| Bully politics drives discontent, ignores the needs of | | | | the selection of candidates themselves? Is this not a |
| the people, using fear in place of responsibility. | | | | case of dominance and bullying?" |
| What does bullying have to do with politics? Far too | | | | As a result, PRS was caught in a dilemma. PRS could |
| much, sadly. Bully politics adopts a | | | | have rejected the suggested replacements or it could |
| "for-me-or-against-me" posture, led by one who | | | | have accepted them. A refusal to accept the |
| prefers to crush their enemies rather than allow them | | | | replacement candidates could have left the party |
| a voice. It's an abuse of a position to secure and | | | | open to accusations of being disloyal to BN, a grave |
| maintain power. It's a contrived, manipulative political | | | | enough political sin. Such a move would have put PRS |
| agenda, where voters become spectators and those | | | | leadership in hot soup and perhaps alienate the party |
| who try to speak up and become engaged are | | | | from BN. |
| quickly quieted by political handlers. | | | | The impact on PRS was that it was a tremendous |
| A well-used tool of political bullying is the fanatical | | | | 'let down'. The perception was that a partner in |
| control of all communications, a management style | | | | Sarawak BN - the PBB - was being 'too dominant'. |
| embraced by our ruling power. The UMNO-owned | | | | The BN top leadership should realize that the coalition |
| Malay daily Utusan Malaysia has come under fire | | | | must wake up to current political realities and stop |
| numerous times for carrying articles with a racial slant. | | | | being in a state of denial. The National Front suffered |
| Ethnic Malays comprise about 60 percent of | | | | a stinging blow in March general elections when a |
| Malaysia's 27 million people. Minorities include large | | | | multiracial opposition alliance made unprecedented |
| ethnic Chinese and Indian communities, who are | | | | gains, winning 82 seats in the 222-member Parliament |
| mainly Buddhists, Christians and Hindus. In Malaysia, | | | | by promising to treat all ethnic communities equally. |
| UMNO has over-dominated the ruling Barisan Nasional | | | | Before, there was only BN which could provide the |
| coalition at the expense of other component parties. | | | | national leadership. After March 2008, PRS has realize |
| In September 2009 Penang UMNO division chief | | | | that they have perhaps other better options. We |
| Datuk Ahmad Ismail exhibited supreme arrogance | | | | shall see the test of time. |
| when he showed no remorse for calling Malaysian | | | | Penang Chief Minister, Lim Guan Eng recently in March |
| Chinese" immigrants " ("pendatangs) at a rally in the | | | | 2010 blasted Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri |
| run-up to the Permatang Pauh by-election. And when | | | | Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah for his racial slur during the |
| Gerakan stood up to him, he behaved just like a | | | | Penang Malay Chamber of Commerce dinner. Ahmad |
| schoolyard bully. He asked for Gerakan to be kicked | | | | Husni was reported saying that if the Chinese in |
| out of the BN. | | | | Penang bully the Malays, the Malays would bully the |
| The then chairman of BN and president of UMNO, | | | | Chinese. Lim Guan Eng cited Ahmad Husni's statement |
| Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and the party's supreme | | | | as being appalling, inciting racial sentiments and |
| council members only took disciplinary action against | | | | seditious. |
| the Bukit Bendera politician after being pushed into a | | | | "It is not the Chinese bullying the Malays or vice |
| corner. Even then, it was half-hearted attempt to | | | | versa, neither is there any form of bullying in Penang, |
| apply balm on the raw feelings of the non-Malays. | | | | but it has been the Barisan Nasional and UMNO which |
| Ethnic Malays comprise about 60 percent of | | | | has been bullying Penangnites over the past 52 |
| Malaysia's 27 million people. Minorities include large | | | | years," he added. |
| ethnic Chinese and Indian communities, who are | | | | Lim said being the second finance minister, Ahmad |
| mainly Buddhists, Christians and Hindus. | | | | Husni should have based his allegations on facts and |
| A poll by the Merdeka Centre in July 2009 showed | | | | figures instead of trying to incite hatred and making |
| that 66% of Chinese and 60.1% of Indians agree | | | | emotional and baseless statements. |
| that the BN does not represent the voice of all | | | | Lim quoted figures from the Public Works |
| communities. | | | | Department-funded projects in Penang which showed |
| A Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) division leader has | | | | the number of contracts awarded to bumiputra |
| described Umno at the federal level and Parti Pesaka | | | | contractors in the state. |
| Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB) in Sarawak as 'too dominant' | | | | In 2009, all 125 projects worth RM4.4 million (under |
| and indeed are 'bullies' in their dealings with smaller | | | | RM200,000) and tender above RM200,000, 24 |
| component parties in the Barisan Nasional. In | | | | projects worth RM4.01 million were all given to |
| Sarawak, PRS, a component party inside the state | | | | bumiputras while in 2008, 158 projects worth RM9.25 |
| and federal Barisan Nasional has been bullied by what | | | | million (under RM200,000) and nine projects above |
| could collectively be called the 'BN leadership'. The BN | | | | RM200,000 worth RM5.52 million were all awarded to |
| system has generated a state-level entity where | | | | bumiputra contractors. |
| there has been one dominant party - the PBB which | | | | Our former Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad |
| is leading the state BN government. | | | | took a leap forward recently to undermine further his |
| There were two instances of UMNO and PBB bullying | | | | legacy by launching the PERKASA's inaugural |
| PRS. | | | | congress. PERKASA is the radical side of UMNO. Dr |
| The first was during the 2006 state election when a | | | | Mahathir told the congress that PERKASA's existence |
| component BN party was 'allowed' to steal a PRS | | | | was due to a weak UMNO and that the government |
| seat. Neither the state nor federal BN intervened | | | | should listen to the Malays, not just the non-Malays. |
| effectively to stop a component party from | | | | Now, we know that Vision 2020 is piece of useless |
| interfering in the affairs of another. Where was BN | | | | policy paper and a public relations spin. PERKASA is |
| when effective action was needed? It was as if the | | | | undermining Najb's 1Malaysia initiative. Other race |
| BN was shutting its proverbial 'eye' to the intra-BN | | | | based parties in Barisan such as MIC and MCA are |
| infighting in Sarawak. By letting the problem fester, it | | | | suffering a loss of popularity and political relevance |
| was acting as a bully, not a problem solver. | | | | because they never insisted that UMNO listen also to |
| The second incident was during the March general | | | | the non-Malays who are legitimate Malaysians. |
| election when two of the party's candidates were | | | | Two ethnic Chinese Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders |
| rejected without any reason. Why was PBB allowed | | | | have openly snubbed Perkasa Youth's demand for an |
| to choose its candidates to contest on PRS seats? | | | | apology, continuing instead to criticise the Malay rights |
| "Where is the principle that component parties ought | | | | group by saying that its struggles were not in line |
| to be free to conduct their own affairs and make | | | | with the prime minister's 1 Malaysia concept. |