Dulu, kini and what the future holds for us....some thoughts.

With the probable exception of Dato Onn Jaafar and Tunku, the presidents of Umno always had money. The money that they held in trust for Umno to be used for whatever purpose Umno thinks fit.

During Tun Mahathir's tenure as president, Umno's coffers overflowed and the hundreds of millions that Umno had were used primarily to secure Umno's political might and maintain its stranglehold over all things political, racial, and spiritual in Malaysia....not necessarily in that order.

Unbridled political power and the overflowing coffers of Umno during the heady economic boom of the 1960s is a toxic combination. Umno's political stranglehold over all things Malaysian led to the dismantling of checks and balances in politics and in government which started the curse of money politics, corruption, nepotism, and greed. All this surely had its beginning during Tun Mahathir's time as president of Umno. During Tun's time, there were three Deputy Prime Ministers. Musa Hitam, Tun Gaffer and DSAI. None of them succeed Tun Mahathir as Prime Minister, and thus we will never know what they could or would do if they ever become Prime Minister.

During his years as President of Umno, Tun was mindful that the political power he wielded was not only for himself, but also for Umno. If he was powerful, so was Umno. As for the money that was in Umno's coffers, the possibility for abuse was ever present, but for Tun the responsibility of using the money for the good of Umno took precedence over everything else. Tun was mindful of his responsibility to use Umno's money for Umno, though it must be said that money politics was beginning to rear its ugly head, but for Tun, money politics was a necessary evil to get things done.

With the going of Tun Mahathir, the first real crack in the dam of money politics began. We all know the goings-on on the fourth floor of the prime minister's office during Abdullah Badawi's tenure as prime minister...led by KJ, his son-in-law...but in Abdullah Badawi, a sense of decency still prevailed. He was essentially a good man, not greedy and not into money politics, but the people around him had other ideas.

After Abdullah Badawi, the floodgates opened.

Najib Razak became prime minister, and with his wife Rosmah, there was the perfect storm for money politics in all its decadent glory, and all the evil, greed, and corruption that came along with it.

Umno's political power became Najib Razak's political power. Umno's money became Najib's money to do what he wants with it. Under Najib and Rosmah the flood gates not only opened but everything that flowed out of that dam flowed first into Najib's and Rosmahs greedy grasping arms and from there everywhere else that Umno's and Barisan Nasional tentacles spread to.

All that was needed to destroy Umno and Malaysia were in these two individuals, but all this had its beginning in Umno...from the time of Onn Jaafar, Tunku, and all those that came after them. All of Umno's presidents, in one way or another, hold some responsibility for ultimately allowing these two people, Najib and Rosmah, to be in a position to do what they have done to Umno, to the Malays, Islam, the Rakyat, and to Malaysia.

The convicted felon has been jailed. Rosmah will soon be jailed, and the court cluster will follow suit, but nothing has changed in Umno. UMNO is greed. UMNO is deceit. UMNO is dishonour. That UMNO has become a bloated, corrupt and sleazy organization is a given fact – a fait accompli – a fact realized and accomplished.

Muhyiddin Yassin and Ismail Sabri are footnotes in our political history, not worthy of any comment but what has changed is the political landscape!

For the foreseeable future, Umno/Barisan Nasional cannot win government without the assistance of other political entities. Umno cannot govern by itself. It no longer commands enough electoral support to win a general election. In the foreseeable future, the opposition will have as much opportunity to win a general election as Umno/ BN does. A two-party system is already in place, and who will do government is for the rakyat to choose. We can only hope that the rakyat chooses wisely.

As for Najib and Rosmah, the Umno court cluster, and the slew of corrupt politicians still in politics and in the corridors of power, we will have to find a way to deal with them for there will never be enough cells to hold them all, but with the jailing of Najib Razak, real change has begun.

For sure, PDRM, SPRM, and the government still need to be cleaned up. Checks and balances need to be put in place to ensure that what has happened under Umno will never be able to happen again in the future. But for now, let us rejoice that the Judiciary has signaled its intent to lead the force for change in our nation in such a forceful and sure way - the jailing of Najib Razak for the crimes he committed while he was president of Umno and prime minister of Malaysia.

And now onwards to PRU 15 and the election of a responsible and accountable government. That is now the responsibility of you and me to make happen, but I must confess that there is room for doubt in my mind that Malaysians can do their duty without fear or favor because race and religion, is too close to all our hearts to ignore...kan?