Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's speech at the recent Umno convention in Kelantan, especially about ways for Kelantan Umno to revitalise and energise in order to return and capture Kelantan in the next general election, prompted this thought from me.

As an Umno member I agree that Umno is in dire need of fresh new blood. But not at the expense of some old but meritorious leaders who deserve to be continually supported if so chosen and retained by the members.

This new echelon of cadre need to be seen by ordinary voters like myself as one who fights for principles, not self-promotion and indulgence, greed, corruption and personal wealth, all of which ordinary people in Kelantan tend to stereotype the present Umno wannabe leader as personifying.

Umno leaders tend to come calling only during election time. They tend to regard themselves as above approach and more shockingly, they also view themselves as above the law. For example, when the law caught up with them for unpaid speeding fines, ordinary folks like myself have to take off a day from work to stand in line simply to settle the fines but Umno leaders had the audacity to suggest that simply because they drive expensive and more powerful cars, the present speed limits need to be increased to justify their driving such cars!

What are Umno leaders thinking? Do they realise what people talk about in the local coffee shops when they read such news? Arrogant is perhaps too kind a word to describe the ruling politico. This does not translate well to ordinary voters and is perhaps the reason why more and more young voters are turning away from Umno.

At the same time, Umno needs to broaden its perspective. I am puzzled as to the reasons why Umno is trying to outdo PAS' antics. The leadership is so engrossed with devising plans to outdo what PAS has already begun. Reacting is following, not leading. I think they are not worth Umno's energy for we ordinary rakyat can see through all the charades.

Young voters who are mostly bumiputera and Muslims are turning away from Umno not because they think Umno is fighting for Islam and/or Malay Malaysians less than PAS, but because of their disgust with the top-down cultural milieu in Umno: the party does not cherish participatory and meritorious involvement of its members but is actively engaged in dictating a host of things from the colour of your dress for a party function to a host of inconsequential rituals of hailing the leaders to even electing or not electing the party president and deputy president. Where is my input as an ordinary member? Do I as an ordinary member in Umno really matter?

In order to re-energise and revitalise the old spirits of Umno, perhaps Umno needs to take a leap and start a revolution of sort. Umno needs to widen its missions and expand its visions in order to glue the citizens to its cause. Perhaps Umno can lead the country in fighting for all Malaysians instead of one select group of citizens. Umno should lead the country in adhering to the original Malaysian constitutional framework.

We should fight to remain and retain the very foundation of how Malaysia was established, i.e., a secular tripartite system of government. That system provides adequate checks and balances — not the present one with an overly powerful domineering executive branch that leaves judiciary and legislative branches somewhat impotent.

Perhaps it is about time for Umno to revive Onn Jaafar's ideas of opening its door to all Malaysians regardless of race or religion. Umno could very well take the lead in this task, i.e., put Malaysia's interests at heart, not just one segment of the population to the exclusion of other Malaysians.

This provides an excellent platform for Umno to say that it has grown from a party of a narrow Malay base to that of enlarged Malaysian base. As we grow, we expand our horizons, we undertake more risks and responsibilities and plus, communal politics has no place in a diverse nation like Malaysia. This is an opportune time for a revolusi .

Umno needs to return to a true democratic tradition. Do away with the rules that enable top leadership to stay on without being challenged. The last thing we need is a Malaysian version of Saddam Hussein's autocratic style of ruling. If leaders are voted in based on a fair democratic process, they carry more moral authority which empowers them even more.

Presently, there appears to be a lot of unhappiness among rank and file because they are excluded in participatory democratic process in choosing who their leaders should be. The present leaders were shoved down their throats by top leadership (Abdullah included) and they may or may not be the choice of an ordinary Umno members like myself.

Why is Umno so afraid of in ordinary voters and members like me voicing our opinion? Who is to say that my opinion merits less consideration simply because I am just an ordinary member while that of a minister or deputy minister merits consideration? Remember Zam's Brad Pitt fiasco

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Umno needs to make its leadership more transparent, i.e., do away with self-serving, corrupt and arrogant leaders and those so out-of-touch with the real world that they do not know how to keep their stupid mouths shut but think they are modern-day caliphs. Young Malaysians have had enough of their antics and that is one of the many reasons why they are staying away from Umno.

Umno needs to return to a party of fair competition and one that rewards excellence based on merit regardless of background as long as they are Malaysians. For example, cabinet ministers should be selected based on their (excellent) performance in their portfolios. They should be evaluated on their competence.

As an Umno member since 1978, I salute Mahathir for his many splendid accomplishments. At the same time, I think he is also instrumental in diluting the influence of the judiciary and legislative branches of the government, and instilling the present father-knows-best cultural milieu in Umno and the country which, in the long run, does more harm than good to us. Take my opinion as just that — that of an ordinary Umno member.