Unity talks : Fact or Fallacy

Is UMNO beginning to realize where its stands now and what the party can expect in the coming General Elections (GE)?

Does UMNO know that the party is drooping and sagging and going for the dressing down by the voting public? Are their leaders having the worries like I do about losing in the coming GE?

If the party is not doing anything to correct its mistakes and misadventures, has it started to prepare itself to be a splinter group sitting on the opposition bench just after the coming GE in all Legislative Assemblies?

UMNO Deputy President, TS Muhyiddin (TSM) has already using religion to entice PAS to work with UMNO for the sake of the Muslim Unity and he emphasizes that to forgive and to forget is what the religion wants us to observe.

Tengku Razaleigh was the first UMNO leader to moot the idea of Unity Government many months back but other UMNO leaders were abrasive and uncompromisingly against the idea.

While what he (TSM) says is very right on his religious rationale, it is only said when UMNO is on the way for almost total rejection. While UMNO was in the height of popularity there was nothing said about unity and PAS was tainted to be a party of appalling and ghastly attributes by UMNO.

This is the issue that Nik Aziz is struggling to forget and accept that it is natural and inbuilt attribute of UMNO, especially the new ONE.

One point for our own introspection; UMNO must ensure there is unity within the party itself. As it is, within the party, there are clear irritable issues that make the party even more fractious than before.

How could we go and talk to another party while we are weak? We should have been talking to PAS long ago when we were strong? BUT we took different stand by hammering and admonishing PAS while were having muscle and strength.

Mahathir is coming with more issues when he is beginning to disagree with Najib over the third bridge issue which Rosmah is believed to have mutually agreed with one another with Singapore’s MM Lee Kuan Yew(LKY) for it to be built.

LKY recent visit trail adds up more irritation to TDM and he visibly was too annoyed when the visit gave Rosmah the high lights and Najib allows this new culture of getting spouses of leaders to be part of decision making for a nation. I agree with Mahathir to the fullest on this.

Mahathir expressed his disappointments in his speech in Ipoh yesterday and his worries about what is in the making in UMNO and BN as a whole.

He clearly disposed his uncertainties over the future of the Malays, even though he was the man who changed the total culture and the political paradigm and pattern of the country that resulted to the present nightmares.

This 3rd bridge issue is likely to escalate. It is not a small issue as the crooked bridge issue was one of the main contributors to Abdullah’s plummet.

Is Najib going to face the bridge issue like Abdullah? If it is, than the bridges in issue are like sirraatulmustakim bridges which both Abdullah and Najib failed to cross.

Compounding to this subject, many people including the nosy Mahathir who are not happy with the muqabalah between PAS and UMNO which is the hot theme of the day.

Mahathir is not pleased that Unity is just between Malays as the other races would protest resulting in split of BN and Malaysian politics will be along deep inter-racial divide. Again, I concur with his opinion on this pertinent issue.

As it is, the non Malays are already on the other side of the boundary of this divide and the overly emphasized issue of PAS/UMNO talk is going to send the non Malays further apart from giving the support to UMNO/BN.

DS Najib seems to wane his leadership day by day and outwardly seen as helpless and vulnerable on numerous issues.

Meanwhile PAS is strengthening; whether the much-talked about Unity Government issue is successful is not important.

The important and relatable point that the party brings home is to warn her partners in Pakatan Rakyat not to take PAS participation in the loose coalition lightly as she has a desperate UMNO to work with.

PAS can now tell DAP especially not to rejoice too much when the party tastes power as the Malays is still and forever the political master in this God blessed nation.

As long as Malays lead politically the ambience of living in this country would be soothing…and this is in actuality the message PAS is trying to deliver to its coalition partners.

PAS is already in the position that UMNO used to enjoy when come to workings in togetherness with the multiracial population of the country.

The people trust PAS much more than UMNO and for UMNO to regain the full trust she used to enjoy would be tough as the credibility of its leadership have been too much in jeopardy at all levels.

PAS has learned immensely from mistakes committed by UMNO. The arrogance that UMNO has been displaying with the borrowed power for the past recent years make the appetite of the people including the young Malay voters to support the party are getting blunted.

While the Malays are in exodus to support PAS the more liberal Malays are joining the non Malays to join PKR which is multi racial party that seems to be more engaging for them.

Pakatan Rakyat at the very moment just need to convince the Malays that they are well protected which the Federal Constitution provides. Anything less would turn Pakatan Rakyat into just a temporary hidey-hole for the disillusioned Malays who are at odds against UMNO.

Lastly there is another point which needs moderation of good and magnanimous leaders that is the economic issue.

Developing the nation’s economy is one thing but the effort for equitable distribution is another. No nation would be in stable political environment without equitable distribution and fair opportunities for the deserving lots.

If the government fails to develop big chunk of middle class among the population the stability of politics would not be assured as this group of the population gives a big and momentous direction for any country which takes democracy as her ruling system.


Thanks…………………………………………………Aspan Alias

Disunited for unity

The currently widespread discussion is about Unity Government, the proposal that PAS and UMNO should work together for the sake of unity especially among the Malays.

Everybody is yet to understand how the workings are going to be as it is still at an embryonic level, and the heat is building up especially within PAS leadership.

Nik Aziz is adamant and insists everyone to listen to his advice that the proposal mooted by Haji Hadi is not going to work and he went to the extent of warning the Deputy President, Nasharuddin Mat Isa to join UMNO if he is still milling on the issue.

The opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim in disapproving tone responded that the issue is not just as simple as Hadi is saying it and insisted that all the Pakatan Rakyat’s coalition should decide whether talk should go on.

PAS secretary General, Mustafa Ali says that PAS is not going alone to talk to UMNO and he assures that PR coalition partners will be brought together to address the issue of PAS-UMNO unity talk.

The issue becomes hotly debated after Najib responded with a statement that PAS is sincere in proposing the unity talk and that statement is very unUMNO-like as UMNO has taken PAS as its punching bag by the weakening party.

To many PAS members who are in engagement with me, think that PAS is already a consequential party and they believe they can go on their own with undivided cooperation from its coalition partners in Pakatan Rakyat.

They feel that the warm response from UMNO is because UMNO is fast dilapidating in the ground support and by working together with the party would result in the voting public to be apprehensive to continue supporting PAS.

Some told me that by working with UMNO means PAS is now accepting the ills and the misdeeds that UMNO have committed all the while, the very reason why the rakyat went all out to admonish and put off the ruling party from power.

Many PAS members and the public have already a mind-set that the Malay unity can only happen and achievable outside UMNO as UMNO is in the midst of speedy corrosion and erosion of credibility especially within the top exclusive line up of the party.

To them UMNO is already synonymous to corruption, misusing of power, clannish and cronyism as well.

The once highly regarded UMNO has changed and holds on to the image of debauched, depraved and infidels. UMNO currently is just clinging in to the executive power that they have which can only last by the next General Elections or even earlier.

UMNO realizes this negative public perceptions and any proposal by some PAS leaders to work together would be a life savior for them (UMNO).

The public are having the opinion that UMNO can only stay alive with drastic changes in their leadership right now, as the current line up that the delegates empowered is of rotting varieties.

In actuality UMNO is denied the public support by its own lowly regarded leadership presently who are linked to ill metaphors of negative all round.

None of the top leadership in UMNO can stand upright and say, "I am clean, I am free of crimes and I shall sue you if you link me to any kind of murderous activity or anything like that."

There are terrific leaders in UMNO but they are sidelined by the distorted system in UMNO. The election processes of leadership are marred by money politics and misuse of power over the cheap and lumbering delegates of just over 2000 in all.

No one among top leadership is valiant enough to come up and say, "The government will declassify all agreements with Highway concessionaires for the public scrutiny or the government will set up Royal Commission on the controversial purchase and procurements of the Ministry of Defense" or anything of sort.

So to many PAS members and the thinking public, they are hopeful that the dissimilarities in the opinion among PAS leaders should be immediately resolved as PAS is going to be the real Malay alternative party in the coming General Election.

To those who have no sympathy for UMNO any more would surely set to give the support to PAS and other components of Pakatan Rakyat and any wrong move by PAS may make them abstain from voting any party.

In short if PAS works with UMNO of current line up, the party (PAS) is just giving another long lease for the corrupt and the misbehave leaders in UMNO to enjoy ripping and milking the nation dry.

"If PAS takes the line of compromise with UMNO, it means compromising with the corrupt leaders who take our country to the ditch. There are no more viable leaders in UMNO unless the party comes up with alternative leader with good track records and respected by the people," said a high corporate friend and a PAS strong supporter.

"We were hopeful that Tengku Razaleigh (TR) be propped up by UMNO, but UMNO is UMNO; they don’t want good leaders and continue on electing deceitful leaders to shred this country into pieces," he continued.

To me the compromise of the 2 parties if successful, can be quite meaningful as the 2 parties are Malay parties. If they can work well it is the cooperation between 2 parties representing the Malays which form at least 60 percent of the population.

If the 60 percent population is united than we can move on to work for a compromise with the rest of the 40 percent, which constitute of the non-Malays.

BUT then again, if compromise is reached, are we still going to see the same current leaders to lead us? If it is still the current person or persons taking lead of ruling us, is there any worth of compromising because it is as good as no change.

If there is no change, there is no new direction, and UMNO/BN is swiftly going to predictable arrival point; that is political insolvency.


Thanks…………………………………………………………..Aspan Alias

Datuk Zaid Ibrahim joins PKR

Datuk Zaid Ibrahim (DZI), after long last joined PKR as announced by Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim yesterday.

This former Cabinet Minister who was sacked by UMNO many months ago made another mile in his political adventure and I personally feel that PKR is the best sanctuary for his active politics.

I have known DZI for the past 37 years and his up-front thinking just cannot fit to the narrow-minded UMNO style of workings. I used to tell him years ago that if he wanted to be successful in UMNO he had to be turning and curving with the mentality of its leaders and members like me.

I reminded him that saying and doing right things is prohibited and going against the opinions of leaders will result in ungainly and miserly consequences.

DZI was not able to act according to the plot set by the Directors in UMNO politics and failed to amuse the big warlords in the party. He failed to realize that he did not need to do well for the country, what he needed was just to amuse the warlords.

All of us must accept the fact that UMNO is a property of a few warlords and the ordinary members are just their workers who are paid on piece rate basis.

Many people have realized that UMNO has ceased to be a Nationalist Party and fighting for Malay struggles is not their priority any further. It has become a business entity, serving the few warlords.

As he had so much apprehension to play and act with the script, DZI was unceremoniously sacked from the party weeks after he resigned from the Federal Cabinet.

BUT he accepted the sacking with no regret as he feels that the sacking is the consequent of trying to to do right things, even though he realizes that he was doing it at the displeasure of some big warlords in the party.

Now that he is there in the alternative party, Parti Keadilan Rakyat, I wish him the best of luck and as I have said earlier, my inner feelings tell me that PKR is the best premise for his political struggles.

No matter what people say I confer him high admiration for his clear political disposition and just ignore the uncultured voices especially those from UMNO and their blinded followers.

I hear and read many UMNO leaders and members giving disparaging and disapproving comments on his move to join PKR.

UMNO has divorced him and he has the right if he wants, to be flirtatious.

A man who divorces his wife has no right to decide on her future if she gets acquainted with another person.

UMNO in the meanwhile can continue on ostracizing good leaders until such point where the party will only be known to political historians.


Thanks…………………………………………………….Aspan Alias.

Economic, human and political reprising in progress

Of late I have been invited by used-to-be close friends some of whom I have not met for more than 2 decades and at different times, groups and venues.

I was asking myself what made them called and spent a lot of time with me, at times went right after 2am and it is quite on regular basis.

Some are government servants while the rest are either businessmen or the corporate players both the successful ones and those who are still at the position where they started.

They are my peers and within the same age group and now they have time for me as they are either retired or on long leave prior to retirement.

To some who are businessmen told me that they are not getting on good with their businesses and they are cutting losses with the advent of full scale global economic depression.

A few are just like me; everyday is Sunday, every night is Saturday night and every morning is Sunday morning. This group has one common attribute; they are fat and rounded just like me.

I am too elated that we met each other in the end. Just months ago each and every one of us were still long lost friends to one another.

I am also blissful for those who are successful in their careers and having nice and comfortable lives in retirement and I wish I could be like them which I obviously couldn’t.

There are basically 2 topics of discussions when we meet; one is health topic as all of us are approaching the dying age and the second topic is the topic of the present time, that is the global economic downward spiral.

All with no exception believe that the economic crisis is not for anyone to guess when it will end. No one really knows when we will reach to the rock bottom of the crisis.

Along the way, tens of thousands of companies worldwide are going bankrupt and tens of millions are out of jobs.

What started as the financial crisis has now turned up to be a full blown world economic crisis which is the worst that world economic historians could reminisce.

History has proven that economic crisis of this nature resulted in political crisis and many governments were changed hands in consequence.

Some governments are acting in haste to succumb to short term political pressure by announcing stimulus packages but that may prove futile as it may worsen the underlying condition and would do more harm to the economy in long run.

We fail to remind ourselves that a short-cut process would dampen and root up the underlying economic condition that is attached to the system for a long while.

The present economic crisis, according some known economist will take a long time to recover, at least for another 5 years to happen and if we are more fortunate it will be over in slightly more than 3 years.

BUT even when the economic recovery comes back, it will never be at the time it was before, because while the economy was falling down companies and business concerned went bankrupt, workers were losing jobs, many institutions went wayward to the drain.

While in the process of recovering the government was bailing inefficient conglomerates like what happen in the US where the government administrations were bailing out automobile industries using huge sum of tax payers’ money.

In the process also,resources and wealth will be reallocated and the old gives way to the new entity and we shall find a new economic landscape and to some countries a total new political backdrop as the governments changed hands resulting from the deadly crisis.

Let us try to answer the involuntary questions everyone is asking everyone now; when is the recession is going to get over? Is it a factual truth that the recession is a very long one? Is the stimulus packages that have been announced by many governments including ours in Malaysia are really giving positive economic consequences?

These questions are all very important, as everyone is trying to find a perfect spot for them to reposition themselves in facing the crisis for good decision making.

Bankers, developers, manufacturers, property managers and the rest of industries have more reason to decide appropriately over proper economic premises with the gloomy situation in place.

We must consume the fact that the bubbles are bursting uncontrolled, starting with the sub-prime properties in the US. Consequentially the asset prices are plummeting in high velocity and trillions of dollars are swept off.

By statistical principle the situation can only curve positively upwards when the assets have sufficiently repriced downward and the time taken to settle at the final conciliatory point before it moves up depend on other animated and real factors.

The weak and panicky world leadership can be the hindering factor for quick recovery.

To some economists and development planners, many of the stimulus packages proposed to respond to political pressure make the adjustments and the reprising more difficult and intricate.

Obviously the bailing out of automobile and other inefficient industries only end up in prolonging the pain of restructuring at it involves heavy and tremendous public funds.

AND let us be reminded that the human and labor are also the main parallel that add up to the assets in reprising process.

With the globalization human and labor have only one market place and the price is determined by this singular market.

Their salaries and wages are pulled down in billions by the Asians and the African as they can take jobs with much lesser quantum.

The benefits of trade have never been equally distributed even though trade is positive sum game and that will put a strong pressure on protectionism in many countries.

To countries with over leveraged, spending beyond its means would not be able to avoid reprising process through its currency devaluation forcing lower living standard on all its citizens.

Malaysia has gone through the same experience during the Asian Currency crisis when our ringgit was smashed by the money market.

Malaysia then was heavily involved in expressed mega projects and in the process the country had to import in abundant expensive capital goods and consequentially we experienced imbalanced current account.

But our leaders then blamed the money traders and the people accepted it as not the fault of our careless leaders. We are the only country where leaders always blame others for their misadventures, and they remain in denial until to this moment.

This is another big proponent that world political and economic leaders ought to take account and no solutions to the problems in place can be found without this ingredient packed together with the whole exercise.

The economic and human reprising has a direct correlation to the political reprising especially in present time of globalization.

To continue writing on this topic with all the requiring needs of it would take a lot of space and time for me and for anybody who wants to read and digest it.

I reckon the continuation of this heavy and hard-to-digest topic has to be done some days later.

As for me this topic is heavy, as I am neither an economist nor a writer.


Thanks……………………………………………………Aspan Alias