The Malay Agenda

That UMNO will discuss the Malay Agenda is stating the obvious.

What else can it discuss, seriously? UMNO stands for the United Malays National Organisation and to discuss any other issues than the Malay Agenda would be quite misleading and rather unusual.

So there it is again, for the umpteenth time, the party will again discuss the Malay Agenda at its annual talk-fest.

Outside the cavernous hall filled to the brim with those togged up in the various red-and-white combination of baju melayu and baju kurung - with pink variants for the puteris - a nod to party colours, other will discuss the daily conspiracy of the day.

That would either be the tussle between the predecessor and the successor and the role of the wannabe-successors to their role-playing as pundits on the fate of the pundit-in-the-news.

But we too want to discuss the idea of the Malay Agenda - relating to education, economy and equitable distribution of wealth - the main planks that have been the raison d'etre for UMNO since the 1970s.

We won't repeat what others say in relation to the New Economic Policy - the main vehicle of the Malay Agenda. We just want to say the Malay Agenda has enriched at least a few people with knowledge, money and power.

It could have enriched a lot more, the sons of the soil toiling away in the land of the plenty but nope, the money went down but it did not go around. So where did it go down to but stopped there?

Yes, we are talking about all of the 192 UMNO division leaders - current and some in the past.

How many examples do we need to cite? One, two or more? Heck, we will just name one from the recent past, Zakaria @ Zainal Bin Deros.

And that is why UMNO is still talking about the Malay Agenda. Especially those who will come in their swanky limousines to Putra World Trade Centre from today until Friday, dripping with suasa rings set with giant gems or necklaces and bangles as the gender may suit.

They will talk about urban and rural poverty, the need to address the imbalances, the need to pour more money - which some will keep to fund their opulent lifestyles and break local government rules as the case may be - the need to educate people only in Bahasa Melayu, because if they know English, they will read the Weekend Mail and know the doggie-style - which is haram for Muslims.

Yes, the Malay Agenda! Let's talk about it. This year, next year and the years to come.