Another day on the Farm

If all this news about Pak Lah’s ‘secret’ meetings with PAS members on Malay unity and Islam seem like a clever political strategy, smart-alecky UMNO types should think again. It has once again revealed the hollowness in the PM’s post-March 8 announcement that he has ‘heard’ what the rakyat was saying. Instead it has only confirmed that UMNO is still in denial or is bankrupt of ideas, or both. Sure, Malaysian politics is coloured by racial and religious sentiments, but the whinging sounds painfully like a broken record and it's high time we change it.

What does the ordinary person make of all these?

• BN is not serious about reforms or moving the nation forward. They’re simply moving furniture.

• UMNO still calls the shots and everyone else better call them ‘Uncle.’ Or else.

• UMNO isn’t really interested in seeing a united Malaysia nor the emergence of Bangsa Malaysia. Neither are the component parties.

• The Islamists in UMNO (and certainly in PAS) still hold the trump card, so watch what they do and not what they say.

• There is no spin more damning than the one that says Bumiputra ‘rights’ will not disadvantage other races.

• There can be no unity without equality.

I have read Animal Farm.