Kekalahan Umno dalam pilihan raya bukti orang Melayu tolak rasuah

Tajuddin Rasdi's article, published on October 5th, theorizes why Malay voters accept leaders who are corrupt. The author's argument that Malays accept corruption is weak and unfair due to overlooking many significant historical events. From 2014 to 2018, perceptions of corruption peaked following the 1MDB scandal. After that, Umno-Barisan Nasional (BN) was overwhelmingly rejected by the people after ruling the country for 60 years.

As of 2022, BN only won 30 seats. Isn't this clear evidence that the perceived corruption was also rejected by Malay voters?

After each defeat, Umno accepts the election results with an open heart and allows investigation into the corruption allegations. Many of its leaders face serious consequences, including imprisonment, fines, or damage to their reputation. The party leadership repeatedly calls for Umno's revival and resurgence. However, none of these matters are considered in the author's argument.

The author also claims that the majority of Malays pay little or no income tax, a long-standing claim that is often repeated. The truth is, the M40 age group in Malaysia, which is mostly Malay, pays taxes. Most M40 earners have their income tax automatically deducted from their earnings, limiting tax evasion options. Moreover, the dark market, dominated largely by non-Malays, operates without paying taxes and involves multi-billion ringgit transactions.

The author failed to address the issue of the dark market, which is dominated by non-Malays. Regarding the DAP, which is often seen as a junior partner, the author seems reluctant to accept the fact that democracy allows voters to make their own choices. The DAP, dominated by one race, fails to win the hearts of this group. However, this reality is also ignored by the author.

Instead, the author depicts Malay attitudes as less inclined to support the DAP as evidence of their acceptance of corruption. What kind of argument is this? I am sure the Malay heart is clearly against this - Malays do not accept corruption. Any argument to the contrary is racist and overly simplistic. When former Prime Minister Najib Razak was convicted, Umno accepted the court's decision with an open heart and full integrity.

No one has to turn back on the road claiming that the testimony was not credible. Umno only seeks royal forgiveness, a form of piety allowed by the Constitution. The soft attitude of some Malays towards Najib is not a sign of their acceptance of corruption. On the contrary, it is driven by regret after the defeat of Umno, which still leaves the situation unchanged.

Najib deserves some forgiveness by taking into account the huge contribution he made to the nation, despite the shortcomings during his leadership. I reject the author's theory. The author is a member of the Umno Youth and a reader of FMT. This article is the writer's personal opinion and does not necessarily represent FMT.