Another round of bashing?

So Umno will call all their speakers and tell them what can or cannot be said when bringing up issues at this year’s general assembly.

The dos and don’ts, said party secretary general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, will be outlined by the Umno deputy president himself.

What does that tell you?

Perhaps one: Umno speakers will still use the assembly to go on a “bashing spree” against those who are not on the same wave length as they are – Malays as well as non-Malays, especially the Chinese.

And two: the Umno leadership is worried that racial and over-zealous religious rhetoric will drive particularly the non-Malays, already no big fan of Umno, further away from the party.

As it stands, despite the dos and don’ts, many political observers are saying that Umno general assemblies are very predictable as far as the “bashing” goes, notably against those who have opposing views.

Just listen to the things already or being said by Umno folks of late.

Take a look at the resolutions to be debated at the assembly scheduled for November 25-29.

Resolutions on the Sedition Act (read: it must be retained), vernacular schools (read: they must be abolished). And probably on LGBT (read: they pose a big pose. Read also the recent court decision which they say will pave the way to same-sex marriage in the country).

Put two together and you will most likely get a fiery barrage of words which will hurt many Malaysians, particularly you know who.

Ironically, Umno youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin made a recent call for BN major components – MCA, Gerakan and MIC – to “rise to capture non-Malay support”. A mammoth task as an MCA leader said it was Umno’s “extremism that drove non-Malays support away from BN” in the first place.

And now more such “extremism” at the Umno assembly. So it seems.

However, to Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, party VP in charge of the assembly resolutions committee, the party welcomes effort from the grassroots through resolutions but said “we hope whatever issue raised would not be driven by emotions, racial and religious sentiments which could cause uneasiness to the public”.

The “uneasiness to the public” as Hisham puts it could very well be read as “hurting the feelings of the Malaysian people especially the non-Malays”.

Will those chosen to take to the rostrum at the assembly heed his advice?

Will they listen to Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s dos and don’ts list?

Big questions at that. Equally big question is: can Umno afford to hurt the feelings of the non-Malays? Yet again.

And another biggie is where does all that put party president Datuk Seri Najib Razak?

Said a former Umno strategist: “SJKC (Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina)… a challenge to Najib and whether he can handle extreme views from within Umno.”

It is a real dilemma, said the strategist, as “Najib wants to move forward but Umno ultras do not want to”.

To the strategist, who was involved in the Umno war room operations for 13th general election, there is no need to bring up the SJKC issue as Najib gave a strong signal during the recent MCA meeting, going on to ask the all-too-familiar question of what more do these ultras want?

The strategist was referring to Najib’s speech at the MCA AGM in October when he urged students of vernacular schools to speak proper Bahasa Malaysia.

But in the same speech, Najib also gave his assurance that the Federal Constitution upholds vernacular schools. Perhaps that got the Umno ultras “going”?

Anyway, a few days ago, speaking in Sabah, the Umno president said the Chinese must be grateful to Umno for allowing vernacular schools to continue.

That sort of presents a “neither here nor there” situation – one which is probably seen by the ultras in Umno as an “invitation” to push their anti-vernacular school rhetoric  via the assembly.

And as for the Sedition Act, the former Umno strategist opined that Najib wants it repealed and should be allowed to do so. He added that “political risk if should be any, should be his responsibility. Umno jangan takut pada baying-bayang sendiri”.

Umno said the former strategist should listen to Najib and let him lead with ease.

Still, Najib himself seems rather “unsure” about going ahead with his earlier intention of repealing the Sedition Act, making contradictory statements which “suggest” a back-pedalling of sorts.

This comes amid loud calls within Umno and its allies in the form of Malay NGOs for the Sedition Act to be retained.

Just as loud is the call from a substantial number of Malaysians for the Sedition Act to be abolished as promised by Najib.

Most importantly is: what will happen after the assembly? To whom will Najib listen? What will he do?

Back to the special briefing for the “perhimpunan” speakers.

Said the secretary-general, it is not the party intention to limit or restrict the speakers on what they want to talk about. Only the way they say things is the worry.

That, somehow, can be differently interpreted. Misinterpreted, even.

Something “hurtful” can or will surely be claimed (by the one uttering it, of course) a “matter of delivery” or “style”.

What then? Can Umno act against such a speaker? Will it? – November 22, 2014.

* Mohsin Abdullah is news producer and columnist at The Edge.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.