And the criticism targeted on Khairy and Rafidah during the assemblies of MCA and its both youth and women wings were nothing but calculated moves by Ong Ka Ting, Leow Tiong Lai and Ng Yen Yen as both of these UMNO leaders will not be able to defend themselves as both of them were now struggling for their own political survival in their own party.

But the racial slurs made by various UMNO leaders were not checked by its top leaders like Abdullah and Najib and this is really worrying.

But can you blame Khairy and Rafidah when even the Prime Minister himself is now talking about projects in Penang should only be given to Bumiputras when he was asked to comment on the so-called marginalization of Penang Malays.

We can now rightly say that Abdullah is a leader not for all races as he claims. He is also not as liberal and open as he claims.

Because he has drawn up the Nine Malaysian Plan which is by and large a revival of New Economic Policy. Several menteri besars including the Selangor MB have started to introduce monopoly on trades and licensing to Bumiputra companies and we have yet to see any reactions or interventions from the Prime Minister. The distribution of fuels, rice, sugar and the extraction of sands and even printing jobs were being transferred one by one from the hands of Non- Bumis to Bumis.

Because he has ordered Article 11 and other NGOs to stop all public discussions on freedom of religion. But he allowed the Muslim groups to hold such discussions.

Because he has hinted for a press with even more restrictions. Even the Internet would be scrutinized closely by his administration.

Because he has stopped many projects given to the cronies of the last administration but allowed his own cronies and even family members to take up new projects under his administration. Conflict of interest does not seem to have any relevance in his eyes. Even Tun Mahathir is now suggesting that Abdullah is more blatant than him in the respect of business dealings involving their own children.

Because he has even publicly claimed that vernacular schools like Chinese and Tamil ones were not good for national unity. He has subsequently denied what he has said through one of his personal secretaries.

Malaysians must wake up to the fact that they cannot depend and trust Abdullah as their Prime Minister anymore. He is a weak and indecisive leader. He has failed to implement things that he has promised to deliver.

We hope he can prove us wrong by implementing all that he has promised to do in the last general elections. Until then, he cannot be seen a leader for all Malaysians.

(28/08/2006)

* Ronnie Liu Tian Khiew, DAP CEC Member and Chief of NGO Bureau