UMNO Pulau Pinang is clearer stronger than UMNO Kelantan. This is demonstrated by UMNO Kelantan Chairman Mustapa Mohamed suggesting that UMNO should not contest in the Cempaka state seat that is vacant following the death of PAS spiritual leader and former Kelantan Menteri Besar Tok Guru Nik Aziz Nik Mat. Mustapa’s rationale for opting out of contesting is to focus on flood repairs and rehabilitation work, sounded so weak and unconvincing that even pro-UMNO Perkasa President Ibrahim Ali criticised it as hypocritical.
In contrast to Kelantan UMNO’s reluctance, UMNO Pulau Pinang Chairman Zainal Abidin Osman is going all-out to contest Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat because UMNO Penang is confident of doing well. This suggestion of contesting in one out of two by-elections is a calculated political strategy to maximize UMNO’s strength, concentrate its resources and divide PR by pleasing PAS. To help UMNO win Permatang Pauh Parliamentary seat, UMNO will not contest in Cempaka to please PAS and distance itself from Ibrahim Ali’s deplorable attacks on Tok Guru Nik Aziz Nik Mat, even after Nik Aziz’s death
Clearly UMNO is going to take an extremist position to win Permatang Pauh that is opposite to the now debunked 1Malaysia concept. The public contempt shown by UMNO towards MCA, MIC and Gerakan is so obvious that UMNO can tell MCA to leave BN if they do not toe the line, whereas MCA dare not even ask UMNO to leave BN.
Nothing highlights this than Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s stubborn refusal to apologise for his lies maligning the the Chinese community for oppressing the Malays and that Chinese traders should be boycotted for not reducing prices. MCA Secretary-General Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan says it is pointless to pursue the matter futher since Ismail has no courage to apologise. MCA is so confused and unprincipled that they no longer understand the meaning of the word “courage’.
Courage means persisting in doing the right thing and doing it right, including admitting that you have made a mistake. It is not courage when you refuse to apologise for doing something wrong. Ismail’s refusal to admit making a mistake, or concede that he has wrongfully maligned the Chinese community, is not courage but sheer cowardice. Why did MCA dare not openly describe Ismail Sabri as a coward in Cabinet but has decided to surrender and drop the matter?
This confusion between courage and cowardice is sadder than MCA President Liow Tiong Lai meekly accepting Ismail Sabri’s meaningless expression of regret that did not retract his lies nor say sorry to the Chinese community. MCA feels that they can end this extremist controversy by a racist UMNO Minister, by using their control of BN-controlled mass media to no longer publish or highlight this issue prominently. However the Chinese community will not behave like MCA and subject itself to such bullying and unfair victimisation by UMNO?