UMNO is nearing its end as the eternal Government in Malaysia, forfeiting all authority, credibility and legitimacy when it could dub the longest-serving Prime Minister of Malaysia and UMNO President for 22 years as the “foremost enemy” of Malays in Malaysia!

UMNO is nearing its end as the eternal Government in Malaysia, forfeiting all authority, credibility and legitimacy when it could dub the longest-serving Prime Minister of Malaysia and UMNO President for 22 years as the “foremost enemy” of Malays in Malaysia.

Does that also mean that for 22 years, from 1981 to 2003, UMNO was the “foremost enemy” of the Malays, governing Malaysia for the whole period?

I think it takes some digesting - Mahathir as the “foremost enemy” of the Malays leading UMNO as the “foremost enemy” of the Malays to govern Malaysia for 22 years from 1981-2003.

But this is only a matter of degree, as for some 50 years, Malaysians particularly Malays had been fed a diet of lies, fake news and false information to portray DAP and I myself as the “foremost enemy” of the Malays, when there is completely no truth, basis or evidence whatsoever.

UMNO leaders, propagandists and cybertroopers knew all along that there was no truth, basis or evidence that DAP and I were anti-Malay and anti-Islam and yet this knowledge had not deterred them from continuing to spread lies, fake news and false stories that DAP and I myself were anti-Malay and anti-Islam.

What does this speak about the character, moral compass or religious upbringing of these UMNO leaders, propagandists and cybertroopers?

If UMNO leaders, propagandists and cybertroopers could be so unprincipled, blatant and flagrant in their lies, fake news and false stories against the DAP and myself over the decades, clearly they would also have no qualms to tell lies, manufacture fake news and disseminate false information against other national stakeholders, or even against the nation, in the pursuit of their own self-interests!

My attention has been drawn to a report by the Star on August 1, 2017 alleging that I had cast aspersions in the past on Tun Mahathir’s Indian parentage, like what the Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi had done on July 30 when at an UMNO division meeting he took a dig at Mahathir’s Indian ancestry.

The Star cannot be more wrong. I have never done such a thing and I ask Star to publish a correction and retraction, or the Star would have been reduced to the gutter level to disseminate such falsehoods.

Now, these UMNO leaders, propagandists and cybertroopers have dislodged DAP and me in the UMNO demonology from the pole position of “musuh utama” (top enemy) of the Malays in favour Tun Mahathir.

I was early in my political life seriously affected by such lies, fake news and false information portraying me as anti-Malay and anti-Islam, but later I have come to face such lies, fake news and false information with aplomb, confident in my belief that nobody in their right senses would believe in such lies, fake news and false information.

And I have been proved right, for in my political travels in the past few decades even in the most remotest corners of the country, I have not come across any ill-will or malice from any Malay or Muslim. In fact, I find that I was quite a favourite subject for phtotographic momentos.

But just as there was no truth, basis or evidence in their earlier demonization of DAP and myself anti-Malay and anti-Muslim, there is no truth, basis or evidence for their new demonization of Tun Dr. Mahathir.

These UMNO leaders, propagandists and cybertroopers do not realise that such demonology based on lies, fake news and false information finally redound to the discredit and disrepute of the perpetrators and not the victims, for there is no greater shield of defence than truth itself!

How can DAP and I be anti-Malay and anti-Islam when the UMNO leaders, propagandists and cybertroopers cannot produce an iota of evidence of such anti-Malay and anti-Islam from our several decades of political activities?

How can DAP be anti-Malay and anti-Islam when a DAP Member of Parliament paid the supreme price for defending the dignity and honour of an underaged Malay girl and as a result, was charged, convicted and jailed for 18 months, disqualified as Member of Parliament and lost his civil enfranchisement to vote and to stand for elective office for five years – as in the case of Lim Guan Eng, the DAP Penang Chief Minister?

How can the DAP-led Penang State Government be anti-Malay and anti-Islam when the Pakatan Harapan Penang State Government is accused by the MCA of being “anti-Chinese” for increasing allocations for Islamic affairs from RM250 million (between 1999 and 2007) to RM450 million (between 2006 and 2017). Does UMNO oppose the increased allocation for Islamic affairs under the DAP-led Pakatan Harapan Penang Government?

If the Penang-led Pakatan Harapan Penang Government is anti-Malay and anti-Islam, why did UMNO lose one state assembly seat with its state assembly representation reduced from 11 in the 2008 General Election to 10 State Assembly members in the 2013 General Election, and with a likelihood of UMNO losing at least another seven State Assembly seats in the 14th General Election?

For the good of the country and the promotion of greater inter-racial, inter-religious and inter-cultural peace, harmony and understanding in Malaysia, I call for a complete cessation of such lies, fake news and false information to demonise any politician or leader as anti any race or anti any religion.

Is Najib as Prime Minister and is the UMNO/BN Government prepared to lead such a national campaign to end lies, fake news and false information to incite inter-racial and inter-religious hatred, antagonism and distrust.

I do not think so, or I would not have been dislodged from the UMNO demonology of being the foremost anti-Malay, so that Tun Mahathir has the dubious honour of taking over the polar position as the foremost enemy of the Malays.

But I am prepared to be proved wrong!