If UMNO is "racist" and PKR is not, why is Anwar not a PKR member?

Azmin smiling at the press conference after the Black 14 event. Perhaps, Anwar teasing him as he usually does when they are both on the same stage

I picked up the news of Azmin's accusation to label UMNO as a racist party in the blog Depa Kata here.

On a political podium, one can say anything. The people who normally goes to political rallies are simpleton and naive. They generally take everything said by those on the podium "hook, line, and sinker". Is it the truth? Is it the way politics, in this case PKR's politics, supposed to be?

According to Azmin's logic, Malay-based UMNO is racist and so-called multiracial-based PKR is not. If that is what he and Anwar is championing, why then is Anwar only Advisor of PKR and not member or office bearer of PKR?

Azmin's positioning into UMNO

Ah ... Azmin.

He has yet rid his old bad habit of willing to stoop low to attain position and power. My senior from boarding school was a victim of his endless quest. It happened at the University of Wisconsin (or was it Minnesota, I forgot). That was how he gained Anwar's attention.

And, another irrelevent story about Azmin is he was smitten by my Junior, when she was doing her Masters in University of Syracuse. But I didn't study at Syracuse, though. Azmin met Shamsidar and was blessed with many children.

When he said those words about UMNO, did he realised what he said?

Azmin's late father, Pak Ali, the Ulu Klang Quran teacher could never, even if he sold all the assets he accumulated in his whole lifetime, be able to send his son to a University in US to study Economics. He went there on the so-called "racist" policy which UMNO translated from the Article 153 of the Constitution.

When those policies were formulated, it was approved by an all-race consultative committee (inclusive of ruling and opposition political parties, except DAP (I believe)) formed by the late Tun Abdul Razak from the aftermath of the racial riot of 1969.

Azmin was willing to stab on my friend to gain access and attention of Anwar to enable him to be in position in UMNO. He never had any notion of multipluralism or multiculturalism. Today he is in PKR and spewing all these rhetorics because he is beholden and loyal to Anwar.

As for Anwar, his aim in life is to be Prime Minister without care of what he champion for and the cost on the people and the nation.

Adakah sungguh bagai dikata, Azmin?

Blogger Jeanbara claimed Azmin is not being fair. He was a part of UMNO and used to utter the same claim and defense of UMNO's struggle. Azmin should not stop at UMNO, but MCA, MIC and even those political parties and NGOs claiming to fight for multiracial agenda but whose members and causes are racial.

Blogger Pasquale reported Azmin saying here that it is better to have a non Malay if he is trustworthy. That makes him not a racist and willing to express such words. "If what Azmin said is true than for so many years that he was with Umno and Anwar Ibrahim, he was also a racist."

But since Azmin is not in UMNO, he dare such words. That is PKR, but what about PKN or Parti Keadilan Nasional. Remember the same flag without the red lining at the sides?

Ezam claimed that PKN was multiracial but Malay based. He left it when Anwar return and put aside the "Malay agenda" and the "Malay dominance" make-up of PKN into so-called multiracial PKR. At least that is what Ezam and many of those, who left PKR to rejoin UMNO, claim.

Race-base or racism?

The usual rebuttal to what I have to say would be to nit pick and highlight some wayward UMNO leaaders and members uttering stupidity. I would expect some commentators to do so. They will make simplistic generalisation of something complex. Frankly, I can even anticipate who will comment.

I wonder whether Azmin with an Economics degree from University of Wisconsin (my indirect way of saying he didn't go as great a University as mine), could distinguish between racist or racism and race-based.

UMNO is Malay based, MCA is Chinese based, MIC is Indian based, and etc, but BN is multi-racial based. Does having a race-base party means one is racist? If the party is race based but the coalition is multiracial, is it racist? In case, Azmin forget UMNO's objective in its constitution, it mention struggling for the Malays and also it mention struggling for the interest of all races in Malaysia.

I don't know about other political parties. But how about Pakatan Rakyat? Opps .. Pakatan Rakyat don't exist. Just like Hindraf, it is not registered. So we see how the component parties in Pakatan Rakyat stack up.

PAS is an Islamic party with quite a few non-Malay Muslim as wakil rakyat, but it is Malay-based. DAP is multiracial, like Gerakan, but it is Chinese base and fighting for its electoral Chinese interest but sugar coated with fancy words of equality, justice, human rights, etc. PKR can claim to be multiracial because it's racial composition is not known. Intrestingly, the viewing terrace at their conference in Seremban was mostly filled with Indians.

Anwar about to spread his wings to fly but ...

PKR seemed to be fighting for the Chinese, Indians, Sabahan and Sarakian natives, but how about for the Malays. For PKR, fighting for the Malays is racists. Defending the Malay's rights and interest an dstruggling for the Malays, although it is slowly waning, is UMNO's area. So for that we must call them racist.

For politics and votes sake, PKR needs to label UMNO as racist. PKR do not defend Malay, so they are not racist. To PKR, Malays are already rich, affluent, and highly educated. But not the Indians, Sabahan and Sarawakian natives, and especially the poverty stricken Chinese. Thats just mocking PKR.

In reality, UMNO can't afford to be racist. When a decision is made at Governmental level, all parties representing the various races concern are at the same table to discuss. All the interest of various races, community and the nation is taken into account. No party can carry out programs for it's own race without getting consterning gaze from the other parties.

It is not "sama rata sama rasa" as per Lee Kuan Yew's crying call when he was leading PAP in Malaysia. It is also not "Liberté, Fraternité, Equalité", the crying call of the French revolution that became the philosophical basis for Western democrasy. (Note: No mention of Justice)

But in a society where in reality, principle and interest, and other social variables are demarcated along racial lines, that Eastern cultural arrangement of compromise, give-and-take, and benevelonce had worked. Should it remain and continue? Should we ignore the inter-racial disparities and move for other approach?

Now come the gun powder.

Anwar not a PKR member

Anwar receiving a gift on Black 14 night but ...

PKR claim it is multiracial, more Malaysian, and promote "Justice for All" and "The Malaysian Dream" (Doesn't it sound American?). They are "the Great Malaysian Hope" (a pun of the American slogan, "the Great White Hope"). All Malaysians should support them.

They are fighting corruption (but some of their leaders were equally corrupt). They fought for all causes - Hindraf, Islam fundamentalism, anti ISA, free speech, freedom of the press, openness, liberal economic policy, etc.

They pursue the interest of the rakyat (people), believe in empowering the rakyat, and should be the Government of the rakyat. People power, the common slogan and cliche of revolutions. But revolutions are merely changing tyrants and a period of pre- and post revolution of anarchy.

Thats what Anwar and PKR claim. Thats the generalisation without elaboration for the simple folks. Thats the easy to be taken in sloganeering. But what is actually behind the scene? Are they what they preach? Have they shed their UMNO skin entirely? (Kak Min have lots to say about Dato Zaharian) What is the realpolitik at work?

I know of few friends who met Anwar in person. In his attempt to persuade some of them to join PKR, he revealed that he is not a PKR member. Last year, and I've written about it, Anwar was visited by few ex-UMNO Members of Parliament. He admited he is not a PKR member and wants to return to UMNO but was vehemently opposed.

There are also sympathisers in UMNO seeking his return. Their basis is the ubiquitous call for Malay Unity.

I am sure many would deny. One foreign press man said he asked Anwar in a press conference and he acknowledged his membership. But I don't see the story anywhere.

If Anwar can announce with the pomp and pageantry, God knows whether it is true, of 320 UMNO members joining PKR in Perlis, why is his application for PKR membership lost in silence?

The post-event press conference ... but no membership form was handed in public.

The best time should have been on the night of April 14th, 2009 or what was dubbed as Black 14. He was eligible to return to politics but why was there no handing of membership form to PKR President, Wan Azizah? I was there the whole night and even was even inside the packed press conference, was there no funfair made out of his entry into PKR. Go to Jinggo's here for pictures.

If he could make a big drama at the Turkish Embassy, non existence of 31 BN MPs jumping ship, removal of Penang Deputy Chief Minister, Perak constitutional crisis, and many others, why can't he make a media event of his PKR membership?

The thing is Azmin, Anwar is not a PKR member and he wants to return to UMNO, the party you claimed as "racist". I dare you to show documents of his membership. His sympathisers in UMNO need to move on. While, I do not wish to see him back in UMNO.

For another dash of gunpowder, Anwar said on the podium on Black 14 to claim he defended Article 152 and 153. How do one defend Article 153? By denying their rights and priotitising others' rights? I wonder.

Maybe he said those to please the largely Malay crowd and he still have yearning to return to UMNO.