UMNO, Don’t Hide Behind BTN
November 30, 2009
Don’t Hide Behind BTN UMNO told
by Abdar Rahman Koya
Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim today urged UMNO leaders not to hide behind Biro Tata Negara’s (BTN) courses to talk about “the insecurities of the Malays”.
At a press conference in Parliament today, the PKR de facto leader claimed that the programme has promoted a racist approach. 
“I totally disagree with the racist approach. UMNO leaders (use) the closed-door sessions to talk about the insecurities of Malays – that they have been marginalised – and suggesting that this has been done by the Chinese and the Indians.
“And in the process, they (the courses) defend UMNO and its leadership (and suggest that) nothing is wrong (even) with corruption, PKFZ (Port Klang Free Zone) scandal and the (murder of) Mongolian (national Altantuya Shaariibuu).”
He said the opposition has always been the target and accused of ‘splitting the Malays and (causing) disunity”.
“If that’s how they view it, then let’s debate it. Why hide? Now you see in the whole polemics that they are blaming the Chinese and Indians, particularly the DAP, for suggesting that the BTN should be reviewed and revamped,” said Anwar.
BTN, an agency under the Prime Minister’s Department, aims to nurture the spirit of patriotism and a commitment to excellence among Malaysians. For decades, it has conducted courses for students, young leaders and civil servants.
The controversy was triggered when Selangor government imposed a ban on attendance at BTN, claiming that it promotes “racial politics and BN/UMNO ideaology”.
‘Why defend it?’
In a related development, DAP veteran leader Lim Kit Siang today said the revamp of the BTN curriculum cannot take place if federal ministers keep defending the “racist and destructive” programme.
While he welcomed the announcement on the revamp, Lim said many top UMNO ministers “seem to be unaware of this cabinet decision”.
They include Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, and Women, Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, Agro-based Industry Minister Noh Omar and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Ahmad Maslan.
“Last Thursday, Muhyiddin defended the BTN (but) Hishammuddin, Noh Omar, Shahrizat and Ahmad defended the divisive, racist and seditious BTN course only over the weekend….(they also) condemned critical voices including my call for the closure of the racist and seditious BTN courses as these make a total mockery of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s 1Malaysia slogan and concept.
“Why is this so? Who is right then, Najib or Muhyiddin, Hishammuddin, Noh Omar, Shahrizat and Ahmad?”
At last. Anwar stepping up to the plate to be the Leader of PR.
Take the fight to the doorsteps of UMNO. Go on the offensive on UMNO.
Time for Anwar and PR to stake its own territory in the political arena of debate.
Set the national conversation at PR’s own terms.
Geez, he should have done all this some 8-10 months ago.
Frank - November 30, 2009 at 6:56 pm
“In a related development, DAP veteran leader Lim Kit Siang today said the revamp of the BTN curriculum cannot take place if federal ministers keep defending the “racist and destructive” programme. While he welcomed the announcement on the revamp, Lim said many top UMNO ministers “seem to be unaware of this cabinet decision”.
Lim Kit Siang is passed his use-by-date. His demeanor is like a tired old foo. His speeches lack fire and stale.
What nonsense is LKS talking about “welcomining” the revamp of BTN.
SHUT THE BLOODY OUTFIT DOWN!!! That is what we expect PR leaders to talk about, not this wishy-washy comments, ” I welcome BUT..” or ” We support BUT” .
It is politically unsound and neither here nor there. Either DAP or LKS have run out of ideas or run out of stamina to take the fight to the front door of UMNO.
It is time for LKS to call it a day after his views of still supporting BTN despite the racist propaganda of UMNO being channeled via BTN. BTN is so ANTI CHINESE that even LKS is willing to condone.
I thought such comments will come from UMNO’s lap dog MCA, whose association with UMNO means it supports the anti-Chinese BTN all the way .
YB Lim Kit Siang, time to call it a day and let others do the battles. You are tired and you looked tired and stale, as evidence by your current response to the BTN scandal.
Frank - November 30, 2009 at 7:25 pm
correction
Lim Kit Siang has past his use-by-date. His demeanor is like a tired old fool. His speeches lack fire and stale.
Frank - November 30, 2009 at 7:35 pm
All this indicate that the goode olde Najibby’s purported hairline crack in his bald head has become as wide as the Klang River. Its a matter of time before he’s done in by his machais, just like OTK
johnny teoh - November 30, 2009 at 9:16 pm
How well PKR-Pakatan will do at the polls would depend on whether Anwar Ibrahim has allayed the fear and the insecurity of the ordinary Malays. It calls for a delicate balancing job. I don’t think he is doing a good job at it despite the rhetoric.
Mr Bean - November 30, 2009 at 9:51 pm
Honestly if Anwar were to be given more time, he will be able to allay the anxieties of the’ordinary’ Malays, Bean. The question is whether there is enough time…
Frank, if you ask any ‘ordinary’ Chinese who they rather have for a Chinese ‘voice’ in the gomen right now, given those ‘foo.s’ in that unmentionable party and LKS, what would be their answer?
Menyalak-er - November 30, 2009 at 11:16 pm
LKS has been the persistent one and even went into jail for fighting for what is right. Say whatever you like about him, he is a true Malaysian opposition icon and he has done extremely well. His persistence, for eg in the PKFZ fiasco, should be applauded. I still think his contribution is critical and important and I strongly support him!
Sentinel - December 1, 2009 at 12:11 am
“Frank, if you ask any ‘ordinary’ Chinese who they rather have for a Chinese ‘voice’ in the gomen right now….what would be their answer?” – Menyalak-er
Good question !! I don’t really know.
(1)Firstly, I doubt the “ordinary” Chinese would trust any “Chinese” voice in govt…that’s because after 52 years of Chinese representation in Govt, things actually became worse for the community, from being treated as 2nd class to 3 class and than as a Malaysian pariah community by the govt in terms of opportunities in education, business, scholarships, housing and service from govt depts. That’s despite being a community that contributes significantly to the economy as taxpayers because the majority are in business and have to pay taxes.
(2) Anwar? They still have doubts about him Remember, he was a disgruntled UMNO man… Anwar was a player in UMNO politics. The Chinese still hold him responsible for the mess in vernacular/Chinese school education when he was the Education Minister. And whether his “Road to Damascus”, in his 5 years sojourn in prison with compliments of Mahathir has really changed him into a MALAYSIAN leader and not just a Malay leader. The jury is still out on this score.
(3) It would be the most stupid idea if an “ordinary” Chinese would want another CHINESE to represent them because a Chinese rep in govt is useless, hopeless and dysfunctional. The moment a Chinesee rep joins Govt, he gets circumcised and then quickly castrated by those in power and nobody bothers to listen to him/her. That’s what happened to recent MCA presidents. That also include Lee Lam Thye. The Chinese rep will be bribed with a datukship and a Tansri-ship to become another lap dog.
Ng Yen Yen, despite being a Kelantanese Chinese is a disgrace and an opportunist. She should have stuck to being a medical doctor instead of trying to represent the Chinese interest. What nonsense is Ng Yen Yen trying to claim hainanese chicken rice etc as a Malaysian cultural dish??? Ng Yen Yen suffers from some delusion since being made a Wanita MCA Chief.
If you ask me, I would prefer to have TG Nik Aziz to be the voice of the “ordinary” Chinese in govt. You can ask any Kelantanese Chinese, they will trust their lives and the lives of their family in the hands of TG Nik Aziz anytime.
At this point in time, I cannot recommend anybody else to represent the Chinese “voice” in Govt. Least of all Muhyiddin Yassin, a fraud who has no core moral principles of his own and who, eversince becoming a DPM, shows he is more of an empty shell.
Frank - December 1, 2009 at 12:24 am
“LKS has been the persistent one and even went to jail for fighting what is right” – Sentinel
Sentinel,
The operative words in what you said is ‘HAS BEEN”. On that score I agree. LKS is now a “HAS BEEN”. The man is tired and he carried many battle scars. Time to move on. He should spend time nurturing and tutoring the second-liners in DAP and stay in the background and let the younger ones hog the limelight.
Going to jail could be good pretext for political matyrdom.
Having said that, I think his son LGE who went to jail in defense of a young MALAY girl’s moral integrity against an UMNO warlord is truly inspiring. Not many Chinese of his standing would go that far in terms of personal sacrifice. The Malay community at large owes LGE at least this, if not for anything else.
Frank - December 1, 2009 at 12:45 am
Well said, Frank.
But the cantakerous old LKS is still needed in the opposition, although he seems befuddled at times. I would rather he step graciously aside, as the canker of ‘perpetual opposition’ in him will not help. If PR can seize Putrajaya in the next GE, he should have a relatively passive role – as an ‘elder’. Karpal Singh, Tunku Aziz and Chen Man Hin should be also similarly rewarded and respected. Their dreams should have come true by then.
Many are writing off TG Nik presently, because of the perceived shadiness of his SiL and he too can be gullible. He too, should be an elder, and hand over the reins to one of his his acolytes. He truly is a voice of moderation.
I propose a council of elders who should be the guiding light of a New Malaysia. They have fought the good fight and remain standing and accounted for. None should be lost, but neither should they be senior ministers this or that. Encouragement, experience, wisdom and preserverence can still come from them.
Menyalak-er - December 1, 2009 at 1:31 am
Menyalak-er.
TG Nik Aziz should NOT leave now. The Pro UMNO faction is trying to create a mess in PAS to force the old man out.
The only person who has the respect of the grassroot to take on UMNO’s guerilla warfare against PAS is TG Nik Aziz.
TG Nik Aziz expected the attacks on him from within PAS when he decided to call for the removal of the Pro-UMNO faction.
There are forces in PAS who are working gloves in hand with the Kelantan UMNO chaps to bring down TG Nik Aziz and with the silent blessing of President Hadi Awang and Nasharuddin. These forces are the puppets of UMNO in Kuala Lumpur. The fingerprints of Muhyiddin Yassin is all over the place in the latest PAS troubles.
Tg Nik Aziz and Husam Musa are the only stumbling block of getting PAS to work in cahoot with UMNO to further UMNO’s racist Malay agenda. By doing this, UMNO basically kills off PAS as an Islamic party. This is something which even the most stupid political observer will realise, but which people like Hadi Awang, Nasharuddin Mat Isa and Hasan Ali cannot see. Well, they may know it, but their raw amibition of becoming a Minister in an UMNO-PAS government blinds them. These PAS leaders are more interested in their own Personall political ambition and little to do about the faith of PAS. And couple with that, UMNO will give them the RM millions to jump ship.
The UMNO-PAS destabilisng forces ( in PAS they call this secretive outfit the Task Force 2010) are targeting Husam Musa as a way to get at TG Nik Aziz. And preventing Husam to be the next MB of Selangor.
There is new configuration in the latest PAS issue and that is the role of Sheih aka blogger Kickdefella, who was a former chairman of an UMNO Branch in KL (I think Sri Hartamas Branch, I stand corrected). He is a Kelantanese and he joined Husam Musa’s team and as a staff of the MBK in which the CEO is TG Nik Aziz’s son in law. Shieh was sacked in the midst of an investigation into the corrupt practices of Nik Aziz’s son in law. It appears TH Nik Aziz son in law asked his staff to destroy evidence linking him in the corruption taking place in MBK.
TG Nik Aziz was asked to sack his son in law.
Nik Aziz is an old warhorse and he would not go down that easily.
My view, he should stay on and clean up the mess created by Hadi Awang, Nasharuddin Isa and Hasan Ali and then later leave, but NOT now.
LKS, ( likewise similarly Karpal Singh, Chen Man Him etc ) should leave now before he does more damages to his own reputation. His son LGE is ready to take on his fight. And there are others who were brought in for the 2008 GE and they should be allowed to get into the limelight too.
Frank - December 1, 2009 at 10:01 am
Yes, of course, let’s get rid of this old ‘expired’ LKS, for he is bad for DAP and for this country. Because he ‘welcomed the revamp of BTN’? Gee, Frank, I think it’s a bit harsh on a man who’s been thought of a fool in Malaysia, shouting out the injustices when everybody else had given up; who happened to be man enough to tackle the ‘can-do-no-wrong’ megalomanic Mahathir. Frankly, I think LKS doesn’t give a shit about what we think of him, and that he only cares for the country.
barry - December 1, 2009 at 10:27 am
Barry
LKS’s contribution IS recognised. But that does not mean it is not time for him to go when he is tired and losing steam.
LKS does think what WE think of him, that is why he is a politician, not like you and me, where we don’t give a shit what people think of us.
LKS’s latest response to the BTN scandal, not the only one of late, only reaffirms more and more that he is tired and when you are tired and running out of ideas, you do appear to look like a fool.
I am saying he should go when his reputation is still sound. Look at Mahathir. His senility is getting the better of him.
LKS has done his part and time for him to move on and let the younger ones further his fight. He should spend time nurturing others in DAP and teach them the ropes.
There is a time limit to shouting and shouting without the needed result.
Time now to do LESS shouting. SHOUTING is a process but it time for PR (especially DAP) to be more RESULT-ORIENTED in its endeavours.
LKS cannot see himself how well he is now performing. We are his mirrors. He cannot judge himself. We can.
Frank - December 1, 2009 at 11:11 am
Yep Frank, TG Nik Aziz should not step down now. It’s a bumno and ‘conservative’ plot as we are all aware off. The hidden agendas are plain to see.
The same applies to LKS.
My ‘rhetorical’ question was with that useless castrated non-entity supposedly representing “chinese” interests in extremis, would the bumno flurs make bold attempts to make a pack with DAP, not that they haven’t sent out ‘feelers’ in Selangor?
Menyalak-er - December 1, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Frank,
I seriously doubt LKS wants to hang around because he’s got the same kind of manicial ego like the Mamakthir. I am sure he’s also tired of playing the ‘bad guy’ chasing down the monkeys who seem to think that they can get away with anything including murders (hello Jibby, remember Altantuya?). He certainly will never become a CM no matter what, and he’s already been around a long time already, having handed over the role of Opposition Leader to DSAI. If he goes into permanent retirement, then we lose a very good experienced strong voice of conscience in our country – now, can we afford that?
barry - December 1, 2009 at 1:17 pm
Barry
LKS can always channel his voice of conscience THROUGH his proteges, if he chooses to.
LKS can go into physical permanent retirement for politics but he surely can contribute his brains to the younger DAP stalwarts.
Take the LKY road as being done south of Johore and be a mentor to DAP.
I think we can afford to have LKS to retire while still contributing his experience and skills to others. The longer we wait, the longer we will lose the steam in LKS and that we could not afford.
PR politicians must now show that they are politicians that can GOVERN not a politician good at rabble rousing and street-smart for demonstrations. Those days of LKS are gone.
Voters want to see result-oriented actions from PR leaders not “seminar-like” talks and speeches arguing the good and bad about national issues (that should be done by Malaysiakini columnists)trying to convince how brainy PR politicians are. It does not work with the kind of low-IQed Ministers we have in the UMNO-led Govt.
Frank - December 1, 2009 at 1:50 pm