If not for the overwhelming presence of red and the absence of green at Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), one could be forgiven if one assumed he was at a PAS Muktamar rather than an Umno general assembly.
Many of the delegates opted for kopiah as opposed to the usual songkok, and topics of discussion seemed more geared for Muslim unity as opposed to Malay nationalism and with a noticeably stronger Islamic flavour, rather than the usual racial rhetoric commonly frowned upon by Umno’s lesser counterparts in the ruling coalition.
Delegates also seem to be moulding the once highly secular, democratic party presidency into a position similar to PAS’s Mursyidul Am, with statements suggesting the position is a God-anointed one, encouraging obedience to the president and loyalty, similar to the wala concept practised in PAS.
Perhaps this direction isn’t entirely coincidental.
While Pakatan (be it Harapan or Rakyat) pussyfoots in deciding whether it loves or loathes PAS, Umno, for the last nine years, have been consistent in its loving overtures and friendly gestures, going so far as supporting a motion by PAS to implement hudud in Kelantan and offering official positions to PAS members, such as awarding the GMM chair position to a former PAS deputy president.
However, this "love" has not been extended as yet to ministerial appointments or granting PAS their hard-fought petroleum royalties for Kelantan, or even building a proper flood mitigation system for the state.
Nor do they appear to fully endorse PAS’s request to support hudud implementation nationwide.
Conspicuously missing also, was talk about scandals and corruption.
A person no less than the president’s own brother, a leading banker, has said in the recent past that scandals are bad for the ringgit, and that we are possibly undervalued on account of these scandals.
Yet scandals are noticeably missing as a discussion topic – especially the one talked about everywhere else apart from the assembly – the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) fiasco.
Perhaps the delegates are satisfied with the closed door sessions of explanation, which, like many parts of the assembly this time around, was open only to members. Delegates appeared to prefer favourite, safe topics, like alcohol sales, opposition bashing, or the uniform of the cabin crew of our national carrier.
Even with the usually bold and more in-tune-with-the-grassroots Youth wing, talk about corruption was missing.
That too, the talk on corruption was in a rather general form.
Commendable, however, was the move to raise the issue of belt tightening and high cost of living, especially, in the area of public transport and tolls.
Cost of living and goods and services tax (GST) have become a new favourite topic of recent Umno assemblies.
While it is understandable for opposition parties, or even fringe Barisan Nasional parties known for their rebellious nature, to raise this up, it is rather strange that the members of the party that forms the majority of the ruling party also chooses to whine about a decision they made all by themselves, with little help from anyone else.
The leader of the Youth wing sharply and aptly criticized the move to increase both toll and public transport rates at the same time.
This would leave the affected motorists virtually no alternative but to fork out more money either way.
Yet the good Youth leader himself also sits in Cabinet, along with 18 other Umno ministers, out of 40, nearly half the executive making body.
Umno also holds 22 of the 32 deputy ministerships, giving at least 31 people at the assembly the best position and opportunity to do something about the GST, public transport fees and toll rates.
After all, what is the point of talking about it after the decisions have been made? Should the fuss not be made before it took place?
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was denied his traditional platform to officiate the Youth, Wanita and Puteri wings, after he was rather unceremoniously removed of his position as deputy prime minister, leaving him in the awkward position of being the first Umno deputy president in recent history to be outside the Cabinet.
Though he was mobbed at PWTC along with fellow president critic Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, little to none was said by the delegates with regards to his removal from Cabinet or his denial of platform in the party, rather, most delegates just wanted the president and deputy to make up.
Similarly, attempts to speak ill about Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was met with jeers from the floor, forcing speakers doing so to refrain from criticizing the revered grand old man of Umno, whom to his credit, dared come to face the leader he had openly asked to step down.
Yet the same delegates appear to be unwilling to go all the way in their support of his criticisms on the current leadership.
All in all, it appears the mood in the Umno assembly appears to mirror that of the Barisan Nasional itself, to hold the fort for the next election without risking further erosion in support by asking difficult questions or making drastic leadership or policy changes.
However, indecisiveness would only go so far in long term national politics, as the disaster of the Pakatan Rakyat coalition has shown.
Scandals and corruption aside, sooner or later, Barisan Nasional, like Pakatan Harapan, will have to answer the real question people have not yet asked: "Where are they going to take Malaysia?" – December 14, 2015.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer, organisation or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.
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