Sayap-Sayap UMNO

Saya ingin mengulas cadangan YTM Tengku Tan Sri Rithauddeen yang menyarankan sayap sayap dalam UMNO yakni Wanita, Pemuda dan Puteri termasuk Putera di mansuhkan. Saya menghormati YTM Tengku sebagai orang yang berpengalaman dan lama di dalam bidang ini. Namun saya juga terpanggil untuk mengulas mengenai cadanga beliau.

Pertamanya biar saya betulkan tanggapan salah dari ramai orang termasuk YTM Tengku sendiri. Putera adalah satu Biro di bawah Pemuda UMNO. Ianya bukanlah satu sayap tersendiri.

Penubuhan sayap-sayap UMNO telah dibuat dengan satu tujuan utama, yakni menyediakan platform khusus kepada golongan-golongan fokus dalam minat dan semangat mereka untuk membantu parti dan rakyat. Pergerakan Wanita, yang dulunya dikenali sebagai pergerakan kaum ibu, telah berjaya membantu berjuta masyarakat wanita melalui platform UMNO dan BN sejaka dari awal lagi. Begitu juga pergerakan Pemuda dalam membantu kaum belia serta puteri yang ditubuhkan baru-baru ini untuk membantu dan mendampingi kaum wanita muda dalam lingkungan 18 tahun hingga ke 35 tahun.

Pada masa yang sama, ramai daripada pemuda dan wanita muda ini mendapat pendedahan dan tunjukajar pentadbiran politik awal. Ini telah membawa kepada kematangan politik awal. Proses ini sebenarnya telah memberi kesan yang amat positif dari segi menyediakan lapisan kepimpinan muda yang matang dari segi pentadbiran dan pemikiran politik serta pentadbiran. Proses ini juga kita kenali sebagai satu proses peremajaan parti dan kerajaan.

Pada masa yang sama, penubuhan puteri dan biro putera telah memberi satu platform untuk golongan muda menjadi aktif didalam politik. Kita harus akui, pemimpin –pemimpin politik yang telah menjangkaui usia 50an, 40an atau 40 sekalipun, mungkin dan susah untuk memahami cara pemikiran dan budaya golongan mereka di antara 18 hingga 25 tahun. Aktiviti-aktiviti mereka, pendekatan, pemikiran, apa yang mereka suka dan tidak suka – ini semua amat berlainan dengan seorang yang telah berumur 40 tahun atau lebih. Jikalau anak-anak muda ini tidak didampingi serta diberikan ruang dan peluang melalui satu platform yang sah, mereka mungkin akan memesong kea rah aktiviti-aktiviti yang tidak sihat serta bermasalah seperti bohsia,mat rempit, jenayah dan sebagainya.

Kerana dua sebab inilah kenapa Puteri dan Biro Putera di bawah Pemuda UMNO di tubuhkan.

Alasan yang telah diberikan YTM Tengku bahawa pemansuhan sayap-sayap akan mengurangkan rasuah harus kita teliti dengan mendalam. Adakah kerana kewujudan sayap-sayap ini rasuah timbul? Atau adakah kerana beberapa individu yang kebetulan bertanding di dalam sayap-sayap ini yang mengamalkan rasuah yang menjadi masalah. Adakah dengan pemansuhan sayap-sayap ini secara langsung dan berkesan menghapuskan rasuah?

Jawapannya adalah kewujudan sayap-sayap tidak membawa kepada rasuah. Ini adalah masalah individu dan pemansuhan sayap-sayap tidak akan menghapuskan rasuah.

Jikalau individu-induvidu berasuah ini ini tidak dikenali sebagai wanita atau pemuda atau puteri sebagai contohnya, mereka masih lagi ahli UMNO, dan mungkin mereka akan bertanding di peringkat tertinggi UMNO. Dan jikalau seseorang itu memang mempunyai personaliti dan pemikiran rasuah, tidak kira beliau berada di wanita, pemuda, puteri atau induk sekalipun, beliau akan terus membeli undi untuk meraih sokongan.

Maka membakar kelambu untuk membunuh nyamuk bukanlah jawapannya. Kita harus mencari individu-individu ini dan mendisiplinkan mereka. Kita harus menjalankan tugas kita tanpa mengira pangkat ataupun bulu.

Saya juga beranggapan bahawa jikalau ada kelemahan di dalam sayap-sayap ini, maka menjadi tanggungjawab kita bersama untuk membetulkan dan membentuk budaya yang sihat untuk mereka ini , lebih-lebih lagi di dlaam pemuda, puteri dan biro putera. Bagaikan kata pepatah melentuh buluh biarlah dari aurnya.

Saya difahamkan bahawa masalah beli undi in bukan sahaja berlaku di dalam UMNO tetapi saya dimaklumkan ianya juga berlaku di dalam parti-parti lain, baik dalam Barisan Nasional mahupun Pakatan Rakyat.

Janganlah kerana nila setitik, susu sebelanga habis dibuang. Janganlah kerana seorang dua yang membuat salah, habis satu kampung dibakar.

Sekadar pandangan seorang ahli muda.

Quick Note

Just a quick note on the late S Kugan's case. I am happy that the Attorney General is taking a serious view on this case by re classifying it to a murder case and also sending back the initial investigation papers to the police for further and more thorough investigation.

I want to see the the cops who beat S Kugan (and it does not matter if the beatings were the cause of death) be brought to face justice. More so if the beatings were the cause of his death.

I am happy to see the AG, the IGP and Deputy IGP getting fully involved in the investigation and ensuring no stones remain unturned. Whilst we respect and appreciate the duties and resposibilities of the police force, these few errant cops must not be allowed to continue in their wrong ways. These few cops must think they are in Guantanamo Bay detention camp!

At the same time, I am sad that there are individuals out there who are taking advantage of the situation. Please do not politicise the issue and please do not turn this into a racial issue. The demonstration at the USJ 8 police station was uncalled for. Neither was the fracas at the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre until 6 got detained. We are a civilised society, not barbarians. Let's solve issues properly and not create havoc.

I hope cool and calm heads will prevail. Please allow the Attorney General and the police to do their investigation. Let's wait for the second post mortem report. The AG had said he wants to see the report. And whether or not the alleged beatings caused the late S Kugan's death, action should be taken on the cops who allegedly beat him up.

I will not demonise the whole police force just because of a few bad hats. But if the powers that be do not take action on these people, then from the IGP right down to the normal police, I hold you in contempt of justice.

Gong Xi Fa Cai

I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Happy New Year. May the year of the Ox give us strength, happiness, health, patience and prosperity to our loved one and ourselves. May we also take this opportunity to strengthen our family ties and friendship.

For those who travel, and I know you guys are tired of listening to this, drive safely and carefully. Do stop when you are sleepy. Better safe than sorry.

Let us also embrace and cherish the unique and wonderful multiracialism and multiculturalism in our country that many other places do not have. It is a strength and for us to continue cultivate this spirit together, for our nation and for our children.

Hope to see all of you renewed in vigour and spirit, ready to tackle everything and anything together as a nation for our Malaysia. We are the children of Malaysia and we will chart the fortunes of this nation, our home together.

Take care all…

BN- THE DINOSAUR ?

What happened in the Kuala Terengganu by-election was not a wake up call as many had said it. We had our wake-up call, and woken up rudely as many would say, at the 12th General Election last March. And I believe, regardless whether one supports BN or PR, the whole nation was surprised by the outcome of the March General Elections.

And BN is trying to change. Calls for transformation reverberated not only in UMNO branch and divisional meetings, but also in MCA, MIC, Gerakan and so on. BN meetings chaired by YAB Pak Lah have also recognized this need and have been talking about the same thing. YAB Pak Lah and the gang have been trying to change. The MACC bill is one, along with issues like appointment of judges, mega projects shelved, rakyat centric projects given the priority and a host of other things. Even the thought process now is different within the BN party.

However, it is painfully obvious to me that whatever changes the Government has done so far are not enough. Sometimes this is because for whatever good that we do like the MACC bill and so on, suddenly the public gets shocked by one or two bad decisions or proposals coming from individuals or companies linked to the Government. A case in point is Sime Darby’s announcement that it proposed to takeover IJN. And when that failed, the recent and ongoing proposal to build the LCCT terminal for AirAsia in Labu. Because of things like these, whatever good the Government had done throughout the last couple of months and the goodwill credited, have all gone down the drain.

To digress a bit. Sime Darby’s action have got me wondering. Sime Darby seems to be so impatient and in a hurry to do all these deals. Why?

Another issue I would like to point out is the KT by – election. Many thought the battle between PAS and BN was lost not during polling day, but the day BN announced the candidate. Many said that BN had not learned their lesson by putting the particular candidate because he is detached from the grassroots. Whilst I wish to remain neutral on this issue, that is the perception of the public and voters in KT and like it or not BN has to be mindful of all these factors in the future. Voters are what we need to win the election (or in this case by-election). In fact a friend of mine from KT told me, the candidate is a capable man and the right choice but at the wrong time and place.

So, when will BN really change and make impactful changes that will convince the rakyat? I can’t say for the other component parties but I believe for UMNO, real changes will start in March. And the first real change is the selfless sacrifice by YAB Pak Lah to step down as UMNO President, BN Chairman and Prime Minister soon after that to allow the election of YAB DS Najib to these posts.

Second would be the election of a whole new team comprising the old and new to the Supreme Council that would bring fresh mandate for them to act and initiate changes. This would be complemented by the Pemuda. Wanita and Puteri wings also. For the first time in so many years, all these three wings will have contests for their heads which mean a fresh mandate for all.

These changes must also be impactful. BN cannot effect changes just for the sake of changing, without knowing heads or tails what it is changing, why it is changing and the effects of the changes. These changes must also be real and to the core, not superficial or just scratching the surface. And more importantly, all the changes must be thought out properly and must be for the rakyat. Changes made must not only have a positive effect to the older generation but must be felt and appreciated by the younger generation.

These changes must be more than just rebranding or repackaging. I do not want new clothes or new wrappings but the same old core. It must be a transformation. It must be a paradigm shift in the mindset and approach. In short, UMNO, MCA, MIC, Gerakan,PPP and others must sweat blood to win back the rakyat’s trust and belief.

What I have written here for BN is by no means exhaustive. The list of changes and our hopes for BN are endless. But I have high hopes for DS Najib and several individuals I know who have realized UMNO and BN need to change with times for the Rakyat. Should these individuals manage to secure the posts they are campaigning for in the party elections, it will be enough to give them the platform to effect the changes needed, realistically, pragmatically and effectively.

To those in UMNO and BN who still refuse to change, and I admit there are some though minority in numbers, continue being the dinosaurs you are. Sooner rather than later, you will be extinct.

I am confident that changes and transformation will come. I am confident DSNR will be able to do it. Together, the new team will chart the fortunes of UMNO and with our friends, fortunes of BN. Give us a chance to correct our wrongs. And correct them, we will.