The recent Malaysiakini video recording of a mob of Sungai Besar Umno chief Jamal Md Yunos's Red Shirts surrounding a defenceless Bersih supporter in Sabak Bernam, pelting him with eggs and kicking him down from his motor cycle and with one of the mob administering him with a kick from the back has received close to 400,000 views in its youtube version as well as over 1,000 comments from viewers.

Sometimes a pebble thrown into a pool will have ripple effects that are much more than seen on the surface. This, I think, may just be the incident which will bring out the true character and nature of the Malays in the country who during my time I knew my Malay friends as “nature's gentlemen”.  

We can see from the Malay response to the incident that many in the community are waking up and want no more of the “samseng” Red Shirts.

One reader – we can assume he or she is Malay - was so disgusted by what happened that he was moved to write the following:

when you have idiots like the jamal fella doing press con in toilets and the red shits kicking poor defenceless people in the back, who looks worse? Red shits lah. Its still so funny - I remember the interview with the makcik felda from last year who said she was just offered a free trip to kl, and had no idea what the red shit movement was about. So sad. Felt sorry for her. I mean that is exploitation

lah...typical umno kan.  Jamal will get a few million, the real people will get rm50 or rm100....

Not only have the Malays in their thousands condemned this band of paid hooligans in no uncertain terms but they have also criticized the police for their inaction. This angry mass response of Malays is what appears to have finally jolted the Inspector-General of Police, Khalid Abu Bakar, into taking some action against this band of “manly” and “macho” UMNO members who probably have been paid quite a bit for their petrol expenses, meals and accommodation to ensure their participation in harassing the Bersih convoy. Let's see what the IGP who is supposed to be independent and neutral in his political standing does in this case of violence, intimidation and law breaking by Jamal and his hooligans.

Not only me but other Malaysians are also applauding PAS vice president Idris Ahmad who said the assault was "barbaric" and backward. “We are in the new millennium. We can no longer practice politics like we are in the 1960s or be barbarians. Match argument against argument, programme against programme. Not meeting convoys with side kicks” he said in a statement published on PAS organ Harakah daily.

Strangely or not so strange is the complete silence on PAS President Abdul Hadi Awang. Hadi is the party president of the largest Islamic party in the country and second largest Malay party. His failure to say anything about the present mess in the country including the 1MDB and personal donation into the Prime Minister's personal bank account scandals leads many Malaysians to think that he may be trying to win a place in Najib's next cabinet!

I hope his PAS colleagues can speak to him about the importance of honesty and integrity and about the need for him to lecture Jamal and his Red Shirts on the punishment that they will receive once hudud law comes into effect in Malaysia!

Perhaps Hadi is waiting for 19 November to make his maiden pronouncement on the Red Thugs who are disgracing the Malays and Islam. Jamal has also posted the following seditious threat in his Facebook account:

“I promise the May 13 tragedy will repeat along with flying parang if Bersih 5 is held at the time, date and place as planned on Nov 19. Long live Malays!”

While ordinary and sensible Malays have rejected and condemned the Red Shirts, we have yet to get a strong, unambiguous and no-nonsense response from UMNO leaders. Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin has belatedly condemned violence by red shirts protestors against members of Bersih. At the same time he has said that “ hope those behind these movements (Bersih and red shirts) can advise their members not to act violently".

Come on Khairy. The threats and violence are entirely one sided and come from your UMNO Youth members. Please do not try to get them to hide behind your sarong or it will fall down and reveal more than what you should display.

Finally Malaysians are still awaiting a statement from UMNO's President, Najib Razak on Jamal and the Red Shirts. While this statement is being prepared, I think it may be important for the Prime Minister's handlers to share this Malay lament from the website with him.

Baguslah tu..
Yang meranapkan negara Melayu.
Yang serang cederakan orang Melayu, Melayu juga.
Yang jadi macai UMNO buat tingkah pertahankan Najib dan Rosmah, Melayu juga.
Syabas wahai Melayu. Melayu diambang kehancuran.

.