Utusan openly f*** Najib ...
Utusan’s narrow worldview — The Malaysian Insider
APRIL 25 — It has been two years since Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1 Malaysia came into being. Since then, Malaysians have seen a lot of things tagged with the 1 Malaysia monicker, the latest being an unrequested free national email service.
But Umno’s newspaper Utusan Malaysia has been holding out against the concept and instead, promoting its own narrow racial views to all and sundry.
Fact is, Utusan represents Umno worldview and that worldview is that Umno’s position in the country must be protected even if it means destroying the country and its institutions.
In this worldview, nothing is sacred. Not the Federal Constitution. Not the truth. Not facts. Not even the Almighty. The only thing that matters is every Malaysian should submit to the will of Umno.
So, it is hardly surprising that Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has come out to bat for Utusan, to the point that he declared confidently today the newspaper is the voice of the Malays.
Well, it used to be in the fight for Merdeka. Then Umno took over the newspaper in 1961 and things have never been the same.
And in recent years, dropping circulation and shrinking readership have ensured that the Malay daily is only read by the few faithful who subscribe to its narrow racial views. Saying it is the voice of the Malays and by extension Malaysians is far-fetched unless the population has remained the same as in 1957.
Sure, Muhyiddin did also say: “There is tendency towards racism that cuts across Utusan. This is not good. We should strive to destroy such a feeling and work towards one united Malaysia.”
But his actions and some of his words send an unmistakable message that he thinks that 1 Malaysia is a nuisance, an idea which has given non-Malays too many ideas. Can’t be a coincidence that Utusan Malaysia also feels that way.
“We cannot stop people from expressing although it does not make others happy. But some Chinese don’t know the feelings of Malays and the Malays know the feelings of the Chinese,” he also said, appearing to be a discordant voice in Najib’s 1 Malaysia administration.
Malaysia does not need such views. Particularly when it’s ironic that Umno’s first president Datuk Onn Jaafar had once mooted opening the party to all Malayans then. He was booted out and the matter never saw the light of the day again.
Which is a pity. Umno and its newspaper Utusan should read the writing on the wall. Falling readership, circulation and number of votes reflect people’s unease and distaste for such racial politics.
Malaysia wants to be one again, and Najib’s 1 Malaysia is a good start to be united as a nation. Why fight it, Utusan?
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