Syed Hamid and UMNO Squander Malaysia's Future

I truly feel sorry for Syed Hamid and all his UMNO compatriots because of their inability to address any of the real problems within Malaysian society in imaginative and constructive ways. The way Syed Hamid is going about dealing with the current sticky problems, with endorsement ( I am sure) from his peers within UMNO, will only result in a squandering of the future of all Malaysians - Malays, Chinese, Indians, Ibans, KadazanDusuns and all the rest that make up this country. UMNO in its current trajectory is set to destroy the future of this country.

Of course, this view coming from me, from someone who is totally opposed to the unjust and oppressive ways of the UMNO led government, will be summarily dismissed by Syed Hamid and his compatriots within UMNO. But read on anyway.

Let me quote Syed Hamid here a bit from Malaysiakini of 23rd Oct 2008, ‘ Peace-loving members of the Indian community would not have an issue over the government’s ban on the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), said Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar’……….It is an extremist group. It advocates and propagates hatred, inciting feelings against certain segments of the community,” he said in justifying the ban. " We have always lived peacefully and we have no problems but when you advocate hatred and (tell them that) the only enemies are the Malays or the only enemy is Islam.... “

Here is what I have to say. I am a regular middle class Malaysian, and I presume one who can be, more than safely, called a peace loving member of the Indian community. I however have a serious problem with the banning of Hindraf and with Syed Hamid’s wanton ways. So, I ask, who is Syed Hamid, or by whose authority does he say that we have no problems with the banning of Hindraf.

We have a very serious problem. We take serious issue with him at for banning Hindraf. We are not his constituency, and he should refrain from speaking and spreading lies in our name.

Hindraf at no time, never in any of its output did it advocate hatred against our Malay Muslim brethren. We live in Malaysia and that is a reality. We are a multiracial, multireligious society. What Hindraf advocates is the need for a society that is based on equality, justice and fairness. But UMNO, a party that has hijacked the nation for the interest of the few UMNOPutras like him, cannot have all that and they cannot say Hindraf hates UMNOs ways, so they must tell a big self serving lie and say HINDRAF ”advocate(sic) hatred and the only enemies are the Malays or the only enemy is Islam....”

This is UMNO policy altogether. They must always paint things in a racist way. They survive only on a steady fare of racism.– their thinking goes that this is best way for them to keep power. This is what HINDRAF has a problem with. Hindraf has no problems with any one or anything else. So Hindraf lashes out at the injustices perpetrated by UMNO and that is what Syed Hamid in his supreme wisdom blurbs out as advocating hatred.

Of course Syed Hamid wields power now. He can act arrogantly, he can talk arrogantly . But history is full of instances where tables turn very rapidly. I do not think UMNO will last the next elections with this kind of handling of issues. And forget the maxim that the public has a short memory – not this time , not any more. No matter how hard UMNO plays their race card, they are in a time warp. They have lost touch with reality. They will go.

The people have gone beyond race based insecurities. The benefits of a freer and fairer Malaysia far outwiegh any benefits of an exclusive, distorted race based apartheid system that the UMNOPutras so wish to preserve. The positives are evident to all but the UMNOPutras, who hang on to power so they can hang on to the Corridors and to the Contracts.

I truly feel sorry for Syed Hamid and his UMNO comptriots.

The truth will always prevail. Galileo was persecuted during his lifetime for speaking the truth, but the truth prevailed, for that is the way of truth.

United we will stand.
United we will act.
United for the truth.

Makkal Sakthi