On Radio Light FM, the host said: “You must know the right words to wake up a man.” A second lady said excitedly, “What are the right words?” The first lady replied “Football! Dinner!” I believe this snippet gives an insight into recent events in Bagan Pinang with respect to voters, politicians and political parties.
Malaysians have been waking up over the past couple of years. The main wake-up words are: Keris, HINDRAF, Lingam, UMNO Elections, MCA Politics, Altantunya, Mongolian, Bala, Raja Petra, Ketuanan Melayu, Allah, Hindu Temples, Khir Toyo, Perak Constitutional Crisis, Caning, Anwar, Teoh Beng Hock, Cow’s Head, PKFZ. The awakening was most evident in March 2008 when BN lost their two-thirds majority.
However, BN continued in the old ways – BN leaders who were voted out in the elections were given senators’ positions; race was played up in by-elections; the Internal Security Act was used to detain an MP and a journalist – while nothing is being done about BN’s former MB of Selangor who instigated it; public officials continue to “create trouble” for non BN politicians – while ignoring BN politicians’ glaring public displays of “suspect” wealth; a judicial appointment was made amidst much public dissent. And then BN put up tainted candidates in by-elections: in Penang, one who was been disbarred for misappropriation of funds by his own professional association; in Negri Sembilan, one who was found guilty of money politics by his own party’s disciplinary committee and was thereby prevented from becoming a Vice President of UMNO.
So did the people of Bagan Pinang go deeper into sleep? After all, they voted so overwhelmingly for Isa Samad that BN’s majority in the constituency increased! Or are the people of Bagan Pinang so insular that they can only think of themselves and care nothing for the nation? It’s not as if they did not know of Isa’s involvement in money politics!
UMNO knowingly fielded Isa Samad, the tainted candidate. The voters knowingly voted for the tainted candidate. Why? I suspect the answer lies in personal and local interests. I suppose UMNO strategists reckoned Isa – with his certified reputation for using money to make friends – would have many ‘debts’ he could collect and turn into votes; also, he’s likely to be smarter next time and therefore less likely to get caught again. Most positively, he can point to the wealth he created during his previous stint as Menteri Besar and say “I’ve done it before, I can do it again.” [Except the money politics part.] Whether rich or poor, acquiring wealth is the goal of life.
I think the voters of Bagan Pinang did notice that UMNO had no one younger, no one cleaner to field – in the safe haven of Bagan Pinang with its massive store-room of postal votes. But the people of Bagan Pinang must have evaluated the opposition candidate as well. An unknown, from PAS: a party whose goal is an Islamic state, desires to cane young mothers, ban the sale of alcohol, etc. So, what did they actually choose?
What words awoke the voters? Perhaps ‘Islamic State?’ Prefer the devil to the deep blue sea!
What words awaken UMNO strategists? Perhaps ‘tainted’? UMNO has woken up. UMNO recognizes it lacks clean and competent leaders: even to win a safe seat it has to put up a tainted candidate – one whose nomination was opposed even by Tun Mahathir. UMNO sacrificed integrity in order to win this election. UMNO says new rules will be implemented to drive out money politics. But behaviour cannot be legislated and enforced by leaders who lack moral authority. By nominating Isa, they slaughtered integrity – and did so publicly and shamelessly.
While I value the integrity of many PAS politicians, I do not share the PAS view of women and of punishment. I believe women should be treated as equals, not inferiors; I believe there should be no caning, stoning or amputating. At least PAS says what it thinks. In the case of UMNO politicians, I can’t help thinking they are fence-sitters who view the end as more important than the means: the goal is to win, even if it means putting up tainted candidates.
What words should awaken us? Perhaps: abuse, corruption, envy, injustice, intolerance? We should challenge candidates to show us their record on and goals for justice, fairness and equality.
Are the women impressed? Or will the awakening words still be “Football! Dinner!”
October 19th, 2009 at 10:57 pm
‘except the money politics part’
what is there to convince you and me that it did not happen again at bagan pinang ? or did ?
one needs try going to the residents, especially the poor and not so rich folks there and speak with them
some have so done
as for pointing to the wealth he created in his previous stint, what wealth ? created for whom ?
so many parts of state are in sad disrepair…these did not appear suddenly but with gradual and sure deterioration
also bear in mind how many among the poor would respond with uprightness in the face of temptation, that they do not access the internet like you and me for info sharing and illumination etc
we continue to cry out for God to reign in his sovereign righteousness and bring his justice to rule in this nation