28 June 2009

UMNO : Big membership - Does it help?

I used to propose unalike opinion over the issue of UMNO membership in my regular UMNO Divisional Committee meetings years ago.

Every Division was asked to register as many Malays as possible to be members of UMNO in order to strengthen the party by the numbers.

The leaders believed that by having massive membership would make the party strong as the numbers alone can make the party walk tall in any election against the opposition with small party members.

I was strongly against the idea of having mammoth and massive membership for the party as it would bring more negative than positive consequences in the end.

As usual, ideas that came from me or anyone like me would be instantaneously brushed off.

BUT I still hold to that idea of smaller party membership, like 1.5 million is reasonable numbers. The big and gigantic membership list is part of the problems the party faces at this instant.

To my simple minded argument, having big membership, the Division has to set up many new branches and that would be stickier as it is hard to manage the idiosyncrasies of members at the branch level.

At that time, UMNO memberships had grown up to almost 3 million nationwide and that formed almost 40% of the Malays in the peninsular Malaysia.

If the party has 40% of the Malay population there is very great tendency that it has to spend too much time on managing the members than building up its reception to the voting public.

The more branches the party have, the more infighting at the branch level where most of the voters are and ultimately it injures the strong party’s support pattern which we used to enjoy long ago.

At the material time, there were already messy fights at the ground level fighting for branch heads.

The losing group would have the propensity to connive with the opposition in the General Election and that would add up the numbers supporting the opposition in the ballot box.

In 1999 General Election, Kuala Pilah had 24,000 UMNO members but BN candidate Dato’ Napsiah Omar secured only 16,000 votes. Out of the 16,000 votes, 10,000 came from the non-Malay votes as the Chinese and Indians were all out in support of BN then.

To summarize the figures Napsiah only managed to secure 6,000 Malay votes and that included Malays who were non-UMNO members and that was the clear voting pattern everywhere in the Peninsula.

The same situation happened in 2008 General Election when more than 80% UMNO members voted for the opposition in many constituencies.

In conclusion there is nothing to shout at if we have millions of members. The 8th March 2008 election was another proof that big size does not necessarily capable to outdo the small-sized party.

In simple analogy, a big size man may not necessarily be a healthy man, but more often than not the man with big size body are taxed with a lot of diseases some terminal in nature.

UMNO should just have a small numbers of memberships as what most important function of the party is to build up respect and reception of the party by the voters.

People want to see that every policy that is set by the party is likened by the public.

Consequentially the people want to see that all policies are implemented appropriately and accurately and the people have the feel of the implementation of those policies with comfort.

Labor Party of Britain has registered members of less than 180,000 but that party is almost completing its third term as the government of Britain. So do the Conservative which is expected to win in the coming General Election has less than 150,000 members.

I think UMNO leaders’ thinking should be bent and curved in with the changing time.

Malaysian voters, like in advance democracies, are speedily looking at the competence of the ruling party to unveil solid and acceptable policies and correct implementation of the policies.

The people are not tolerating anymore corrupt practices which UMNO is perceived to be synonymous to; people look at corruptors as heinous and not worth supporting.

Committing corruption is too big a sin and it is indistinguishable with acts of sodomy, rape, and day light robbery.

It is not an easy task for UMNO to erase that perception as it has been an entrenched and implanted culture to the party and the blame should go to leaders since 2 decades ago for not addressing the issue seriously and sincerely.

The image of the party is dependable on the image of the leadership. The party must be perceived to be led by congregations of clean and respectable personalities with impeccable and unsullied records of quantifiable deeds to the nation.

To leaders with corrupt and criminal image, they must be ready to resign before the party is voted out and shelved aside by the people.

To UMNO the public is telling the party ingenuously, change the image of the party or you will be replaced by another.

Bear in mind, the people have been waiting for the change far too long and they don’t have any reserve for patience anymore.

To the exasperated public, UMNO has always been taking friendliness of the people as weaknesses and they just commit moral and political offenses with no qualms and guilt.

Lastly let us remind UMNO and its leadership forthrightly; a huge membership doesn’t guarantee a win; it may instead be a betrayal.

We should now find means and ways to reincarnate and reawaken the old and trustworthy leadership which we used to cheer with.

We are in burning desire to have another reappearance of leaders who are not in the race with the rakyat in businesses, and like what we see today, it has already become a norm.

Leadership of pre-Mahathir’s can be a good reference and perfect testimony to reach to that goal.

Those kind of good leaders are already hard to find but I am sure there is at least one or two still living and kicking mingling among the confused leaders in the party.

It is natural that good ones are hard to find but we will be in good care if we are successful in putting up successful efforts to find one for the sake of the nation we dearly feel the affection for.

This great nation is inimitable and she needs good, honorable, upright and trustworthy leader who is not in the league of corrupt and undignified sort.

This country needs restructuring and shakeup in all turfs; it is imperative to find someone who have had the experiences in planning and managing intricacies of Malaysian politics and re-engineering of multiracial, ethnics, religions and social fabrics of the country.

Leave the long sufferings of being led by corrupt and unspeakable leaders behind us and let us create another clean and memorable history for the sake of saving this lovely nation.

Everyone knows who are corrupts and who are not. Permit me to quote our popular Malay adage; bangkai gajah masakan boleh ditutup dengan nyiru.

Official Secret Act (OSA) can only protect the corrupt acts by the Law but that act can’t cover that heinous act by peoples’ perception.

Ultimately the rakyat will know every single truth. To those who feel disquieted by my writing in this instant will in the end agree with me; maybe a decade from now…but that’s fine with me.


Thanks……………………………………………..Aspan Alias

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

very well explained argument with the supporting logic to illustrate your point. Nothing more I can add except to agree wholeheartedly.

franksinatra said...

Yes! you are right bro! Very good suggestions and I know you do a lot of thinking.
Your thoughts just help me to kindle my desire to go near to UMNO if the party does a striking changes.
Kudos bro.

ibutunggal said...

Aspan, I don't see that UMNO can perform anymore.
But if it does, it will do goodfor them.
I respect you for your truthfulness but as I see it you akan hanya jadi lilin sahaja.
Kalau you nak teruskan berjuang apa apa, kerana saudara berani meluahkan perasaan terhadap isu isu yang panas.

umnojb said...

well written and what you said is just the actual and crudely a fact.

we are trying to fight the opposition like a gang-fight that needs numbers.

we are not in a gang-fight but we are in psychological game play.

that's why we lost in many seats because we UMNO don't use brain.

aspan, you are hitting the nail bulls eye.

I always follow your writing on over all I like it.

Anonymous said...

Mr Aspan,
cheers, good one.

Anonymous said...

Your innovative views are inspiring, but you cannot tell this to UMNO.
UMNO won't accept views like yours as they are in denial.
You can suggest anything sensible but they are just what they were.
Anyway you can write the issues as this written document would stay forever even if you are no more leaving.
I appreciate your strength in giving opinion and your frankness.

jiwa

apekpencong said...

Aspan,

Lu sampai tualah!! Berjuang, berjuang, semua lu lawan.
Apa lu cakap manyak betut, tapi lu mesti ingat, ini malaysia bukan us.

Olang macam lu memang tak boleh naik punya. Kalau lu ampu boleh naiklah.

Tapi apa macam pun gua holmat sama lu sebab lu cakap manyak apa olang cakap, ikhlas maa!

Nasib lu lah Aspan. Nanti gua cali sama lu.

Anonymous said...

kalau sikit ahli umno...kecilkan umno,akan jadi elite party.orang berebut nak jadi ahli tapi tak boleh masuk..umno jadi mahal...ini lah Mahathir nak buat mula mula dulu...jadi akhirnya siapa minat jadi cadre dulu...dari cadre baru di terima jadi ahli.jadi cadre bertahun tahun buktikan dulu taat setia. jadi sama juga Pan .manusia n power macam semut dgn gula Pan. Kita nak bergantung dgn Pas? ingat dengan 46 dulu.PAS hanya memperalatkan 46 saja.Lupa ke tahun 1990.you sendiri di sabotage. di letakkan calun mereka lawan Kamu.Tak boleh percaya Pan.macam kata kawan saya mereka ini cold n hungry bila dapat je memerintah lebih dasyat dari UMNO.Mereka sedang berpolitik dan berpolitik nak kan kuasa.bETUL KE NIAT MEREKA Nak jadikan negara ISLAM? betul ke?

shahbandarmalakat said...

KALAU YOU FIKIR TR LAH YANG PALING LAYAK DAN BERKEMAMPUAN UNTUK MERUBAH Negara ini, then TR mesti begerak kat grassroot.pergi keseluruh cawangan di seluruh negara .atur program untuk bertemu.biar dia makan setahun untuk dapat berjumpa semua. saya dah syorkan lama dulu.Banyak orang kampung tak kenal TR lagi.dan tukar pecepsi orang ramai ...kerja dari bawah ...bukan dari atas ke bawah ,TR selama ini buat kerja dari atas ke bawah...mengharapkian ketua ketua bahagian menyokongnya sampai kiamat pun mereka tak mahu sokong pasal no satu yang di fikirkan kedudukan selesa mereka sekarang.Mereka tak mahu tukar status quo mereka.mereka takut untuk berkorban.Katakan dulu ada pertandingan Dollah Vs Najib , dah tentu Dolah akan menang pasal kedudukan Dolah sebagi PM.tapi kalau TR di tentukan oleh cawangan rata rata cawangan mahukan TR baru lah Ketua bahagian gegar.tiada pilihan TR kena jadi sebenarnya Raja berjiwa dan bersama rakyat

dr. HBNS said...

Asfan,
Kau ni selalu jadi lebai malang. Aku suka tulisan kau tapi orang macam aku boleh terima pandangan seperti kau ini.

Your ideals are genuine as I know you back and front of your palm.

But your struggles are all a long shot in nature.

I know your opinion will be accepted in the end but you won't be the recipient.

In UMNO anyone with forward looking are dead and that includes you.

I suggest you spend less on writing and just play golf at any cheap courses around.

After all nothing can be done to save the party.

Just acceptlah Aspan. UMNO is cracking

Anonymous said...

Umno will not repent! Its time for a change...safest bet is anwar...he's not perfect....but he's gone through too much of crap to screw up like umno.....

zainal said...

UMNO itu akan jatuh dengan sendiri dan tak mungkin boleh pulih seperti yang tuan kehendakki.
Saya ingin memberi pandangan sebagai orang yang telah menjadi ahli UMNO sejak tahun 1967.
Saya tidak percaya UMNO mampu membersihkan namanya dan imej rasuah yang keterlaluan ini.
Saya tidak lagi membayar yuran UMNO sejak 4 tahun kebelakangan ini.

siamang said...

Den takkan undi laie UMNO. Hak istimewo melayu dah Najib buang. Biasiswa khas untuk Bumi dan Melayu dah habih.
UMNO patut banyakkan peluang untuk org Melayu tapi Najib guno UMNO untuk mengocikkan peluang anak Melayu.
Jadi apo paedah eh menyokong UMNO ni?
Den takkan undi UMNO laie jang ooii.
Den frust kek Najib. Habih Melayu.
Nak ambik hati cino, jual Melayu.
Apo jadi kek org Melayu den pun dah tak paham laie.

cucu siamang gagap

Haji Hambal said...

Saya mengikuti tulisan sdr berterusan dan saya begitu banyak memahami sdr sebagai seorang yg faham keadaan dan semangat dalam UMNO.
Kirikkan sdr amat berguna bagi parti kita. Sesungguhnya saya ungin kembali kepada UMNO kerana ada lagi manusia yang faham tentang UMNO.
Jika saudara gigih memberi ulasan tentang kelemahan kita maka saya rasa UMNO akan beransur-ansur memperbaikki diri walau pun mereka mungkin tidak mengaku.
Tak apalah sdr, dalam usaha saudara tentu banyak rintang dan kritikkan tetapi tak usah undur.
Sdr mungkin tidak mendapat nikmatnya tetapi saya sebagai orang lama dalam UMNO di salah satu Bhg diPahang saya faham apa yang saudara siratkan.
Hanya masa menentukannya. Saya nampak saudara pun tidak kisah sdr berada dimana asalkan UMNO itu kembali pulih, dan saya pun sanggup kembali bergiat.
Selamat berjuang.

Anonymous said...

sudah jatuh ditimpa tangga, itulah nasib melayu dibawah kepimpinan najib.

org melayu masih lagi ketinggalan, tetapi sudah diberikannya hak melayu kepada orang lain.

bapanya memperkukuhkan kedudukkan org melayu, anaknya memberikan kelebihan kepada org lain semata-mata untuk meraih sokongan mereka.

lepas satu satu. ya allah selamatkanlah kami dari dijual oleh manusia bernama najib.

dreba said...

My alternative to UMNO is PAS. Most of my family members are putting UMNO behind us.
Bye bye Aspan. Bye bye UMNO. Aku dah jemu dengan kejumuddan.

imran said...

Once UMNO is denied power to rule the party's membership will reduced automatically.

Anonymous said...

Aspan,

Di Negri tak ado kogiatan UMNO langsung.
Jumlah ahli ratusan ghibu. Apo kiji Mat Hasan buek?

Anonymous said...

LIBERALISASI,PASARAN KEWANGAN:

Kalu pihak cerdik pandai dan celik Ekonomi yang ade dalam UMNO diamdiam saje,bermaana:

1.UMNO tidak berubah dan tidak mahu berubah kerana ahli UMNO yang ade jawatan dan kepentingan tidak akan bantah.
2.UMNO akan di lihat sebagai menjaga kepentingan peribadi UMNO dan bukan pejuang hak orang Melayu dan Bumiputra.
3.Pihak pati lawan dan pembangkang dapati kerja nya dipermudahkan kerana kalu ade PRU dan PRK mu,kemungkinan 2008 di ulang dan lebih teruk lagi perbedzaan undi.
4.Aliran wang asing akan bertambah masuk DAN JUGA keluar mengakibat kan kadar pertukran wang asing menjadi tak terkawal.
kesian UMNO.
changkat lobak
arjuna waspada.