Where is all this racism going?

If a political party admits to itself that it is on the wane, that it no longer enjoys control over the middle-ground, that there is solid support for the opposition; it is only logical for that party to find ways to claw back support.

Umno, by its own acknowledgment, the leader of the Barisan Nasional coalition, is now employing a simple strategy to win the support of Malays who are anxious about their future.

The party already enjoys the support of the largely Malay civil service, many of whom see the participation of non-Malays as a possible threat to their "rice-bowl". It must now win over anxious fence-sitters, many of whom feel insecure about 1Malaysia and the ultimate conclusion of such policies: a Malaysia of equal opportunities regardless of "race".

Permatang Pasir, which will be fought over during the holy month of Ramadan, will be held up as a clear indicator that support for the Opposition is on the wane.

The tide, Umno is currently arguing, turned at Manek Urai. It is almost a foregone conclusion that Umno will win the seat, owing to the might of government machinery. It simply has to win otherwise the BN is set on an irreversible course for the dust-bin of history.

BN's victory in Permatang Pasir will also be held up as the beginning of the recovery of the non-Malay parties, particularly the MCA and Gerakan. The Chinese voters have finally returned to the BN, the mainstream press will claim. It is not that they want to vote BN, another newspaper will scream but simply that the Pakatan Rakyat is untenable.

Selangor will then fall with Khir Toyo returning as MB and Malay power restored.

The above is the best-case scenario for the BN. But to achieve such an outcome, Umno knows that it must create a suitable situation to galvanise overwhelming Malay support based on a variety of platforms including religion, ethnic-equality and economic advancement.

It does not matter if the situation feeding Malay anxiety is of its own creation. What matters most in politics is impression, which is best "believed" if it is "felt". Nothing feels more real than fear.

Creating a group fear

Most Malaysians have nothing against one another. Individually human beings can be quite rational. But talk to them when they are in a group and a different voice is heard. By suggesting that the Malays are about to lose political power, anxiety is stimulated.

The next step is to publish a few stories through anonymous blogs. Repeat it often enough and rumours begin to "sound" real. This is because we have been programmed to believe in repeated slogans, especially after 30 years of being bombarded by daily doses of intense advertisements.

The current economic crisis also helps as most people are feeling insecure about their jobs. Put all these different and often unrelated issues together and "group fear" is created.

Legitimacy to "group fear" is added when senior politicians denounce anyone who disagrees as "traitors to the race". At the same time, ministers exhort the people to respect the constitution as though those opposed to them do not and are therefore unpatriotic.

Then say that you will strike at them with the full might of the state and exercise executive powers of arrest and harassment. Finally, blame these "traitors" for "destablising" the country by arguing that if they did not exist, we would not have to do what we are doing in the first place.

Umno and those in-charge of "psychological-warfare" understands how this strategy works because it is as old as the hills. They are adopting it because it always works.

One man, above all else, perfected it. He knew about the attraction of colourful costumes, knew that to get people to follow, one must first create an enemy.

Then to be really effective, one must not only beat but brutally kill any opposition including those manufactured ones. Group fear will do the rest as people take ownership of the killings in the name of "patriotism". Above all, one can take the opportunity to get rid of one's opponents by directing "group fear" against them.

This can happen in a dictatorship, in parliamentary democracy, and in any human society. Perhaps, it will be better to allow the man who perfected this strategy to describe it in his own words:

"Naturally the common people don't want war; neither in Russia, nor in England, nor in America, nor in Germany. That is understood. But after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship.

Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country."

But there are consequences to the strategies of Hermann Goering. For those who are unfamiliar with World War II, Goering was Commander of the German Air Force [and not the Minister of Propaganda for Nazi Germany as published in Malaysiakini]. The consequences for ethnic-based demonising are the same everywhere: human suffering, economic collapse and eventually, a failed state.

The call to arms issued by Umno and its continued insistence that Malay rights will be "protected" begs the question why the Malays need protecting after 52 years of Umno and BN administration.

Creating a smokescreen

This remains the question that it cannot answer without compromising the coalition.

By creating an enemy out of the Opposition, it hopes that the smokescreen of ethnic hate will be so confusing that it need not answer that fundamental question.

This naked appeal to group fear amongst the Malays may yield short term gains and may even win Permatang Pasir for Umno but once the "ethnic hate" genie is out of the bottle, it will be very hard to get it back in.

As Goering said, "the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country."

What he didn't say was that the fires of hate such a policy created not only led to the death of millions, it destroyed Germany and ultimately unleashed an equally strong reaction from those opposed to Nazi Germany's cause. German cities were bombed with as much unreason.

So win Permatang Pasir if it will restore some confidence in the BN but win it cleanly and on real issues. Otherwise, the seeds of hate sown by politicians will one day grow into demons that will consume us all.