Sunday, April 22, 2012

Is Gerakan an UMNO branch?


Prior to the 2008 general election I was cruel in my criticisms of Koh Tsu Koon, calling him by a name I swore not to use against him again after he showed good manners, civility and courtesy to an (then) incoming Lim Guan Eng as the new CM. Ah Koon demonstrated himself as a perfect gentleman in the art of Westminster politics. He has indicated he won't be with us in the next GE.

However, I am not sad to see him go because as a BN man he is really not suited for Malaysian politics where you need to be as ruthless, vicious and cunning as … er … one of those BN leaders (present, past and former, wakakaka). Ah Koon is your typical nice and polite Penang boy but he lacks the necessary self-confidence, assertiveness and incisiveness to be a strong political leader.

But what I’m sad to see is the continuing demeaning and humiliation of the Gerakan Party by UMNO. I read in The Malaysian Insider’s Najib finally names Chang Yeow as Penang BN chief the following:

Koh, who recently renewed his term as a senator, had announced that he will not take part in coming general election after BN-linked media spoke about the need for changes in the multi-racial party. It is understood that the view in Putrajaya is that the mild-mannered Gerakan chief should step down as head of the BN component party before the general election if the coalition is to have any chance of wresting back Penang from PR.

I doubt it was the view in Putrajaya but rather an order, meaning from UMNO.

While it is the ultimately the right of the BN Chairperson to decide on and name the BN’s Penang chief, it is not the BN Chairperson’s business to 'suggest' (order lah) the Gerakan Party presidential incumbent should step down, even if the reason is to provide the BN a better prospect of winning the next state and general elections in Penang.

It must be the Gerakan Party itself, and not outsiders, which may decide whether its president should step down. In other words, that should have been a Gerakan Party's internal issue.

But the component parties in the BN have become so subservient to UMNO that it proves my point (which I had blogged on previously), they are merely non-Malay ‘branches’ of UMNO.

In a previous post on 11 Oct 2010 titled MCA - dare to say, dare to do?  I wrote:

I take this opportunity to also advise the MCA and indeed the Gerakan and MIC to bear in mind that the Barisan Nasional is a coalition and not UMNO with several non-Malay affiliates or branches. Therefore MCA (and Gerakan and MIC each) should stand up as a sovereign party that is a full partner in a coalition or alliance. Don't behave like a subordinate branch of UMNO.

What does this entail then?

While the BN as a party should of course, as far as possible speak out together on policy issues, the operative term should be ‘as far as possible’, meaning there may be times the MCA should be able, and indeed dare to speak out differently on an issue of interest to the community or constituency it represents.

When there is a general or state election pending, the seats should be allocated not just as per a coalition formula BUT through meaningful negotiations among the parties. In other words, there is no such thing as the BN chairperson (meaning UMNO) dispensing seats out like Father Christmas and MCA and Gerakan keeping mum.

Also and very importantly, the selection of candidates to seats assigned to MCA shall be only at the discretion of the MCA leadership and should never ever be subordinated to approval by the BN chairperson (eg. Hulu Selangor where the MIC president was humiliated as being no more than a mere UMNO branch leader).

It’s an insult that MCA candidates have to be approved by an UMNO man.

Take our current example being discussed – let’s hypothetically assume that Ah Koon is unaware of his weak leadership, becomes uncooperative at being told to step down and refuses to do so, then that’s entirely for the Gerakan Party to deal with it, for its party members to decide, if they believe Ah Koon should go. It is certainly not for UMNO and Najib to decide, where they should keep their bloody nose out.

Of course then it can be Najib’s prerogative as the BN Chairperson to select another person to be the Penang BN Chair, and it he/she is not from Gerakan, so be it.

The point is Gerakan is not an UMNO branch for Najib to decide who should be its party president, because for him to do so would be the ultimate insult to the Gerakan Party. It is even worse than the BN Chairperson, effective an UMNO man, approving the selection of component party candidates (say Gerakan Party candidates) to seats assigned as the share of that component party (Gerakan).

But Najib and his predecessors have been able to do that at will because those non-UMNO component parties have been willing captives, even to the gravest insult to their respective party sovereignty (or total lack of). Thus, they have only themselves to blame for their cringing serf-like mentality.

The one thing good about some Japanese is their sense of, and commitment to, honour and their willingness to demonstrate that commitment in its ultimate form, seppuku.


But I doubt such a thought would even enter the heads of those Gerakan leaders - unlike Dr Lim Chong Eu who left Perikatan (BN's predecessor) and even MCA because he refused to agree with Tunku's allocation of seats for MCA.


For a start those Gerakan leaders might not even recognize the insult to their Party's sovereignty and dignity, having been conditioned for the last 40 years to accept such abysmal servitude from TaiKoh.


And if they do recognize it, they will keep mum, swallow their pride and accept that insult as, I suppose, quid pro quo for their party's continuing (and lucrative) membership of BN. They have been perceived to be no longer with any sense of basic honour.

Cheen chnea kian seiow – bloody malulah!

Alas, as a member of a family which used to adore, and was ‘Satu Hati’ with Dr Lim Chong Eu’s Gerakan Party, I have to sigh and wince as those Gerakan members play lapdog to UMNO, yapping happily when they are handed some small scraps or receive a pat on the heads.

22 comments:

  1. You are not only cruel but seriously inaccurate with your facts.
    Gerakan Still IS one of the very best parties BN, with progressive Ideals, progressive Ideas and progressive leaders.

    Compare that to the rabble rousing mob of the DAP and PKR, especially the low-class gutter operator, Lim Guan Eng.

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  2. the mca after tan siew sin and mic when samy vellu took over also became branches of umno....so this is nothing new....

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  3. Is Gerakan an UMNO branch?

    No, Gerakan is just UMNO's whipping boy. And Penang Kia above is Gerakan's Saiful Bukhari.

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  4. Of course Gerakan is just another branch of UMNO. Just like MCA and MIC. Just like EC, the PDRM, the Judiciary, Petronas...

    The reality is : the mamaks rule this country. UMNO is MAMAK, and MAMAK is UMNO. With Religion and Royalty also totally under its grasp, its absolute power is complete.

    The mamaks (unlike the other 'nons') are willing to give up their culture and language and race in return for untold power and money.

    So for 54 years they rule with a free hand in this land...and will most likely to continue so, albeit there's a fly in the ointment when one of its own was kicked out, who then decided to raise hell by ganging up with the opposition parties whom he had all this while, before his fall from grace, castigated and tormented.

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  5. Penang Kia

    Let me tell you what we southerners think of Gerakan. Eng Wan Bo Lan, Eng Wan Bo Lam pah Chee. Admittedly we are Johnny-come-latelys compared to the Penangtites. when it cvomes to supporting the opposition. However, come the next GE we intend to kick out the the MCA from Johor which is just as Bo Lan and Bo Lam Pah Chee as the Gerakan.

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  6. Look how you spin, dear KT. All this while, you all were chastising Ah Koon as being meek. That if he is still Gerakan boss, Penang will forever be lost to DAP.
    Now that he is removed you said Gerakan is another branch of UMNO.
    Najib chose Chang Yeow to heed Gerakan's need to dislodge DAP from Penang.
    Give me, the genteel, wild-mannered Ah Koon anytime. He works hard too behind the scenes. But people dont like such people. They prefer street-fighters like LGE.
    Penangnites choose to forget that LGE is just running the government on the good groundwork of projects laid by Chong Eu and Gerakan and BN.
    Seriously I think Penangnites, like Kelantanese are parochial people to the point of being racists.
    If you are to contest in Penang, you will also win. If not how can a Batu Pahat transplanted to the state can win.
    All they want is a Chinese government. If MCA and Gerakan were to band together, all the better for them.
    It's got nothing to do with the greatness of DAP really. You put Sakmongkol to contest in Penang, am not sure he can win.
    If he wins and appointed as CM, there will be grouses. Chinese state what,how can Malay be CM, aiya.
    Penang and Ipoh Chinese are racists as compared to Chinese in other states.
    I have colleagues who think Penang is best, that KL is nothing. Act as though Penang is the capital of Malaysia.

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  7. Buttercup,
    Getting Sensitive aren't you ?

    I'm not much into politics, but I consider my vote carefully.
    KL, of course, has all the advantages of economic activity. A lot of Penangites moved to KL and beyond, often permanently, over the years in search of business and work opportunity.

    Penang, however, is still a more livable city than KL, and retains a lot of its old charm.

    March 2008 was very much a vote of disgust against BN.
    Koh had 18 years as Penang CM, and at the end he had abdicated most of the real running of Penang to UMNO proxies.
    No, Penangites have not forgotten the good work by Lim Chong Eu. But government is not only about the past, its about the present, and more importantly, about the future.

    And BN, especially Gerakan only offered an UMNO-corrupted future.
    Penangites can be very cruel during elections, bitter medicine is what they gave to BN-Gerakan.

    The "Batu Pahat Guy" has been surprisingly popular with Penangites, and he has picked up a lot support in his own right, beyond the March 2008 anti-BN revolt.
    If he doesn't perform, Penangites will happily kick him out. But that major report card is not due yet.

    The Malay community in Penang has been bombarded with a daily deluge of racial propaganda via Utusan Meloya, TV3, etc. and some of it inevitably rubs off. Those who are willing to see beyond the MSM Bull can perceive that the PR state government has been largely fair to every one.

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  8. Gerakan, as well as all the other BN parties, practice power sharing.

    Everyone has a place at the table. No community's needs are ignored.

    UMNO has the largest block of MPs. The Chinese and Indians mostly rejected their MCA/Gerakan/MIC candidates in 2008, leaving UMNO with the majority share.
    Isn't it totally unsurprising that UMNO's views are dominant ? It is a similar situation with the majority shareholder's votes on a Corporation's Board.

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  9. Penangites have a choice to make comparison of a pre and post 2008 era of whether it is a better governed State now or then.

    It is without doubt that Chong Eu contributed a lot into making Penang a wonderful place when he was CM but after being replaced, Penang stagnated while many other cities progressed and bypassed this State saved only by the industrial and manucfacturing industries pioneered by the late Tun.

    Many great and capable Penangites migrated overseas or gone down south to KL, JB and the little dot in search of better prospects and better earning power.

    Capable Penangites of Chinese origin after Independence do not look up highly to political office and thus do not seek political careers where only a handful aspired, joined and seek political positions.

    Penang and all other states in Malaysia are of great potentials and will definitely be great if well runned.

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  10. Is Gerakan a branch of UMNO? Is KTemoc a member of UMNO? (The second question is more believable than the first).

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  11. Ktemoc is a Malaysian Chinese living in Australia.
    He is a Gerakan member writing to confuse voters; hoping BN can win 13th GE.

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  12. I am Buttercup buddy.
    This blog is Anti-Anwar.
    I like it.

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  13. Ktemoc's comments section is full of devils pretending to be angels, and humans pretending to be devils...

    I'm out of here...

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  14. Fake Buttercup 12.44pm is an UMNO member. I'm not. Just a supporter and a would-be BN voter.

    Tanah Melayu

    We are firm buddies because we are anti-Anwar and we have a friend in KT.
    Seriously there are so many Anti-Anwar blogs and fans. Wonder what gives him the idea he will be the next PM.
    In my wide circle of friends, I have yet to meet Anwar sympathizers or supporters. All said Anwar deserved what he got. Infact many said, Anwar got away with so many things.
    The government is too nice with hm.

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  15. The Kingmakers of GE13 will be the newly minted voters such as the Filipino Suluks in Sabah, and the numerous Indons and Banglas in the Peninsular.

    The Chinese mostly don't support BN but the EC has successfully neutralised the Chinese vote.

    Keep your eyes open on Polling Day.
    You will likely see a lot of faces among the voters you never suspected would be Malaysians. And it would all be fully Halal.
    Complete with MyKad, valid Voter Registration and using Indelible ink.

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  16. I am going to be Tanah Melayu's best friend.
    It's our destiny and fate.

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  17. Buttercup and Tanah Melayu.
    If you two want to talk your private matters, do that with your private emails.
    We are not interested what you two like or do not like.

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  18. Keep your eyes open on Polling Day.

    SEXI..... r superhero

    pencen

    I've ever had before!

    If you have a very expressive, inquisitive and chatty

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  19. First thing first.
    Keep your eyes on 28th at Dataran Merdeka on BERSIH 3 rally.
    Tanah Medeka and me are not attending.
    We have better things to do.

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  20. Excerp:-

    ..MCA should be able, and indeed dare to speak out differently..

    -------------------------Aiya.. KT boy don't bet on it,
    with s377 of the Penal Code constantly hovering above the head of MCA's AV president, how Chua DVD going to speak out differently ?

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  21. This Buttercup is still in dreamland. Chong Eu was long gone. After him came LKY and Ah Koon. Now he is saying the good things implemented by Guan Eng currently were the results of Chong Yu's work. Umno's supporters never look at the good work carried out by LGE but support wholeheartedly corruptions committed by Umno, from people at the bottom to the top. People with this kind of mindset will only make the country go bankrupt one day.

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  22. Hi there, may I digress from this issue. I love reading your blogs but certain sections are very difficult because of your colored text, especially yellow. It's almost unreadable on the screens of iPads or iPods/iPhones. Would appreciate if could change the texts to Black. Thanks ya.

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