Let’s Learn From GERAKAN if we deny SAPP

Gerakan to review place in BN
Party gives coalition time frame for reforms before it takes any action
The Borneo Post Press (Saturday, 6th Sept 2008)

KOTA BAHARU: Gerakan will review its position in Barisan Nasional (BN) if the component parties, especially Umno, fail to bring about change to restore people’s confidence in the ruling coalition, acting party president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon said.

Stressing that Gerakan was no ‘yes man’ party, Koh, however, said the party would not be hasty and would give a ‘reasonable’ time before taking any action.

He said Gerakan would continue to demand for reforms and change in BN but if the efforts failed, the party would review its position in BN.

“We won’t be hasty in our actions.

We are a responsible party, so the time frame given will be reasonable before taking action,” he told reporters after opening the Kelantan Gerakan delegates’ conference here yesterday.

Koh, who is also former Penang chief minister, said BN’s symbol, the scale, which represented justice and unity for all races, must be imbibed by all BN component parties.

Koh said what Gerakan wanted was a change in attitude and approach, as well as reviving the spirit of consultation that was fairer among the BN components so that all the parties’ voices would be heard and taken into consideration for the BN agenda.

“There need to be a change in many other aspects. The BN’s symbol of the scale denotes fairness and equality, and this needs to be put into practice in all fields.

This is the original spirit of BN, but perhaps after some time because we are so busy with our things and think more about ourselves, we forget (about this spirit).”

He said initial efforts had been made by Gerakan to bring about change in BN but it was still too early to see the results.

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Democracy should grow from within. Democracy is for the people by the people. Somehow democracy can be interpreted in many ways according to certain country. In Thailand, the meaning of democracy has brought up to several power seizure and riots. In southern region, the Muslims and Buddhist killing among them to proclaim the greatness of democracy and it never ended. In Indonesia, few years ago, democracy brought students to the street to protest Suharto and there came GOLKAR to rule under Megawati. In Asia region, democracy seems to be confusing when politics practiced democracy by itself only and ignore the people’s participation. People are not free to vote for their leader and have to keep a low quality leader to rule the country. As a result, the country will never be in such a stable environment and condition because the leader and his or her team could not cope with the people demands.

SAPP was the first BN coalition party to review their role in BN under Yong Teck Lee. Somehow, to proof that SAPP was wrong, there were several “sudden” development done by UMNO Sabah. This including the “Clean Kota Kinabalu from illegal immigrant” project by Najib in order to please SAPP. Somehow, UMNO and BN should have a very solid answer to the “Project IC” which made the Kadazan-Dusun as a minority in Sabah. PBS was once very strong under opposition bench to fight Berjaya and UMNO. Once they join Barisan Nasional, we have Pairin in the washroom and Jeffery outside the house. These two brothers are fighting very hard to regain Sabah from exploitation and discrimination. PBS has no choice but to join BN since the Kadazan-Dusun need their voice to be heard in Parliament. During Mahathir’s era, Sabah has fewer problems because they have no complaint compare to this time. Should PBS and UPKO merge to form a strong alliance and throw UMNO out? As long as there is “Project IC” Sabah will have to bear suffering under UMNO. It was a horrible mistake for Tun Mustapha to pawn Sabah to UMNO. To me, UMNO is a disaster to Sabah instead of the answer to racial problem before. We have seen how UMNO ruined Terengganu under Idris Jusoh and Khairy Jamaluddin and therefore, Sarawak should learn from these two states (Sabah and Terengganu).

I do believe that GERAKAN has been suffered since Lim Keng Yaik time. Koh Tsu Koon has been removed intentionally by BN (Pak Lah and Khairy) in order to make Penang as UMNO’s state. Somehow, it was a misfortune move and Penang fell into opposition. There are fractions in Barisan Nasional which Abdullah could not see at all. His eyes are blocked by those who are not concern to the country political condition. This including those who still “support” him to be the PM until 2010. I do agree with Tun’s idea to ask Pak Lah to resign to let Barisan Nasional to be restructured and reform. Anwar Ibrahim is not a threat if UMNO could co-operate with MIC, MCA, GERAKAN, PBS, UPKO, PBB, PRS, SUPP and other coalition parties. Permatang Pauh’s election has shown the beginning of the Barisan Nasional. No, it’s not the beginning, 8^th March was the beginning. Some called it political tsunami. MIC and MCA are now under struggle as UMNO tried to tightened back NEP and Malay agenda in the national economy and politic. UNMO should reconsider and appreciate the contribution of other races in the national economic growth especially the Chinese and Indians.

Barisan Nasional is now has to repay all those lost that they have made to it coalition party. I did not see any 12 storey MIC and MCA building but I seen it in Sabah (near by Wawasan Plazza). For the Sabahan, it is not a sign of legacy for UMNO but a sign of invasion as PBS and SAPP do not have such thing in Kota Kinabalu. In Sarawak, UMNO goes underground due to Taib’s policy not to allow UMNO in Sarawak. I do not know why but soon after his death, the worm will come out to the ground surface. UMNO must stop it arrogant and accept other race to enjoy the national prosperity. As GERAKAn feel as a step son, this year National Day theme (Unity is foundation of Success) seem to be meaningless.

UMNO cannot create a nation building by itself without putting other races at the same line. NEP and special right are the issue that failed nation building too. They should stop saying Chinese and Indian as immigrant and the aborigines as “Sakai”. Malaysia is now facing another phase of development which is ideology development. We are no more bind by “special” authority but by human right ideology where we should share everything in common such as university enrollment, government tenders and so forth.

Malaysia for Malaysian will only success if it is an ideology and not political propaganda by Pakatan Rakyat. We should know why PAS could not cope with DAP and Keadilan few month ago. “Muqabalah” between UMNO and PAS was a political gimmick since we cannot form an Islamic country too. Hope that PAS will not review its place in Pakatan Rakyat as Anwar is moving into the house of Parliament. Is there gonna be vote of no confident to him? We should support SAPP earlier to give Pak Lah vote of no confident due to his lack of leadership. We will have to accept the fact that this year we will have less foreign investor due to a chronic political situation. If Tun Mahathir, who loved UMNO wholeheartedly before this can resign from UMNO, it means that the people have to decide Pak Lah position. Pak Lah should now respect the way democracy works in Malaysia. Democracy must be restored back to the people as it is not evolved by it self but by the people who believe in it.