UMNO President Zahid appears to be filling in his time before facing over forty criminal charges by steering the remnants of UMNO towards PAS. He has claimed publicly that UMNO (or what is left of it) would only work with PAS.

That statement has significance beyond the possible state of Zahid’s mental health. It confirms that UMNO, far from being a representative of the Malay community will now be a part of the narrow, hate filled element among the Malays that regards anyone not on their side as “coolies”; to use the recent phrase employed by PAS leader Awang Hadi.

If to be a padi planter, or an oil palm grower makes someone a “coolie” the majority of Malays will simply regard anyone thinking like that as deranged. Religious belief, where genuine and not assumed for political benefit, must be respected. But right-thinking people will also recognise that, throughout human history, religious fanaticism has been the cause of many wars and atrocities. As ISIL are once again demonstrating today.

To act to try to bring religious and racial disharmony to present day Malaysia is not merely despicable but also a crime. Former UMNO leaders and current PAS bosses would do well to keep that firmly in mind.