MCA and Gerakan play along with sexist twist in Umno’s agenda
My article was earlier published in TheAntDaily.com on 30/7/2014
When Barisan Nasional (BN) lost its traditional two-thirds majority in Parliament in the last two general elections, the dominant Umno in the ruling coalition began to expound its agenda of race, religion and Malay rulers in a bid to regain lost ground among the Malay Muslim majority as well as to maintain stranglehold in the rural areas.
On certain occasions, Umno managed its race, religion and ruler agenda quite successfully but it still failed to make progress in mostly urban areas. However, it did make a breakthrough in semi-urban areas by prioritising racial and religious issues to confuse voters and split their support.
After some protests from BN coalition partners, mainly MCA, MIC, Gerakan and PPP, on Umno’s increasing dependency on racial and religious extremism, these radical agendas were later subcontracted to a number of far-right radical non-governmental organisations (NGOs), including Perkasa, Isma, Muafakat, Pekida and Jati.
MCA, MIC, Gerakan and PPP did not do well in the last two general elections due to the fact that these BN component parties were unable to stop the rising racial and religious extremism in Umno. Gerakan was wiped out from its Penang power base, MCA was left with only seven parliamentary seats, MIC won only four parliamentary constituencies, and PPP lost all the seats it contested in.
Leaders of MCA, MIC, Gerakan and PPP did blame the Umno overlord for their setbacks but Umno arrogantly hit back by claiming that these BN components had failed the voters with their own poor performances.
So, Umno’s lordship and dominance in the BN coalition continues. So do the racial and religious agendas which by now have been totally subcontracted to a number of radical right-wing NGOs. MCA, MIC, Gerakan and PPP cannot do anything to stop these right-wing NGOs from growing rapidly, as it is very clear that these extremist groups were well sponsored and protected.
But not satisfied with playing the race, religion and ruler card, Umno leaders are now resorting to sexual discrimination by portraying women as unfit to head a government administration.
According to Umno legal adviser Datuk Hafarizam Harun recently, women cannot be appointed a menteri besar because they have period (uzur syarie) and due to that, it would be an obstacle for a woman menteri besar to accompany the Sultan to any religious functions.
After all its right-wing ideas, Umno is now degrading women by using the religion and ruler to justify its lust for power and deny other parties their right to determine their own administration. No wonder women leaders in Umno have never made it to the top in Umno. Most of the Wanita Umno leaders have to be content with merely heading the party’s women’s wing.
The question here is, does Islam really frown upon women taking up such leadership roles or was it a case of man-made rules and interpretations thrown up to fulfil the vested interests of certain quarters? And if religion stands in the way, Umno should prove it by quoting the relevant verses from the Quran.
The Umno legal advisor made this gender discriminating statement following talk that PKR president and Kajang state assemblyman Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail would be nominated as the new Selangor menteri besar to replace the embattled Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim after the Hari Raya celebrations.
But instead of condemning the Umno lawyer for degrading women in such manner, MCA and Gerakan fired salvos at the opposition front Pakatan Rakyat for making too much fuss on the matter, alleging that the rising racial and religious tensions were because of the opposition’s constant twisting of facts and politicising.
Why didn’t MCA and Gerakan take a close look at their BN dominant partner, Umno, which is the one expounding racial and religious extremism? Why didn’t MCA and Gerakan take aim at all those Umno-sponsored right-wing NGOs for threatening our nation with a repeat of May 13 racial riots, political violence and numerous seditious statements that angered all Malaysians? Again, why didn’t MCA and Gerakan pressure Umno to get rid of all those racial and religious extremists within its ranks as well as all those right-wingers out there?
MCA and Gerakan have been harping on ethical politics but we don’t see that in MCA at all, while in Gerakan they preached about a non-racial approach without practising it. And with sexuality being injected as a new element in the ruling party’s politics, these BN component parties again failed to prove their worth by not standing up to Umno on an issue that cuts across the racial divide.
So, does it really make any difference whether MCA or Gerakan leaders are in the cabinet?
When Barisan Nasional (BN) lost its traditional two-thirds majority in Parliament in the last two general elections, the dominant Umno in the ruling coalition began to expound its agenda of race, religion and Malay rulers in a bid to regain lost ground among the Malay Muslim majority as well as to maintain stranglehold in the rural areas.
On certain occasions, Umno managed its race, religion and ruler agenda quite successfully but it still failed to make progress in mostly urban areas. However, it did make a breakthrough in semi-urban areas by prioritising racial and religious issues to confuse voters and split their support.
After some protests from BN coalition partners, mainly MCA, MIC, Gerakan and PPP, on Umno’s increasing dependency on racial and religious extremism, these radical agendas were later subcontracted to a number of far-right radical non-governmental organisations (NGOs), including Perkasa, Isma, Muafakat, Pekida and Jati.
MCA, MIC, Gerakan and PPP did not do well in the last two general elections due to the fact that these BN component parties were unable to stop the rising racial and religious extremism in Umno. Gerakan was wiped out from its Penang power base, MCA was left with only seven parliamentary seats, MIC won only four parliamentary constituencies, and PPP lost all the seats it contested in.
Leaders of MCA, MIC, Gerakan and PPP did blame the Umno overlord for their setbacks but Umno arrogantly hit back by claiming that these BN components had failed the voters with their own poor performances.
So, Umno’s lordship and dominance in the BN coalition continues. So do the racial and religious agendas which by now have been totally subcontracted to a number of radical right-wing NGOs. MCA, MIC, Gerakan and PPP cannot do anything to stop these right-wing NGOs from growing rapidly, as it is very clear that these extremist groups were well sponsored and protected.
But not satisfied with playing the race, religion and ruler card, Umno leaders are now resorting to sexual discrimination by portraying women as unfit to head a government administration.
According to Umno legal adviser Datuk Hafarizam Harun recently, women cannot be appointed a menteri besar because they have period (uzur syarie) and due to that, it would be an obstacle for a woman menteri besar to accompany the Sultan to any religious functions.
After all its right-wing ideas, Umno is now degrading women by using the religion and ruler to justify its lust for power and deny other parties their right to determine their own administration. No wonder women leaders in Umno have never made it to the top in Umno. Most of the Wanita Umno leaders have to be content with merely heading the party’s women’s wing.
The question here is, does Islam really frown upon women taking up such leadership roles or was it a case of man-made rules and interpretations thrown up to fulfil the vested interests of certain quarters? And if religion stands in the way, Umno should prove it by quoting the relevant verses from the Quran.
The Umno legal advisor made this gender discriminating statement following talk that PKR president and Kajang state assemblyman Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail would be nominated as the new Selangor menteri besar to replace the embattled Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim after the Hari Raya celebrations.
But instead of condemning the Umno lawyer for degrading women in such manner, MCA and Gerakan fired salvos at the opposition front Pakatan Rakyat for making too much fuss on the matter, alleging that the rising racial and religious tensions were because of the opposition’s constant twisting of facts and politicising.
Why didn’t MCA and Gerakan take a close look at their BN dominant partner, Umno, which is the one expounding racial and religious extremism? Why didn’t MCA and Gerakan take aim at all those Umno-sponsored right-wing NGOs for threatening our nation with a repeat of May 13 racial riots, political violence and numerous seditious statements that angered all Malaysians? Again, why didn’t MCA and Gerakan pressure Umno to get rid of all those racial and religious extremists within its ranks as well as all those right-wingers out there?
MCA and Gerakan have been harping on ethical politics but we don’t see that in MCA at all, while in Gerakan they preached about a non-racial approach without practising it. And with sexuality being injected as a new element in the ruling party’s politics, these BN component parties again failed to prove their worth by not standing up to Umno on an issue that cuts across the racial divide.
So, does it really make any difference whether MCA or Gerakan leaders are in the cabinet?
