Why UMNO does what it does
By Sakmongkol AK47
A question was posed to me a week ago, why do UMNO leaders resort to inflammatory rhetoric during elections? Why must a sense of raw and uncompromising Melayuness be invoked every time an election is held?
The answer to me lies possibly in the fact that UMNO leadership is clueless as to what NOW,must be the clarion call to mobilise Malay support. Can it use economics to rally support? No because its economic policies by and large have benefited a small group- the super 30 which has since sold out to become anywhere between the super 19-20. Can it use the esoteric ideas of democracy, rule of law and so forth to win the lumpenproeltariat over? No because, what UMNO has done would contradict those ideals and because these things are of no practical value to the vast majority.
Hence they must go deep to reach the reservoir of Malay support. The only areas they know, which could rekindle that spirit of oneness is to couch their calls in a fighting mode- suggesting that Malay interests are imperilled.
