I have always given the same advice to give my fellow Malaysians. If you want a Malaysia that you can be proud of, then you too must “play” politics.

Many Malaysians feel that playing politics is the game for political parties. The reality is that if we love our nation, if we want the change that we want to see, and if we want our children to inherit a good Malaysia, then to me there is no choice but we must all be political players.

No, I do not mean that we all must rush to join PKR or DAP or MUDA.

No need-lah. We, individually with influence over our families and social media, are already a potent force. We, together with our own community, lagi hebatlah!.

So, the question here is…how to main politik as a citizen with no political party affiliation?

Senang saja! First, learn to say nice things properly. Second, learn to keep quiet strategically. Third, and this is most important, learn to “accept temporarily” those parties or individuals in politics that seem to have wronged us in the past.

If we as Malaysians do not practice these three strategies, then if Malaysia fail, it will be mostly our own fault.

Now, let us take the case of Umno and how we Malaysians can “play politics” in order to get the Malaysia we want.

First, I will give my assessment of Umno and Malaysia’s politics. And then I will advise how all of us can “play politics.”

Before GE15, there were two great threats to Malaysia: corruption and racism. Both issues have been traced to Umno and its multiracial coalition parties like MCA, MIC, Gerakan and the rest of the gang.

We all know this even though many politicians from BN have yet to be hauled in court.

Sometimes I have to laugh at many present and former leaders of Umno, MCA and MIC talking down Zahid as a court case freak. Lu orang belum lagi maaa! Jangan cakap banyak!

The PH government under Tun M was selective in its prosecution; Tun M wanted the heads of the two top leaders, Najib and Zahid, so that he can kill Umno and transfer the virus to Bersatu.

Do we all think that Tun M is innocent of corruption? Come on-lah…semua orang kampung pun boleh agak already!

The prosecution of Najib and Zahid is like perompak tangkap penyamun and accused the penyamun of robbing the people. Perompak pun sama saja!

Now, we swing to the present. We have seen for a fact that Umno lost much of Malay support to PN and PAS.

Many now believe that some political parties are playing an excellent game of recruiting motorcyclists, lorries, TikTok hosts and playing up the race and religious cards.

Umno was also brought down by traitors within its ranks who were trying to derail the leadership of Zahid.

We have also seen for a fact that it is Zahid and Umno that were the most important keys to support the Unity Government of the YDP Agong and finally realized Anwar’s dream and also many Malaysians’ dreams of the latter being the Prime Minister.

We also now know for a fact that Zahid has sacked many traitors and suspended many more in order to strengthen Umno from within.

The decision for the no contest of the top two posts was to ensure that PN and PAS, with their wealthy war chest, could never influence the delegates and take over Umno by a proxy block vote.

We also know now that Umno recently appointed a former PAS member to be in its new Ulama Council.

Also, Zahid recently held a meeting in his residence with many ustazs and religious personalities in order to prepare a battle plan to beat PAS and PN.

Thus, from my standpoint, only Umno can bring the Malays in Malaysia back to the center. PAS has taken Malays to an unrecognizable frenzy of extremism while Bersatu tumpang sekaki.

PN will use the same tactics in the state elections and if they manage to succeed, a moderate or madani federal Malaysia will be useless for our future.

My dear Malaysians, DAP cannot save Malaysia. Amanah was never strong enough to go against PAS. PKR with the madani concept will have to take a lot of time to convert the Malays to be a moderate center.

PKR does not seem to have the support of institutional Islam in the religious departments of the state. If institutional Islam supports PAS’s Ketuanan Islam, Malaysia will be lost.

Luckily, our Sultans are still the voice of reason and rationale. So, the only contender against PAS and PN in the Malay areas is a strong and united Umno.

Whether we like it or not, this is how the chess board pieces are placed.

The question is, what will Malaysians do? Should we be like Ramasamy and poke holes in the unity government by carelessly bringing up issues of Malays in public service?

PN should award Ramasamy and invite him to be a member of their coalition.

Anthony Loke was right in saying that DAP is the government and members should bring solutions, not cause problems.

The state elections are crucial and critical for Malaysia. If PN wins big, Malaysia will fall under racial and religious conservatism that will end this country.

Sabah and Sarawak will face the same problems of religious conservatism and extremism in less than ten years.

Sabah and Sarawak cannot hide behind their “happy and harmonious family” in their cultural heritage for very long.

PN must be declared Enemy Number One to a Malaysia that we can all still remember.

Thus, we must watch Zahid and Umno carefully and respectfully with these perspectives, or else it is WE who would be the main cause of a failed Malaysia.

(Prof Dr. Mohd Tajuddin Mohd Rasdi is Professor of Architecture at a local university and his writing reflects his own personal opinion entirely.)