SOME UMNO leaders met with the president of World Ulama Council Sheikh Ahmad al-Raisuni in Putrayaja a few months ago. He gave good advise, most distinctively was for the leaders to take the role of a ‘father’ in Malaysian politics.
Not only that UMNO is the oldest, most influential and has contributed a lot to the country but all Islamic parties in Malaysia have more or less some relations with UMNO, be it historically, ideology and others.
PAS was formed out of UMNO. Semangat 46 too. So are PKR and PPBM. All are nurtured by UMNO former leaders and members.
Hence it is pertinent for UMNO to act as a ‘father’ although towards those who had deserted, betrayed or expelled from the party. It is a norm that a father will always hope for his sons to return no matter how much he was in sorrow.
It was a brief advise but contain a lot of truths. However, it is not an easy thing to do for it needs a lot of sacrifices and the will to give in. That’s why UMNO and PAS formed the Muafakat Nasional, where both are one again in their common struggle. It was a home coming for PAS.
The DNA in UMNO and PAS struggle persists. For that reason, they formed a solid cooperation after a long and bitter separation, which paved the way for the two largest Malay parties to put the bad episode behind.
If the former two political rivals can now come as one and put their ego aside, there is no excuse for UMNO to shut it doors to PPBM leaders like Tun Mahathir and Tan Sri Muhyiddin since both are among the best leaders UMNO ever produced.
In the name of Malay unity and Islam, let us take the spirit of forgiveness in this month (of Syawal) to forget the past and come together again as our bickering does not benefit anyone except our political enemy. Let’s find an amicable solution to unite again and together we administer the nation by taking care of the citizens again.
Let us become the fathers again in UMNO and strengthen it together. Not an easy task for any Malay party to replace UMNO. To the Malays, there is no mature politics without UMNO.
UMNO and PAS are just sufficient to represent the interest of the Malays. No other political power can match it. The birth of other Malay parties cannot match it and claim as protectors of Malay interest. In fact, it will lead to more weakness.
May the Malays return home to their father who is not free of err. I remember a phrase in Sharifah Aini’s song that say, “kasih ibu membawa ke syurga, kasih ayah sangguplah berpisah, dan kasih saudara kala berada”.
Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin
Naib Presiden UMNO
