Money Politics in Umno

Tun Dr. Mahathir,

In Malaysia of 2008, since there had long since been non-existence of a colonial government which would become a common fighting target for Umno's political cause, many Malays indeed joined Umno as a party member out of one simple reason: To get rich quickly through the collective political influence accumulated and vested in the hand of an Umno division head.

As a result of this kind of hierarchical power structure and members' basic aspiration in Umno, there is no surprise that anybody who possesses the ways and means to play money politics will eventually edge out to be a final runner-up for Umno party election. Such is the mundane and long-established political culture of Umno. Tun never seemed to have much complaint about the functioning of money politics in the past when Tun held the post of the Umno President. Now it seems that Tun is just making a vain effort to call upon the Umno central delegates in order for them to stay firm and not be easily influenced by any materialistic offer through the proper functioning of money politics.

Was it not because of the consideration of Tun's offer with a promise to assist Najib to accomplish his political ambition in the future that Najib then decided to lead his grassroot team to swing the voting keels away from Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah towards Tun and finally enabled Tun to win the party presidency by 43 votes in 1987? If Najib is trying to go after Tun as a mentor master and to adopt the same campaign strategy as that used by Tun in 1987, what will Tun say about him? Does Tun have any problem with the application of such a similar smart strategy by Najib? Does not Tun see your own image in Najib if Najib is to really make a political offer to someone with attractive promises in order to solicit votes?

Onlooker