TUN Dr Mahathir Mohamad has left Umno because he does not like the present leadership under Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who he claims is responsible for Barisan Nasional losing its two-thirds majority in Parliament and the loss of five states to Pakatan Rakyat in the general election.

Of course, as chief of the BN, Abdullah has taken responsibility for the election results. He also knows that responsibility does not just end there.

He has to build BN again, restore confidence of the people in the coalition and recover lost ground.

But let us not forget that the landslide victory by BN in the 2004 general election was not so much a vote for BN under Abdullah, but more a vote against the previous BN administration that ran for 22 years, plus the promised “reforms” which BN wanted to implement but did not to a large extent. As a result, the BN took a beating on March 8.

But the people’s perception of Umno today, especially among the Malays and younger generation Malay-sians, was not formed overnight. And how and why Umno came to be regarded as such today did not happen overnight either.

For 22 years, Dr Mahathir shaped Umno and its culture according to his mould. He ran the party with an iron fist.

His autocratic ways are well known to Umno members who seemed unable to do much about it. Those who tried to differ or played devil’s advocate were not popular and were pushed aside. Those who gave undivided or blind loyalty to him were well rewarded.

The culture of patronage grew in Umno during his stewardship. The consequences have manifested in many areas and in various forms in his administration, but all of them began to be uncovered only when the man responsible was no longer in the driver’s seat.

Abdullah tried to undo some of these things in the name of transparency and accountability and in so doing, became a candle that gives light to others but at the cost of burning itself.

In short, Dr Mahathir must take the responsibility as well for the setbacks suffered by Umno and BN in the elections. It is sad to see, at least for now, that what is happening to Umno is exactly what is happening to Dr Mahathir in his twilight years.

But Umno is not an individual, nor does it belong to any individual. Umno lives and thrives because it belongs to its members. As long as its members exist and remain united, Umno will be there.

Leaders can come and go but Umno remains. Umno must now reappraise and reinvent itself, as pointed out by one of the party’s former deputy presidents, Tun Musa Hitam.

Umno has to go back to the basis of its struggle. Its roots are in the rural areas where poverty still exists and the majority of the poor, in this case the Malays and other Bumiputeras, live.

Its culture and work ethic among its members must change to meet global challenges and the aspirations of the younger generation. Umno leaders who want to have positions in the party must be there to serve the rakyat and not to get rich.

Umno must walk the talk on asset declaration of its members of parliament and state assemblymen.

For the Malays, Umno is their only saviour and come what may, the Malays will ensure its survival. Its true leader always emerges naturally among its midst, not through any internal pressure or external influence.

The change in leadership had always been smooth and carried out in the Malay way — conforming to its customs and etiquette, which non-Malays find difficult to comprehend sometimes.

Although we feel sad that Dr Mahathir has left Umno, we know that it was his decision and his way. He is a Machiavellian, for whom the ends always justifies the means.

Umno should look upon his departure as a passing incident and move on.

AHMAD SIDEK, Petaling Jaya

Source: NST – May 23, 2008