"God, do not let this country and the fate of this race (Malays) fall into the hands of traitors and the wicked."

- PM Najib Razak, Umno General Assembly 2016

COMMENT | What exactly is Bersatu’s “struggles”? I mean I know that opposition types are using Dr Mahathir Mohamad, or at least they think they are using Mahathir, to gain rural Malay votes, but this is a strategy - not a very good one - but a strategy nonetheless. So what exactly does Bersatu stand for?

Honestly, if you ask an average Bersatu supporter, he would mimic exactly what an average Umno supporter would say. If you ask Mahathir establishment types, you would get a different, nuanced answer which involves correcting the systemic imbalances when it comes to corruption, and homages to old alliance politics, which ironically Umno and then Umno Baru had a hand in destroying.

So, this source - later confirmed by a Bersatu big wig - claims that the Umno mentality carried over to Bersatu has led to complaints of not having an easy ride to electoral victory as it was when they were in Umno. Money, of course, is the factor. These kinds of statements are embarrassing but more importantly, makes people question why exactly they are voting for the opposition. They would rather not vote or spoil their votes than facilitate the rise of power of people with “Umno mentality”.

And some people are seriously making the claim, that these people will “Save Malaysia”? Some people are seriously making the claim, that these people are committed to making changes that would ensure that the country recovers from its kleptocratic nightmare. Some people are seriously making the claim, that these people would ensure that our religious freedoms, constitutionally guaranteed rights and whatever else we take for granted in our ever increasingly diminishing public spheres, would be protected?

Kelantan Bersatu chief Kamaruddin Mohd Noor claims that changing this Umno mentality will take some time, which implies that Bersatu - or at least that the impression they want to give - is in it for the long haul. But here’s the thing. The opposition has made it clear that this is the election which would decide the fate of the country. This is the election which if we do not change government will spell the end of this country.

So what happens if Bersatu does not win big in this election? Does anyone really think that these “Umno” mentality types will stick around and continue the “struggles” of the party? Does anyone really think that these “Umno” types consider Bersatu a new dawn of Malay politics? Most probably, what these Umno mentality types will do is rejoin Umno who would welcome them with open arms, because this is the way in mainstream Malay politics. You take a shot at the Umno grand poobah, you miss, make amends and are rehabilitated.

What does this say about the base that these operatives appeal to? Does the base actually care about the corruption and abuse of executive privilege this country is facing or does the base merely think that Bersatu lacking funds cannot be as powerful as Umno?

Now I get that funding is important but surely if you are expecting an easy ride, it was because it was implied that an easy ride was what you signed up for when you jumped ship, right? I mean, personality politics does not put food on the table, and after so long on the gravy train, Umno mentality types are not expected to go on a handout-free diet, right?

And of course, there are invisible hands at work. They are Umno saboteurs in Bersatu because this is exactly the strategy Umno devised when people were busy jumping ship back after Bersatu was formed. This is exactly the strategy nearing an election when Umno sleepers choose to act. Of course, what Umno has to worry about are the Mahathir sleepers within their ranks, but that is all part of the game...