The old divide and rule strategy to cover up issues
This article has earlier appeared in Beritadaily.com on 3/3/2016
Since 2008 when the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition first lost its two-thirds majority in the general election and again failed to regain the much needed numbers in the 2013 polls, BN leaders, particularly from its dominant party Umno, have frequently resorted to divide and rule tactics in an attempt to regain lost ground.
These leaders would stir up racial and religious problems and put the blame on various opposition parties and their leaders, leading civil society and human rights groups claiming that these people are threatening the special rights of the Malays and insulting Islam.
The intention of these leaders is crystal clear, to divert the people’s attention from the ugly scenes in the corridors of power: corruption, power abuse and mismanagement which have cost the nation billions of ringgit every year.
Umno leaders have somehow realised that the people are now watching their every move and they have to come up with something big very fast to distract them from the real issues.
Almost every year, various scandals were uncovered, and billions of ringgit went into the drain without a single effective remedy. These scandals have made thousands of headlines, both locally and internationally, and drawn public criticism and condemnation of the BN government.
The displeasure with the BN government, especially Umno leaders, cuts across racial lines and the general population is particularly disappointed with Putrajaya’s handling of these controversies and managing of the nation’s coffers.
Umno leaders know that Malaysians from all walks of life are scrutinisng their every move and the government has indeed been cornered.
Creating disunity to divert attention
Unable to overcome the onslaught of criticism and condemnation from the people, these leaders resorted to stirring up racial and religious fears and suspicions, in the hope that in the midst of disunity the real issues confronting the nation will be overlooked.
Furthermore, Umno has also sub-contracted its task of creating racial and religious conflicts to their various right wing NGOs and extremist groups in order not to be seen as the real culprits.
While hiding its hands in the divide and rule strategy, Umno is trying to play the moderate card, claiming that the ruling coalition is the best-suited formula in this multiracial nation compared to the opposition parties out there.
So, while the BN and Umno are theoretically moderate or secular, in Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur and even in the international arena, their representatives are behaving otherwise in their deeds and actions.
In this case, these so-called moderate Umno and BN leaders merely exist in fancy suits over the grand offices in Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur.
The sectarian division has created confusion and conflicts over the years, with no concrete solutions to the problems on the nation’s state of economy, government’s incompetence, rising cost of living, spiralling inflation and the drop in confidence among foreign investors.
And yet the leaders in BN are still talking based on race and religion, with some even trying to behave like God to give others some “religious lessons”.
Some from Umno even had the audacity to claim that the prime minister was appointed by God.
The people must therefore understand that the nation’s direction must not be decided based on race and religion but on Malaysians’ popular view. The problem with Putrajaya today lies in its incompetent administration, rampant corruption and power abuse and mismanagement.
This is not about Malays and Islam being threatened, but that the entire Malaysian population is being threatened and the nation risks plunging into bankruptcy. All Malaysians are being undermined by a corrupt regime.
In order to overcome such threats, the people must therefore identify themselves first and foremost as Malaysians, not as Malays, Chinese, Indians, Ibans, Orang Asli, Kadazans, Muslims, Christians, Shias or Sunnis.
Let us all rise as Malaysians to democratically prevent our nation from heading towards collapse and chaos.
Since 2008 when the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition first lost its two-thirds majority in the general election and again failed to regain the much needed numbers in the 2013 polls, BN leaders, particularly from its dominant party Umno, have frequently resorted to divide and rule tactics in an attempt to regain lost ground.
These leaders would stir up racial and religious problems and put the blame on various opposition parties and their leaders, leading civil society and human rights groups claiming that these people are threatening the special rights of the Malays and insulting Islam.
The intention of these leaders is crystal clear, to divert the people’s attention from the ugly scenes in the corridors of power: corruption, power abuse and mismanagement which have cost the nation billions of ringgit every year.
Umno leaders have somehow realised that the people are now watching their every move and they have to come up with something big very fast to distract them from the real issues.
Almost every year, various scandals were uncovered, and billions of ringgit went into the drain without a single effective remedy. These scandals have made thousands of headlines, both locally and internationally, and drawn public criticism and condemnation of the BN government.
The displeasure with the BN government, especially Umno leaders, cuts across racial lines and the general population is particularly disappointed with Putrajaya’s handling of these controversies and managing of the nation’s coffers.
Umno leaders know that Malaysians from all walks of life are scrutinisng their every move and the government has indeed been cornered.
Creating disunity to divert attention
Unable to overcome the onslaught of criticism and condemnation from the people, these leaders resorted to stirring up racial and religious fears and suspicions, in the hope that in the midst of disunity the real issues confronting the nation will be overlooked.
Furthermore, Umno has also sub-contracted its task of creating racial and religious conflicts to their various right wing NGOs and extremist groups in order not to be seen as the real culprits.
While hiding its hands in the divide and rule strategy, Umno is trying to play the moderate card, claiming that the ruling coalition is the best-suited formula in this multiracial nation compared to the opposition parties out there.
So, while the BN and Umno are theoretically moderate or secular, in Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur and even in the international arena, their representatives are behaving otherwise in their deeds and actions.
In this case, these so-called moderate Umno and BN leaders merely exist in fancy suits over the grand offices in Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur.
The sectarian division has created confusion and conflicts over the years, with no concrete solutions to the problems on the nation’s state of economy, government’s incompetence, rising cost of living, spiralling inflation and the drop in confidence among foreign investors.
And yet the leaders in BN are still talking based on race and religion, with some even trying to behave like God to give others some “religious lessons”.
Some from Umno even had the audacity to claim that the prime minister was appointed by God.
The people must therefore understand that the nation’s direction must not be decided based on race and religion but on Malaysians’ popular view. The problem with Putrajaya today lies in its incompetent administration, rampant corruption and power abuse and mismanagement.
This is not about Malays and Islam being threatened, but that the entire Malaysian population is being threatened and the nation risks plunging into bankruptcy. All Malaysians are being undermined by a corrupt regime.
In order to overcome such threats, the people must therefore identify themselves first and foremost as Malaysians, not as Malays, Chinese, Indians, Ibans, Orang Asli, Kadazans, Muslims, Christians, Shias or Sunnis.
Let us all rise as Malaysians to democratically prevent our nation from heading towards collapse and chaos.
