PAS President Abdul Hadi Awang has called on UMNO to join PAS instead. An olive branch has been offered to UMNO to join PAS and save themselves from disintegration. But has UMNO considered the offer seriously? What is so wrong for UMNO to join PAS? Isn’t it UMNO’s dream to be united with PAS?
Like SNAP, UMNO just has to leave the Barisan Nasional and deregister the party. Then call on all UMNO members to resign. UMNO members can then join PAS to fight for Islamic Unity as they have professed to do. They should also not vie for party posts in PAS, and it us up to the PAS Supreme Council to determine which ex-UMNO leaders should run in the next election. And if ever they fail to get enough votes they should not vie for Cabinet posts as well.
The criteria for membership in PAS should be that: UMNO leaders who wish to join PAS must accept PAS’s political struggle. Proclaim their affirmation of the Islamic Faith and to uphold the sanctity of Islam. They must also be prepared to fight for social injustice, as well as for all races in the country. Can they accept such a struggle or is it just talk?
Declare assets and be corruption-free
They also have to declare their assets and be free of corruption. PAS does not want recurring sinners contaminating the party. They must declare their will to discard racist mentality and to uphold Islamic principles that guarantees equality among all races. They must also assist PAS to bridge the racial divide and assure equal opportunities based on meritocracy. UMNO cannot continue to champion unequal rights and get away with it.
They must be able to accept Pakatan Rakyat’s struggle for Nationalism, Racial Equality and a Competent, Accountable and a Transparent Government
There should not be any remnants of UMNO in PAS, should they wish to merge.
Immediate on the list would be the dismantling of the Executive, Judiciary and Legislative so that these 3 bodies can be independent of itself.
With UMNO, Pakatan can control 90% of Parliament
In doing so, Pakatan Rakyat will be strong enough to take over the government with at least 90 per cent of the seats. A BN without UMNO will be helpless to take on PR. This will also rid this country of all the old leaders that have overstayed their welcome. With new leaders taking over, Malaysia will be transformed into a vibrant democratic nation with a prosperous future.
But will UMNO leaders resign to join PAS? Why should PAS join UMNO? Malays are not divided. Enlightened Malays join PAS and PKR to fight for injustice against the Malay race. UMNO has failed to improve the lot of the Malays, and that is the reason that Malays are flocking to PAS and PKR. It has a lot to do with religion, as UMNO has many a time interpreted the religion to suit their political agenda. Their consistent degradation of the religion has made many Malays displeased.
Muslims under PAS hope to see a new era in Islamic freedom, free of the shackles that thwart Islamic thought. Freedom to practise their faith without radical interpretations and freedom to live an Islamic way of life as Muslims see fit without the hypocrisy attached to it. With such enlightenment, Muslims hope to see more non-Malays attracted to the greatness and compassion of the Religion. More than anything, Muslims truly want Islam to be respected for its true essence, and placed highly where it belongs.
Pointless to hold onto a divided Malaysia
UMNO fails to see that holding on to a divided Malaysia will not solve any problem. It is only a recipe for disaster. It is also the reason why Malaysians are running away from UMNO. Their stubborn insistence of race based politics has finally brought about their downfall.
Malays have also seen a lot of injustice done in the past to their race, and to the Non Malays. Religion is being used indiscriminately by UMNO to suit their agenda, enslaving the Malays and Muslims unconsciously. Pitting religion to muscle in on constitutional rights has made many Malays and Non Malays unhappy.
50billion ringgit of the 52billion ringgit earmarked for the Malays have gone missing. 50billion ringgit is not much compared to the 888billion ringgit that has left Malaysian shores. But 50billion is equivalent to 50,000 Malay millionaires. Assuming only 100 Malays down line, from immediate families, to friends and colleagues benefit from the economic stimulation of each millionaire, 5 million Malays would have stood to benefit from this economic stimulus. That would have made the 30 percent needed by the NEP for Malays economic participation more attainable many years back.
The General Election is very close. UMNO can still reconsider PAS’s generous offer for a better Malaysia.
- Malaysia Chronicle
Written by Iskandar Dzulkarnain, Malaysia Chronicle
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