Francis Foo
3:52pm Tue Jan 28th, 2003

Khoo Kay Peng's call for Umno Youth to champion the cause of all Malaysians should be applauded. The chances of racial harmony in the country would be better if so. But is it possible or will it happen in our generation?

There is no doubt Umno Youth has the potential, resources, political clout and capability to do that, but it has first of all, to demonstrate its willingness, while retaining its acronym, to change its full name from Pemuda United Malays National Organisation, into Pemuda United Malaysians National Organisation, including changing its organisational mandate.

If it can take that first step, then Khoo's hopes and dreams, and those of all Malaysians alike, may be realised. I for o­ne, will be among the first to sign up for the new Pemuda Umno.

Looking at the modus operandi of the current crop of Umno Youth leaders and their wannabes, it will be asking too much from them. It will require not o­nly a paradigm shift in Umno Youth's organisational culture, but also a major overhaul of its organisational and leadership attitudes.

It is hard to see this forthcoming from this generation of Malay Malaysians in Umno Youth as there is insufficient critcal mass of liberal and broad-minded Malay Malaysians to effect that desirable change. What more with the current polarisation within the Malay community o­n several fronts, let alone the baggage that comes along with the multiracial make-up of the country.

But then, miracles do happen. While waiting for them, we can o­nly pray.