Like it or not, it’s Joceline’s Take
November 30, 2012
Najib's Battle cry moves delegates to tears
ANALYSIS
By Joceline Tan@www.thestar.com.my
Tears flowed among those listening to Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's presidential speech when he appealed to the party to defend what the forefathers had put in place.
Everyone needs some luck to succeed but going by the tone of Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's presidential address, it looks like he prefers to depend on the loyalty, commitment and discipline of his party members to make it through the next general election.
The UMNO President's speech at the opening of the party's annual meeting began and ended on a fierce note. He wanted to rally the troops, to put them in the mood for what he stated quite plainly as the final assembly before the polls.
Presidential addresses are normally quite formal and policy-based but as many noted, his speech this year was less formal and had a political rally style to it. Beyond the battle cry, it was an overwhelming political speech that argued why UMNO deserved to be returned to power.
"His speech was about putting us on track for the general election," said Wanita UMNO Permanent Chairman Tan Sri Napsiah Omar.
The polls are no longer a secret – everyone seems to think it will be in March – and this was his last great opportunity to address the troops under one roof.He spelt out what the party had accomplished and when it came to the Opposition, the gloves came off.
A large part of his speech was about exposing the contradictions and mistakes of the Pakatan Rakyat parties.He poked fun at the politics of nepotism in DAP and PKR and pointed out their weakness especially in the states currently administered by Pakatan.
Some delegates read it as the President telling them: "These are your political bullets to use when you go out to campaign."
The hardcore UMNO segment, however, found it rather too general for their liking because they have always preferred a distinctly Malay-Muslim overtone for such speeches.But the President was not only speaking to delegates but also to those beyond the walls of the PWTC.
In fact, midway into his speech, just as he was about to argue about why the Barisan Nasional was a more worthy political choice, he addressed the audience as Rakyat Malaysia yang dikasihi sekalian (to all beloved Malaysians).
Besides, the battle cry this time is: Hidup UMNO! Hidup Barisan! Hidup Malaysia! But Najib's primary message to the troops was that they must be disciplined and follow instructions if they wanted the party to win. He drew on Islamic history, especially the battles of Badar and Uhud to illustrate his case.
He stressed to his party that the new political landscape includes some 2.9 million new voters, which means that one out of every five voters in the next general election will be a first-time voter.
If UMNO wants to reach out to this group, it must field winnable candidates who appeal to the general voter. He spelled out that the old political culture of sabotage among UMNO warlords had to go.
Kelantan delegate Datuk Alwi Che Ahmad put it with his usual dash of wit: "It's about choosing the best players, the ones who can score goals. Those who cause trouble for the team, we have to send them out of the stadium."
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who has not missed a single UMNO Assembly since Najib became Prime Minister, was there, listening to every word.He is on the same page as Najib on winnable candidates and he has also spoken out against internal sabotage.
Dr Mahathir said it again yesterday as he was leaving the venue. Just as he was getting into the car, he told the group sending him off: "Please remember, whomever the President picks, all of you must follow."
Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who could not make it last year, was also present to show his support for Najib. However, as ties between the two Tuns appeared to be still rather icy, the organisers had very tactfully placed eight other VIPs between the pair.
As some delegates noted, the two Tuns may not be with each other but they are both firmly with Najib. The party may not be relying on luck to win, but it is certainly riding on a lot of prayers. Almost everyone who spoke at the assembly took the opportunity to recite a prayer for Muslim unity and for the party to succeed.
Of course, all that praying was also to show its rival PAS that this is the way to pray and that prayers are to seek divine blessing and guidance and not for wishing ill and harm on others.
Observers noted that many of those who took part in the debate had been quite emotional. A number of them, the men included, came close to tears as they pledged to help the party hold onto Putrajaya.
Najib himself brought out the emotions in those listening to his speech when he said: "We were born here where our first cry was heard. Where our families began and where we charted our future. With the grace of God, this is where we will rest eternally.
"Fill this blessed land with people who love peace. Prosper this land with overflowing bounty. Have reverence for good deeds. Defend our sovereignty and Putrajaya because a new dawn will bring new hope for our beloved country."
It brought everyone in the hall to their feet as the tears flowed."I don't mind saying it, I cried too," said Napsiah.
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