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The SAR debate: UMNO self-destructs

UMNO HAS THIS INEXPLICABLE DESIRE TO SELF destruct. It is an old problem. It has gone worse in recent months as it renews itself, against great odds and without knowing how. It took a fatal decision in the past year to challenge PAS, not on the truth of its agenda and policies, but on Islamic dominance in a multi-racial society. Until now, UMNO had represented the Malay cultural constituency in which Islam plays a large part, against a PAS which insists Islam must supercede Malay cultural practices. A debate which continues to divide Malay political thinking and thought. What has changed if the realigning of political orientations. UMNO has adopted the PAS agenda. It is in the differences that each campaigns for the Malay soul. The difficulty with the UMNO position is that this drift towards an Islamic state was made off the cuff by the Prime Minister, Dato' Seri Mahathir Mohamed, in headmasterly righteousness, and pretty soon a lamb is led to slaughter in the tiger's den.

That happened over the weekend (15 March 03). The government had earlier withdrew funds from the Sekolah Agama Rakyat (the People's Religious schools), fearing opposition, especially PAS, control of them. PAS turned it into a political issue, taunting UMNO leaders about it, hoping UMNO would intemperately challenge it to a debate. An impulsive cabinet minister, Dato' Seri Nazri Aziz (entrepreneur development), did. PAS promptly accepted it, nominated its deputy youth youth chief, Sallahuddin Ayob. And went to town with it. In Malaysia, where the opposition and government do not engage each other, except on irrelevant issues, this would have been a rare occasion to at least hear from the horse's mouth about the issues of the day.

It was a vain hope. UMNO went into near rigor mortis, as usual on such occasions. The UMNO secretary-general took evasive action: Dato' Seri Nazri does not represent UMNO, the government, the National Front (BN), and cut the ground from under UMNO's feet. UMNO then did what it does best: it did what it could to scuttle it. But with PAS upping the ante, it had to be held. And so it was on Saturday in Kuala Lumpur under the auspicious of the Language and Literature Agency (DBP). It was closed door, with DBP, UMNO and PAS allowed to invite an equal number of guests. In the end, the hall which could accommodate 1,000 was packed with a few hundred more standing. Almost all were professionals.

Dato' Seri Nazri, dressed casually as he would in his kampung when he has to impress his constituents, in his pelakat sarong, loose Malay dress, and a skull cap, faced a young well-dressed Mr Salahuddin Ayob in resplendant black Malay dress and a silver-threaded samping. Dato' Nazri spoke in the half-idiot language politicians use when talking to villagers, and lost the crowd from the beginning. One who attended told Dato' Nazri was right on one count: all those present came from the villages around Kuala Lumpur: Kampung Tengku, Kampung Bukit Tengku, Kampung Damansara Heights, Kampung Bangsar, and its villager residents were in no mood to be talked down to. He was unprepared, stumbled his way through, and some noted the fear one gets when thrown into the deep end to fend for oneself. Mr Sallehuddin, on the other hand, was well prepared, made his presentation, and charmed the crowd. No doubt, PAS would have a CD ROM on the debate in the pasar malams ("night markets") around the country, as they do a brilliant job of promoting its party and leaders.

If this debate had taken place 20 years ago, their dresses could safely be exchanged. Today, the UMNO politician strives to dress as the Malay in his kampung while PAS, more confident and often UMNO members who walked out in disgust, believes it can discuss Islam in a three-piece suit to an audience of villagers deep in the jungle. UMNO threw away the opportunity in fright. In the end, the merits of the respective UMNO and PAS positions did not matter. But it became clear to those present that PAS had one, but not UMNO. PAS won it, in default and UMNO indifference. It is one which would continue to haunt UMNO in the run-up to the next elections.

The Malay peninsula is dotted with these religious schools, whose graduates rose high in public and civic life in Malaysia. Many a religious teacher started one, and in many areas they were, until the government built rural schools, the only avenue where the children could get an education. When the deputy prime minister, Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, flies most weekends to visit his mother, it is to an SAR his father ran and built a house for him to stay. Dr Mahathir's adviser on Islamic affairs, Dato' Seri Hamid Othman, like Pak Lah, went to SARs. The Malaysian government's unguided missile, the deputy minister, Dato' Zainuddin Mydin or Zam, is another graduate. There are enough specialists and debaters on SAR in UMNO. Why did they not call on them?

The SARs have an important role. The government kept them alive with regular funds, and became important conduits for its political activities. But as UMNO disintegrates, PAS stepped into the breach. UMNO now fears SARs are, like the universties, anti-governmentn to a man. When it realised it, UMNO panicked. And we saw the mess on Saturday. Revealed when something goes wrong. In the old day, a university lecturer would be happy to consider standing for elections on an UMNO or BN ticket. This time, UMNO finds it all but impossible to find suitable candidates to stand on its ticket in the next general elections. They do not want to be linked to UMNO. At the same time, many would be happy to stand on a PAS or another opposition ticket. The SAR non-debate is one more problem UMNO has to resolve.

UMNO loses by default. The Malay ground, frightened at such displays of impotence, and deep down afraid of the Islamic state PAS promises to impose, look for a third way. UMNO is shocked the Malays dismiss its promise to turn Malaysia's secular society to an Islamic one, and shocked that despite its high moral ground, which is says it has though no one else, the Malays want a society in which Islam and its values predominate but not constrict. The Malay looks upon Islam in his life as a well-worn and comfortable dress, the Islam gives him his position in society, but lives his life as his society and community decides. The more you tighten it, as we see in Malaysia, the more likely he would take it off altogether. This is one mentioned problem in Malaysia in Islam. The number that moves to Shia, infinitisimal as they are, nevertheless worries the Islamic establishment in UMNO and PAS.

M.G.G. Pillai
pillai@mgg.pc.my