BEFORE Pakatan Harapan (PH) first came into power in May 2018, major issues clouding Malaysia prior to that can be summarised into two main topics.

These were played out constantly and repeatedly by all the opposition parties, the media, Pakatan Rakyat (PR) and then PH, which includes DAP.

The first was the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) financial scandals, which I shall not repeat, with its central figure, Najib Razak, serving his time in jail.

The second issue, which to me is the real factor triggering the swing of Malay votes to PR in 2013 and then PH in 2018, were the ruse and abuse of the ploy in the New Economic Policy (NEP).  

NEP, as we know it, was crafted by Umno in 1971 and was supposed to be implemented for only 20 years. 

It was replaced by the National Development Plan by Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 1991, but with no meaningful changes to the contents of the original NEP.

It has to be pointed out that DAP leaders have, over the years, been very consistent in criticising this policy and also the parallel privatisation schemes advanced by Dr Mahathir for his cronies.

It has been a sore point for DAP but not MCA, Umno’s long-time partner in Barisan Nasional, whose leaders rode along and benefited financially and quietly from behind, in these two rouge policies.

No doubt, Umno felt responsible in both the 1MDB and NEP issues. Any criticism on these two issues, will obviously cut deep into their thick political skin.

It is true that the economic pie in this country, by and large, belongs to the Chinese. The scores of tin mining lands, rubber plantations, city properties and small and medium enterprises are mostly in their hands. 

They worked hard, no doubt, but who helped them progress to such a level?

The Chinese once dominated the commercial and banking sectors, too, until government owned corporations started to move in. 

Take a look at the urban dwellers in Malaysia’s major towns and cities and property ownership structure. 

There were the mainstay of MCA’s branches, leaders and members, long before DAP came along and influenced their political views and outlook.

Statistics don’t lie and the wealth of Chinese communities has been with MCA rather than DAP, even after NEP and NDP came into its implementation.

According to many critics, DAP leaders included, NEP has not only benefited the Umno leaders or the elite Malays, but together with MCA and Chinese-owned corporations behind them.

The sharing of the spoils never went down beyond the divisional leaders of Umno; that’s where the buck stopped, which are indeed very true, while the crumbs trickled down very little and very slowly to the people.

Without highlighting the numerous details on how past Umno leaders benefited financially, the cheating schemes orchestrated by the so-called Umno linked companies and individuals, were rampant. 

They were crafted around these few approaches:

- obtaining 30% shares in corporations which were going for listing exercise, 

- changing land use status from agriculture to residential and commercial, in deep secrecy at state level, 

- getting 10% Bumiputera discount in property purchase,

- obtaining import permits for vehicles, industrial and consumer goods,

- awarding government contracts and procurement,

- setting of private colleges for National Higher Education Fund Corporation funding.

Ali Baba

All of these “so-called helping Bumiputera programmes” are not within the reach of any common B40 bumiputeras but designed for people within the government (MCA and MIC leaders included) and party’s inner circles to reap the benefits.

Major Chinese owned companies and listed entities are found to be behind some of the government projects, contracts and the “so-called” Bumiputera agenda and initiatives. 

“Ali Baba” was not a term coined for joke or for fun. It truly existed among Umno and MCA fellas, and it belies the seriousness of the decay in party politics as well as in government machineries.

Even the recent Jana Wibawa scheme coined by Bersatu under Muhyiddin Yassin and his gang, have many Chinese companies hidden behind those chosen Bumiputera contractors.

So, why is Umno Youth barking at DAP? Are they not aware of their own political history and past events? 

Corruption, cronyism and nepotism

Topics corruption and financial scandals became campaign fodder from the time Anwar Ibrahim was sacked from Umno in 1998 and throughout the general elections from 2004 onwards.

It is true that PKR and DAP combined forces forces then and made it their main agenda to fight against corruption, cronyism and nepotism. It was said these were strong factors to influence Dr Mahathir to retire in 2003. 

Umno Youth may need re-read the history book and get their facts right.

For Umno Youth to resurrect itself at the expense of DAP, their partner in the current government, is not a smart move. 

Using Dr Mahathir’s old formula of making DAP a bogeyman may no longer work.

They have to identify who their opponents are in the state polls.

In this case, they will be better off adopting a campaign strategy against corruption and point out how vulnerable their members were under the short Perikatan Nasional rule. – June 11, 2023. 

* Rosli Khan reads The Malaysian Insight. 

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.