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UMNO has given up its reform agenda!
Malaysian Socialist Party Press Release - March 26, 2009
After the humiliating March 8 election results, there appeared for a short time some sort of remorseful within UMNO and Barisan Nasional. The ruling party then wanted to make some reforms and amends and made some critical decision to win back the confidence of the voters. It appears that the people had punished BN for its 50 years rule, marred with corruption, bad governance, mismanagement and repression. For many component parties within the BN, this was the time to start all over again. It was a time to repent.
This period also saw many non-UMNO BN parties voicing their grievances openly and calling for UMNO to be more participatory and hear the voices of the people. Some non UMNO BN parties in fact went further in even calling for the ISA to be repealed or reviewed.
As for UMNO itself, many quarters within wanted changes. Badawi formed what he called a reformed cabinet and brought in people like Zaid Ibrahim into the cabinet. During this short period, the Government apologized to the five judges sacked in the 1988 Judiciary crisis which was a black mark in the country's Judiciary history. The Government even paid them compensation. The party also allowed a more free hand to the media and approved Berita Keadilan license and allowed Harakan to be printed twice weekly. The Government also allowed PSM to be registered after a ten years struggle. There were also other moves to make the ACA more independent and form an Independent Commission to appoint Judges.
The little reforms brought by UMNO and BN did not make the party popular and in fact BN and UMNO had lost in every by-election since the General Election. The people continued to vote opposition and we were willing to gamble their future to the newly formed Pakatan Rakyat (PR)
Now as we move to the imminent era of Najib's Prime Ministership, we see that UMNO has given up in its reform agenda. It is very clear that Najib would use everything and all means to stay in power. During the dark ages of Mahathir rule, every Institution from the Police, Judiciary, the ACA, Election Commission (EC) were used to help him rule the nation with an iron fist.
Today we see similar patterns and these are not coincidents. We see how the newly formed Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) making statements and harassing State Assembly's Rights and Privileges Committee members of the PR Government, we see how Anwar case gets transferred from the Session Court to the High court, we see how Gobind has been removed from Parliament, we see how the Election Commission (EC) is fixing election dates and recently denying PSM to use its fist logo, we see how bloggers are charged in court recently, we see how FRU and water cannon was unleashed on peaceful gathering and now we see how Harakah and Berita Keadilan getting their newspapers banned for three months.
It only goes to prove what is expected from our next Prime Minister. As one Kelantan delegate Mohd Affendi Yusof said in the UMNO Youth Assembly yesterday that now is not the time for UMNO to be soft and patient, and said it was time the party uses force to crush its Pakatan rivals. "We cannot be soft anymore. We must use force. And we will use it immediately after the annual general assembly ends," This is the reality gripping our politics today.
Is the rakyat and the Opposition parties going to take this kneeling down or are we going to fight back with our clenched fist. The recent political development demands that the people play a pertinent role and push for all total change or end up losing everything.
Parti Sosialist Malaysia (PSM) is determined to work hard with the Opposition forces to put to an end BN's rule in Malaysia. We will mobilise our people and front organization to work hard to defeat BN in the coming by-elections. This is a critical period where we have to stand united to face the oppressor.
Freedom and democratic rights are things which are worth fighting and sacrificing for.
Struggle we shall, win we will!
Released by S. Arutchelvan
Secretary General
Tel: 019-2537791
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