Leaders who ‘can’t tell men and women apart’, palm oil... Umno rep lists Pakatan’s problems
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 7 — Perak Umno delegate Jamilah Zakaria today criticised the current Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration and pointed out their flaws of political infighting and for being out of touch with reality on the daily hardships faced by the rural Malays.
The final speaker at the Umno Annual General Assembly today, the feisty Jamilah had also tickled the delegates’ funny bone with the colourful way and fiery choice of words used to describe the problems facing the PH coalition.
“There’s political instability and infighting in Abang Nuar (PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) and Abang Min (PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali). They’re both fighting with each other.
“And how can we let those two, who can’t even tell men and women apart, rule our country?” quipped Jamilah to the roar of laughter from the crowd.
She then placed Teresa Kok in her scope and fired off at the primary industries minister for making ridiculous and absurd suggestions of using palm oil to fry murukus and keropok (fish crackers).
“Teresa Kok asked us to fry murukku using palm oil. She knows that during Hari Raya we normally serve them to our guests. Well does she think we fry those keropok and murukku using minyak cap kapak!?”
“If I find her, I might twist her ear!” said the stormy Jamilah to the amusement of her fellow Umno members.
Umno permanent chairman Tan Sri Badruddin Amiruldin could not help himself but interject, pointing out that she might get arrested if she has the guts to twist Kok’s ear around.
However, the former education officer fired back saying that she is not afraid of being arrested and that it is worth all that trouble.
Just like a stern headmistress, Jamilah also schooled the delegates on PH’s weak understanding of rural life basic home economics which led to their devastating defeat in the Tanjung Piai by-election.
“If you look at one of the reasons, we won in Tanjung Piai because they (PH) told the voters to be grateful with an income of RM1,000. If you asked us to be grateful with an income of RM1,000, of course we would get angry.
“What can you eat with an income of RM1,000? Rocks? Let me break it down what a rural Malay can do with RM1,000 — RM200 is already used to pay off your Yamaha motorcycle at Ah Seng’s store. That’s your installment.
“You’re left with RM800. If you have three kids, that’s already RM600 gone to feed and clothe them. Now you have RM200 which is used for their school needs. So, you’re left with nearly nothing, not even enough to buy your wife’s panties!
“What kind of a disorganised, directionless government is this!?” said Jamilah, leading to more laughter from the hall and reporters covering her.
However, the passionate assemblyman waxed melancholic and voiced her sadness at Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s “insulting” statement that the Malays are lazy.
She recalled and described her grandparents who had sacrificed some of their fruit crops and durian trees in order to plant palm oil as advised by Dr Mahathir when he led the country during his first round as a Barisan Nasional (BN) prime minister.
Jamilah said that during her grandfather’s time, when Dr Mahathir head the nation, the average income for farmers and rural folks were around RM300 to RM400 a month, no matter how hard they worked.
“I was really affected when Tun said the Malays are lazy. How can he say that? I remember my grandfather during Dr Mahathir’s time. There was no big salary. No matter how hard you work you just earn around RM300 to RM400 in the villages.
“My villagers chopped down their durian trees to plant palm oil. My grandfather chopped down his durian trees for palm oil. And then look at what Teresa Kok said and how they are managing the palm oil price today,” she observed.
She then advised her party that all Umno members must become the spokesmen for the Malay community.
Jamilah pointed out that it was not enough for the assemblymen and MPs to voice the Malay struggle, but all members must voice out their concern to ensure the survival of the Malay community.
At the same time, she also reminded her peers not to alienate the non-Malays in the country.
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