The Good, The Bad, the Ugly and this is no movie...

They came to Dewan Tun Syed Nasir in Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka on 17th Feb 2009 to present their views and thoughts in a live televised TV program, "Hujah". The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.No, they do not have to draw out their guns and shoot each other down like the old Western sphagetti movie "The Good, The Bad and the Ugly" that introduced Clint Eastwood to the world.
They should have done that last night since Khir Toyo was quoted saying "“Jika tumbang politik Melayu, tumbang lah negara (Malay politics is backbone of the country)." At least, that will take care of directly equating Malay political power with the well being of the country.

Although Malaysiakini's described it as the "Clash of UMNO's young turks", the event was not widely covered in the English MSM. Maybe, the cases of Eli Wong, RPK, MB vs MB, Perak speaker vs MB Zambry are better cash cows to the media.

Wasilah described it as "Khairy vs Mukhriz and Toyo" whilst MStar stressed on KJ's admission how he was seen as a liability to UMNO and BN. Different news portal, different intepretation.

So who is the Good, The Bad and the Ugly? It all depends on who you are talking too. For the setiakawans, the Good is KJ, the bad is MM and the ugly is KT. This is based on Wasilah's take on the event.

However, if you look into Minaq Jinggo, the photos reveal thousands of words and all of them seems glowingly leaning towards MM, apart from implying MM may be a ladies' man. Not bad, not bad at all. He may make the senior MM proud...

However, a telling note during the programme is when KJ hinted the lack of co-ordination between BN youth arms when he mentioned “We hardly hold meetings, joint-statements and joint-programmes. We must sit together and have a new principle to develop a new Barisan that truly reflects the needs of the new generation,” The statement is an admission on the lack of direction and lack of urgency amongst the youth arms of the ruling party. This problem should be arrested immediately if BN wants to remain relevant and if it still wish to runs the country. And coming to that, what has KJ been doing? Afterall, he is the current UMNO deputy youth leader...

KT, takes a more ultra Malay approach when he repeatedly mentions “We must remember that the Malays are the pillars of the country so we must take care of them,” KT's approach, although earned him applause from the mainly Malay audience, will not augurs well with the other component parties of BN. Granted that these rhetorics are mainly aimed at winning the hearts and the votes of UMNO youth delegates, it can also work against KT as the groundswell feeling amongst the masses is towards Malaysians as a nation, which has been well capitalised by PKR.

MM, on the other hand, appeared more self guarded and played a safer role by taking the middle road. However. MM remains true to his earlier statements relating UMNO's diversion from its original aims leads to UMNO and BN's dismal performance in 2008. Although his statements has put him in the spot against the UMNO senior leaders in the past but his reasonings for his actions speaks volumes of his capability.

For Malaysia to move forward, UMNO and BN should put the dismal 2008 election results to the background and must be willing to change for the benefit of the masses. The coming by elections should not be taken as the yardstick to the peoples acceptance or rejection to UMNO or BN although it can be use as a measuring gauge on the level of rejection that is still strong among the masses.

UMNO, and for that matter BN, should not be seen to contribute nor having a hand to the spates of events involving PR. Instead, UMNO and BN should stay clear of PR internal problems. Eli Wong case, as an example, should not by hyped by UMNO and BN. Hyping her case and taking high moral grounds, like what KT did, will inadvertently potrays UMNO and BN as a hypocrite party as party leaders from BN are no angels, themselves. And this may include the 3 aspirant youth leaders. Continual barging on Eli's private life will proves costly to UMNO and BN, like what BN suffered in 1993 when BN attacked persistently attacked Anwar regarding his sodomy case...

The same goes for Perak's legal tussle. UMNO and for that ,matter BN should let the court decide and should be paving the way to dissolve the state assembly. This will be seen as "Gentlemanly", returning the power to vote the "rightful state government" back to the people. BN may lose Perak again, but the loss can be advantageous to BN, in the future. Remember "No venture, no gain". Clinging on to power in Perak, although legally right can be grossly morally wrong. The longer BN drags its feet in Perak, the more PR will capitalise on the issue...

On that matters, either KJ, KT or MM, whoever is elected, can play a big role in determining the way forward for UMNO and BN. It is time for the youth to show the way forward. And this, can be more effectively done when UMNO's leadership change hands by end of March 2009.

Malaysia do not need another gunslinger blazing his way through. What Malaysia needs is an able person to guide Malaysia out from the coming economic downturn and at the same time winning the hearts and the minds of the masses during the next General election. This can be done either by oratory skills or relying on softer and more practical approach. And it will not be surprising, if the victor amongst the 3 will leads Malaysia onwards soon, very soon. Afterall, UMNO and BN needs a major spring cleaning and rebranding to stay relevant. What better way to promote rebranding than to introduce young blood to take over the leadership.

Back to the film, so who amongst them is the Good, the bad and the ugly? Dnightcaller knows his but what about you?

Till then...G'nite M'sia...wherever u are...