Hear the cries of young Malays, leaders urged

Acting Bandar Tun Razak Umno division head Rahim Baba called on Malay leaders from the ruling and opposition coalitions to sit down together and heed “the pleas of the young Malays.”

Speaking at the division’s extraordinary general meeting (EGM) at Technology Park Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur today, Rahim pleaded for leaders from Umno, PKR and PAS - between which Malays are mostly divided - to deliberate on Malay ‘survival’ and relevance.

“We have to admit that the position of the Malays has become increasingly shaken. Today we can sit in this hall. But we cannot be sure if we can continue to be sitting where we are now.

“Five years (until the next general election is due) is not a long time. Do we want one day in the future that (more) people from other races to become menteri besar? To become chief ministers? Even to become prime minister?

“Whatever the situation we are facing now, if we cannot face these current tribulations, what will happen when power is no longer in our hands? Today we can still walk tall, but tomorrow or next year or in the next 10 years, power may not be still in our hands if this situation continues,” said Rahim.

Hear the cries

Rahim said that he was calling “on behalf” of the Bandar Tun Razak division as well as the EGM delegates for Umno president Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, his deputy Najib Razak, former president Dr Mahathir Mohamad, former vice-president Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang and PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim to discuss the challenges facing Malays.

“Hear the cries made by our Malay young since the 1980s,” he pleaded.

Bandar Tun Razak is the fourth Umno division after Muar, Batu Pahat and Cheras to hold an EGM to discuss the results of the March 8 general election, which saw unprecedented wins for opposition parties in Parliament.

Aside from Kelantan which was retained by PAS, Kedah, Penang, Perak and Selangor saw their state legislative assemblies falling to PAS, DAP and PKR - collectively now known as Pakatan Rakyat.

Today’s meeting by Rahim’s division - which was attended by 289 delegates from 58 branches - was held despite the ‘advice’ from the Umno supreme council against divisions and branches holding EGMs to discuss party problems.

On the issue, Rahim said he hoped the top leadership did not see today’s event as being disrespectful of the council.

He admitted that he had received calls from friends and fellow division members concerned about “defying” the supreme council.

“While we hold in high regard and respect that advice, we are certain that the supreme council will respect the decisions that we make today,” he said.

Among the three resolutions tabled at the EGM, two were to support Abdullah, who is also prime minister and to support Federal Territory Umno liaison chief Zulhasnan Rafique, who is also federal territory minister.

“The easiest thing in this world to do is to see the faults that lie in other people, while the hardest thing is for us to see our own shortcomings,” said Rahim.

“We do not want to talk of leadership change. Let us talk of fully supporting the top leadership so that this struggle can continue,” he added.

The division also called for the amendment of the Umno constitution by abolishing clauses 9.5 and 15.5 pertaining to the imposition of nomination quotas on those seeking to contest party posts at the supreme council and divisional levels.

We must have the best

Rahim said the ‘quota system’ in the education and business fields - which aimed at enabling Malays to catch up with non-Malays - had become detrimental to Malays themselves because it prevented Malays from competing freely even among themselves.

Instead of allowing for the most able Malays to come out on top and into leadership positions, it become ingrained among Malays themselves to set aside seats and positions for certain classes of Malays, he said.

“We cannot have the best emerging if we continue with this quota system... We want free competition. We want Malays who are able to compete in whatever situation. For a start, let Malays compete among themselves.

“Don’t allow for such a system that allots for certain ‘Rajaputra’, this (quota) is for ‘Umnoputras’, this (quota) is for ‘civil-servant-putras’. This is the pleading (of the grassroots). This is among the reasons we flopped in the general election,” said Rahim, whose statements were met with resounding applause.

While almost all delegates agreed on the motion to call for the abolition of the quota system, disagreements were voiced regarding support for Abdullah and Zulhasnan.

While some called for Abdullah to state an “exit plan”, others wanted Zulhasnan to “take responsibility” for Umno’s poor electoral performance in the Federal Territory.

After the day-long debate, however, a consensus was reached to approve all three resolutions and to forward them to the top Umno leadership.

“The dissenting views together with the three resolutions will be brought to its attention,” Rahim told Malaysiakini.

Watch the 6-minute video in Malaysiakini.tv.