred the position of the Federal Constitution as the supreme law of the land. The Malay rulers and the monarchy are an essential part of the constitution. Even though in our system the monarch reigns but does not rule, the state governments and the federal government rule in the name of the Malay rulers as the head above the executive arm of government.
“Therefore if the Malays themselves fail to show the utmost respect to the Malay rulers who have all this time served as the symbol of unity and stability, then who else will?
“Therefore let no one twist the facts of history in recounting Umno’s actions to amend the law with regard to the rulers. It was never done in bad faith, but rather with the noble intention of preserving the royal institution and upholding the doctrine of the separation of powers which is the basis of any democratic government,” he added.
Fact: Mahathir did more damage to the royalty than any man living. Umno has consistently shown absolutely no hesitation in trampling and besmirching the royalty anytime they do not behave the way Umno wants them to - take for instance the constitutional crisis of the late 80’s and the Menteri Besar dilemma of Terengganu.
“Now, we see that the Malays seem lost and weakened. Because of that, there are those who dare question what has previously been agreed to and entrenched in the Federal Constitution. There are even those who have the audacity to accuse us of apartheid, when history will show this is far from the truth.
“Let it be known, that the policies introduced by the government in aid of the Malays are not formulated because we feel that the Malays are better than everyone else. Rather, we create these policies precisely because the Malays are left behind compared to others.
If we feel that Malays have been left behind in Malaysia, I charge that Umno has been more responsible for this than anyone, far and away. An entire generation poisoned by feudalistic patronage politics, where every effort is made to keep the poor in their place so as to continuously ease oppression and exploitation, has robbed both Malays and Malaysians from the opportunity to realise their true potential.
I think Najib has a real hard on to be just like Mahathir. He seems to have adopted not only his racism and penchant for heavy handedness, he is certainly taking to heart TDM’s noteworthy ability to completely - in a manner that flies spectacularly in the face of readily available facts - divorce word from deed, and rhetoric from reality.
We remain hopeful for upsets over the coming weeks, and prepare ourselves to persevere for what may lay beyond.
No comments:
Post a Comment