Murale Pillai
Published: Sep 14, 2024 12:09 PM
COMMENT | Let’s not underestimate this man. He has certainly done his political homework. He knows the current grassroots politics of Umno better than most.
He has studied the past leadership battles of Umno and he knows how a once-rebel like Dr Mahathir Mohamad became the undisputed leader of the party and the country.
He knows that, for 22 years, Mahathir made the politics of grievance his own undisputed turf by claiming his people were the victims of history, colonialism and the “other”.
His tactics worked. The grassroots were energised. They believed he, and not the NEP, was the long-awaited “economic redeemer”.
Strange things happen when medical doctors use grievances to further their political ambitions. They claim only they know how to treat these “grievances”, including very old ones.
Published: Sep 14, 2024 12:09 PM
COMMENT | Let’s not underestimate this man. He has certainly done his political homework. He knows the current grassroots politics of Umno better than most.
He has studied the past leadership battles of Umno and he knows how a once-rebel like Dr Mahathir Mohamad became the undisputed leader of the party and the country.
He knows that, for 22 years, Mahathir made the politics of grievance his own undisputed turf by claiming his people were the victims of history, colonialism and the “other”.
His tactics worked. The grassroots were energised. They believed he, and not the NEP, was the long-awaited “economic redeemer”.
Strange things happen when medical doctors use grievances to further their political ambitions. They claim only they know how to treat these “grievances”, including very old ones.
And if the people swallow their prescription whole, the promised land of senang and comfort will surely be theirs. Susah?
An uncanny resemblance
Here is another example. Papa Doc Duvalier had served in the very poor areas of Haiti during a raging typhoid epidemic in the 1930s.
A dedicated doctor, he worked hard. He was clever and articulate compared to the rest of his people who were mostly ignorant, illiterate and unexposed.
He entered politics seeing himself as the saviour of the black man. But there was no denying that hatred of the “other”, the USA, was an integral part of his worldview and politics.
He moved up the political ranks of his party. Before long, he saw the party leadership as an obstacle to his ambitions.
There is a fallout in the party, but after a few political plot twists and turns, he won the popular vote. There was much rejoicing in the streets of Port-au-Prince. The promised land was nigh! The white expatriates, mostly Americans, left the country.
But now, there is no “other” to vent his hatred.
And what’s the use of a doctor when there is no disease? Papa Doc creates a new “other”! The political opposition, the army and people of mixed colour - excluding his handsome mulatto wife - now face his vengeful cunning.
Murder and mayhem ensues but the president and his wife continue to attend church.
Look up YouTube for old interviews of the prickly Papa Doc and you will be in for a surprise!
Well-dressed and dapper, his small stature and his political views bear an uncanny resemblance to our Doctor in the House. Both men deflect difficult questions by turning them back on the interviewer.
To be fair, unlike our doctor, who only ruined the hopes and dreams of future generations, the vain and opinionated Papa Doc ran his country to the ground.
Towards the end of his reign, there was nothing left to share or take. Millions became refugees. The mayhem continues to this day.
He simply couldn’t grasp how wealth was created by ideas, entrepreneurship and hardwork.
Selectively well-read, he had made the fatal mistake of reading books that confirmed his own pet hates and biases.
Rings a bell? Nevermind. Long story short, Papa Doc took what little that remained in Haiti for himself.
Inspirations
Then, watching Anwar’s struggles for Reformasi, the young Muhamad Akmal Saleh saw for himself that this movement included all Malaysians.
The Malays were not ready for the politics of activism and justice for all. Only race and religious activism could fire them up. Forget Anwar. Meanwhile, he became a doctor!
He watched as Abdullah Ahmad Badawi fumbled his way through office trying to be all things to all people.
Former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, circa 2015
But his politics of decency cut no ice with the Malays. The prime minister of this country must be the leader of the Malays first before he can be the leader of all Malaysians. And Umno politics was not for gentlemen.
The stage was now all set for the politics of drama and showtime. A keris is drawn, threatening to drench it with the blood of the “other”. And there was enough money in the national kitty for handouts galore and fat contracts for planes, submarines, ships, social schemes, shopping, and 1MDB!
Then the unbelievable happens. The house of cards that was Umno collapses upon itself and Najib Abdul Razak. Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves are ruined. The scramble for wealth begins.
And yet again, the Doctor with the prescription steps in by convincing us that he is no Papa Doc, although his sons are all billionaires.
That was just Act 1 of the national drama. In Act 2, there is another fallout which was not in the script! The producer turns white, the director turns purple.
Muhyiddin Yassin, one of the stagehands, turned off the lights and switched off the cameras. After an hour of smoke and mirrors, he is our new prime minister!
But his politics of decency cut no ice with the Malays. The prime minister of this country must be the leader of the Malays first before he can be the leader of all Malaysians. And Umno politics was not for gentlemen.
The stage was now all set for the politics of drama and showtime. A keris is drawn, threatening to drench it with the blood of the “other”. And there was enough money in the national kitty for handouts galore and fat contracts for planes, submarines, ships, social schemes, shopping, and 1MDB!
Then the unbelievable happens. The house of cards that was Umno collapses upon itself and Najib Abdul Razak. Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves are ruined. The scramble for wealth begins.
And yet again, the Doctor with the prescription steps in by convincing us that he is no Papa Doc, although his sons are all billionaires.
That was just Act 1 of the national drama. In Act 2, there is another fallout which was not in the script! The producer turns white, the director turns purple.
Muhyiddin Yassin, one of the stagehands, turned off the lights and switched off the cameras. After an hour of smoke and mirrors, he is our new prime minister!
To the utter dismay of Akmal, the new PM was from a Malay-based party that was not Umno. The field was simply overcrowded with Pakatan Harapan, Bersatu, PAS, and Umno all jostling for power.
Bersatu did not have the decency to hide their appetite for ill-gotten gains. What was to be done?
He watched in gloom at Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor’s attempts at the politics of buffoonery. It won’t work here, concluded Akmal unless one was an Idi Amin and this country a Uganda or Zimbabwe.
Opportunity!
Then, out of the blue, he was informed that a few pairs of socks in a supermarket bore the name of the Almighty. How fortuitous!
Enter the politics of outrage! And outrage is better than grievance. And religious outrage is infinitely better than moral outrage. Here was a way for Umno to recapture her glory days!
Even PAS was now within their sights. And DAP, holding office but not power, was their target for such religious outrage!
In a country prone to political bungling Akmal doesn’t have to wait long. Halal certification for non-Malay eateries is mooted rather casually. The elected Teresa Kok speaks up.
Akmal pounces with glee, professing outrage. Calling her names, he plays the Umno hero to the hilt. The hero cannot die!
This is outrage culture at its best and is designed to block constructive conversations and rational political debate. It devalues the importance of sharing ideas and tolerating different views and opinions.
All said, multiculturalism cannot survive in such a harsh and unforgiving environment.
And yes the anger that comes out of outrage is an energising experience. It is easily shared and amplified. Amplified outrage becomes fear. Fear begets wrath. Wrath leads to madness and ruin. Our poor Malaysia!
MURALE PILLAI is a former GLC employee. He runs a logistics company.
These are the so called ketuanan morons who will surely doom
ReplyDeleteMalaysia . It is a dead cert