Mysterious death of Teoh Hock Beng - Chua Jui Meng's view

Malaysiakini - What compelled me to ditch BN?

Above was a speech by Chua Jui Meng explaining his decision to resign from the MCA to join PKR. Apart from the fact that he was marginalised by MCA President Ong TK in one of those periodic MCA power struggles, extracts of his speech may explain why Teoh Hock Beng had perished during a session of interrogation* with MACC.

* Much as MACC would like us to believe the unbelievable, that the late Teoh was released at 3:45 am (on the day after he was hauled in by the so-called anti-corruption agency) but continued inexplicably to loiter around the MACC building and even took a nap in the HQ’s pantry, I believe Teoh had remained under MACC custody right until the time he was killed in a fall from the 14th floor of MACC HQ - see my previous post Mysterious death of Teoh Beng Hock - Lil' Napoleons factor

I have underlined parts of Chua Jui Meng’s speech (extracts only) for your attention:

Today we see this nascent two-party system under threat, the unrelenting harassment by the Umno-led government to divide and destroy the two-party system, the hard-earned gains of last year's general election.

We see the abuse of power in the use of the federal institutions to harass, persecute and prosecute the leaders of the opposition, institutions that were supposed to protect the rights of the citizens of Malaysia.

The tragic death of 30-year-old Teo Beng Hock is the consequence of one such institution going overboard in its action. The seizure of power in Perak, the wooing of PAS by Umno to form a unity government based on race and religion, the farcical persecution and prosecution of Anwar Ibrahim once again for sodomy despite the reports of two hospitals - one from Hospital Kuala Lumpur - to the contrary, all these are indicative of a pattern of attempts to topple this precious two-party system.

It seeks to remove the people's new-found choice to choose between two political fronts. If this conspiracy succeeds Umno will continue to be the dominant political party going back to its old ways unfettered.

There’s some truth in what Chua said, but it’s more than just the two party system that UMNO fears.

UMNO knows the BN has been on a downhill slide since 08 March 2008 and as a party itself, it’ll more likely be kaput in 2013, relegated to a minority in the opposition, unless it does ‘something’.

For UMNO its current political objective has become one of pure survival.

Instead of reforming - and we know it can’t because it’s like a hungry monster that will feed voraciously on itself if unfed from its 50-year old gravy train, becoming a neglected red-eye toyol that eats its own master - it sees and propounds ‘Malay unity’ as its optimum strategy to remain in power in 2013.

UMNO has realised it can’t depend on the MCA to deliver the Chinese votes (and Gerakan was dead in the water), but of course not admitting it has been the actual cause of MCA’s political castration.

So it has decided its survival depends not only on Sabah, Najib’s ‘safe deposit box’, but the heartland.

And if anyone stands in its way to reclaiming/consolidating its hold on the heartland, like members of PAS and the Malay component of PKR, then these people have to be convinced to return to ‘the fold’, and where necessary, ‘seduced’ as required.

In this ethno-religious-centric strategy, UMNO has succeeded extremely well.

Take Bukit Gantang - despite the popularity and clean record of Mohamad Nizar, the federal by-election in Bukit Gantang saw a swing of the heartland back to UMNO. UMNO garnered 54% of the heartland’s votes.

And the increased swing of Chinese voters to PAS confirmed UMNO’s assessment of MCA’s impuissance.

The openly expressed proclivity of PAS’ Terengganu camp (ulama faction), even unto unprecedented open defiance of its spiritual leader, and the Manek Urai by-election outcome, would have convinced UMNO that its strategy to exploit the clarion call of ‘Malay unity’ has been right all along.

And ‘Malay unity’, like all nationalistic fervour, is best advertised by a wee thrashing of a ‘common enemy’ … which may perhaps explain why Rais Yatim had mulled openly (deliberately?) about resurrecting the long-dead case of Chinese rapper Namawee for prosecution.

Rais Yatim has also overruled the Health Minister in insisting on the term ‘swine fever’ instead of A(H1N1). Hey, ‘swine’ is miles ahead of A(H1N1) as a reminder of the unclean ‘enemy’.

But we need more please.

Well, in the old days, the CT (Communist terrorists) or more precisely the mainly Chinese communists, served that role. There was a CT behind every Malaysian bush when UMNO needed one.

Coincidentally today, Chin Peng in his 80+ years continues to be of some use to the cause of UMNO. No doubt UMNO would have whispered a quiet thanks to him. Karm-siah, Ah Pek!

But really, we need an enemy more substantial than one 80-year old man, a young university rapper or a virus.

The DAP and PKR Chinese ADUNs and MPs would do just fine.

And what did Chua Jui Meng said?

… the wooing of PAS by Umno to form a unity government based on race and religion …

… We see the abuse of power in the use of the federal institutions to harass, persecute and prosecute the leaders of the opposition* …

* Apart from the persecution of Anwar Ibrahim (well, because he is Anwar Ibrahim), police had deliberately disrupted a recent DAP dinner, while only Pakatan Chinese (only Chinese) members of Selangor DUN have been aggressively targeted for investigation of so-called financial impropriety by a suddenly awoken MACC.

Prior to this, the MACC had been in antipodal stupor, ignoring the disgustingly blatant frenzied spending of RM500,000 by each BN ADUN in a mere 2 months.

The MACC were also like the three wise monkeys in the matters of questionable spending by a BN leader on a Disney foray and his opulent Bali palace. Even Dr Mahathir was moved to comment adversely on the financial outlay for the Bali palace.

Now you see why the final extract of Chua Jui Meng’s speech stated: The tragic death of 30-year-old Teo Beng Hock is the consequence of one such institution going overboard in its action.

Demi bangsa, agama dan negara!