YOURSAY | ‘He must be thinking ‘if I failed before, try again’, but this time with more parties.’

Annuar Musa wants grand coalition – woos Muda, Pejuang, Warisan

YellowMarlin8834: A resounding no to the grand coalition. Federal Territories Minister Annuar Musa, you are only interested in strengthening your own position.

Your statement clearly shows you are more pro-backdoor government than your own party, Umno. Is it because you got a position and it is too lucrative to let go?

Please don’t use race and religion. Many from your race are suffering due to this lockdown. You don’t even want to share your salary with them by taking a pay cut.

This government is sick to the core. Without a pandemic, maybe you can behave like the old Umno. But not now, the government has no money and its bloated cabinet is too stupid to tackle the crisis.

Doc: Annuar, who is also the BN secretary-general, must be so desperate that he is inviting troublemaker former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his Pejuang to join in his grand union of the ummah.

On another note, three parties – PAS, Bersatu, and Umno – came together in February to take over the government claiming they wanted to form a coalition with one singular focus – to safeguard, unite, and strengthen the Malay community against attacks from the “diabolical” DAP.

So, in the nine months after this Perikatan Nasional (PN) took over the government, my questions are on how the Malay community is faring:

1) Have job opportunities for the Malay community improved significantly?

2) Has the Malay community’s share of the economic pie increased?

3) Is the Malay community happy with the way the PN government is handling the political, economic, and social structure of the country?

4) Are the three major political entities in PN working hard together to achieve the dreams and aspirations of the Malay community as what they promised to do?

5) Have the “attacks” by the “diabolical” DAP on the ummah been thwarted and the party’s potency been curtailed?

I guess the answer to these questions must be a resounding “no”. Otherwise, why would Annuar be calling for an even-grander collation of Malay-based parties to safeguard the dreams and aspiration of the ummah?

I guess he must be thinking “if I failed before, try again”, but this time with more parties.

Mano: Annuar, you said: “The efforts of the union of the ummah (Malay/Muslim community) must be our main responsibility.” Is this so that the elite and semi-elite ummah can continue the looting?

You should talk on how to bring up the B40 (bottom 40 percent) Malays, how they can own at least one house, how they can be comfortable in their lives (they are not aspiring to have your obscenely luxurious lifestyle), how they can be educated, how they will regain their self-esteem by standing on their own two feet (instead of making them feel they must forever be dependent on the crumbs you throw out after eating the cake).

But sorry, if you educate them well, they will most likely see through all your greed. So, it serves you well to keep them as they are – ever ready to hoist the flags when you flash the racial and religious cards.

By the way, did the dubious Mara deal in Australia fill the pockets of the B40 Malays or the elite and semi-elite Malays?

Undecided: “For too long our politics have been centred around two or three personalities, and not on the basis of struggle,” said Annuar.

Annuar, the vast majority of Umno leaders have never struggled. If they have struggled, it was always for their own selfish interest and not for the poor Malays as many are still in the B40 category. By the way, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin is also one of those personalities you speak of.

Umno’s struggle has more to do with preferential contracts and corruption which siphoned off billions over the past 50 years after the introduction of the New Economic Policy (NEP), which was meant for the poor.

Another major issue is a mediocre education system brought about by supremacists championing Bahasa Melayu without emphasising proficiency in English.

It has to be repeated time and again that, fundamentally, it is the use of race and religion by politicians and their NGO backers to divide the rakyat. This is responsible for Malaysia’s deteriorating economy.

Fairman: Annuar, look at yourself in the mirror. You are also one of those promoting politics of personality.

This should be your last term. You started in 1986 as an assemblyperson in Kelantan. Which side were you on in the 1987 Umno power struggle? Who did you worship then?

You lost in the 1990 general election, bounced back in 1995, and lost again in 1999. You returned as an assemblyperson in 2004, lost again in 2008, and lucky for you, won Ketereh in 2013 and 2018.

You were double-lucky to get a position in the backdoor government in 2020. Now you are using your power and position to promote yourself.

You have been in politics more or less as long as PKR president Anwar Ibrahim. Your final Waterloo is coming very soon. Your hypocrisy will finally be unmasked.

Just a Malaysian: If the grand coalition continues to scream about defending Malays and Muslims, nothing will change.

The change we need is mental, not physical. Having three parties shouting “Hidup Melayu” (long live the Malays) and steal the nation’s coffers, is as bad as having 10 parties doing the same thing.

Annuar, we need changes in our thoughts and approach to building a new progressive and inclusive Malaysia, where every citizen works hard to contribute to the nation.

MS: A wonderful idea, simply brilliant.

This is because the grand coalition will require ballooning the already-humongous cabinet of 70 to at least 100, which can then enter the Guinness Book of Malaysia Boleh Records.

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Two BYU religion professors were chosen to be moderators on Come Follow Up, a new BYUtv show which acts as a supplement to gospel study program Come, Follow Me.

The moderators are Barbara Morgan Gardner and Daniel Becerra. Each episode focuses on a specific week of Come, Follow Me study with a new guest and a live audience. Those watching from home can also participate live through social media.

Both moderators are currently teaching at BYU. Gardner is a Church history religion professor and author, and Becerra teaches in the ancient scripture department.

The schedule has been hectic for both teachers. They said they are filming for the show on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while still teaching classes during Fall Semester, but the religion department has offered support.

“It’s definitely very time-consuming. It’s working our brains. It’s putting us in situations we’ve never been in, but it’s enhancing our experience here at BYU, and hopefully, we’re enhancing other people’s experiences as they’re studying the scriptures,” Gardner said.

Over the summer, BYUtv contacted the professors and asked about their interest in moderating the show. Interest came quickly for Gardner. She said she thought it sounded like a good way to reach a larger audience to fulfill the mission statement of BYU and “speak about the parts of the scriptures that are important to people but sometimes aren’t necessarily discussed as much.”

Becerra wasn’t initially interested in the opportunity. He turned down the offer a few times because he isn’t an actor and thought he probably wasn’t what they were looking for. His perspective then changed.

“What sold me on the idea is they wanted to create this show that offered a platform for diversity of voices to talk about the gospel,” Becerra said.

BYU media arts student Jen Baker is an assistant producer on the show. She has been behind the scenes of the production and has noticed her testimony grow. “It’s not about two moderators teaching the gospel, it’s about us all learning the gospel together, which really goes back to the purpose of Come, Follow Me,” Baker said.

Come Follow Up thrives off of having a live audience and hearing their comments. “I love working with the audience,” Gardner said, noting that it’s like teaching an in-person class again.

The show is following COVID-19 protocols by issuing each member of the audience a rapid test for COVID-19 upon entrance. Each grouping of individuals is compiled by household and placed six feet away from other families. Masks are also required when the cameras aren’t filming.

“All of our discussion is unscripted,” Becerra said. He said the show creates an authentic space where questions and concerns can be resolved.

“This show is helping model what we really hope gospel discussion can always be. We want to model an open space where people can ask questions and give comments and be able to learn more about the things that matter to them in a way that feels safe and open,” said Christina Torriente, a producer of Come Follow Up.

New episodes air every Sunday on BYUtv. Next year, Come, Follow Me and Come Follow Up will focus on the Doctrine and Covenants.