.jpg)
By Mihar Dias January 2025
Once upon a time, UMNO stood as a bastion of Malay political dominance—a roaring tiger in Malaysia’s jungle of politics.
Today? Well, if we’re to believe DAP’s Nga Kor Ming, the party has been reduced to a mere fly, buzzing aimlessly in the halls of power. If this isn’t rock bottom, one wonders what is.
Let’s dissect the saga of UMNO’s freefall into political irrelevance. Nga’s comment, “a lion doesn’t argue with a fly,” was a slap so loud it could wake the ancestors. https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2025/01/1164506/lion-doesnt-argue-fly-i-wont-engage-akmal-saleh-says-nga
But instead of roaring back, UMNO seems to have accepted its new identity, buzzing meekly around the lion’s feet.
This humiliation wasn’t delivered by Perikatan Nasional or a foreign diplomat, but by DAP—a party UMNO once demonized as the ultimate enemy of the Malay agenda. Now, UMNO seems perfectly content to be ridiculed by its so-called coalition partner in the unity government. The party’s transformation from king of the political jungle to a petty nuisance is so complete that even Dr. Mahathir couldn’t resist twisting the knife with his recent remarks. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/15y5XGtago/
And what does UMNO do in response? Nothing. No fiery rebuttals, no impassioned defenses of its legacy—just the soft hum of flies in the background. If UMNO ever had a backbone, it’s long been replaced by jelly.
The Lion of DAP Roars
To add insult to injury, Nga Kor Ming didn’t just call himself a lion—he declared it with the kind of confidence that comes from knowing no one will dare to challenge him.
UMNO’s response? Crickets. Or perhaps flies. One almost feels sorry for the party, but then again, this is the same UMNO that gleefully mocked others in its heyday.
But here’s the kicker: some PN supporters have turned to artificial intelligence to produce parodies of Nga’s lion vs. fly analogy. https://focusmalaysia.my/opposition-faction-mocks-nga-kor-ming-you-aint-a-lion-but-only-a-8481-in-disguise/
Yes, AI. When political comebacks are outsourced to technology, you know the game is up. It’s as if even PN sympathisers believe UMNO is too weak to deliver its own rebuttals.
A Party Adrift
UMNO’s current state is nothing short of tragicomic. Once the defender of Malay rights and the architect of the nation’s post-independence prosperity, it now clings to power as a junior partner in a coalition that treats it with open disdain. Nga’s comment wasn’t just an insult; it was a statement of fact.
.
The irony is rich: UMNO is now more reliant on DAP than DAP ever was on UMNO. In its desperation to remain relevant, UMNO has willingly become the fly that buzzes around the lion, hoping for scraps. If this is the new normal, then one wonders why UMNO’s leadership hasn’t embraced its new slogan: Better a fly in the government than a tiger in the opposition.
Buzzing Towards Oblivion
The reality is clear: UMNO has lost its roar. Its leaders are content to ride on the coattails of others, all while the party’s legacy fades into obscurity. And while some may blame the unity government’s power dynamics, the truth is UMNO has no one to blame but itself.
So here’s a thought: perhaps UMNO should fully embrace its new role as the government’s resident insect. After all, flies can be persistent, annoying, and even dangerous in large numbers.
But a lion? A lion is a leader, a symbol of strength, and above all, a creature that commands respect.
For now, UMNO buzzes, while Nga Kor Ming roars. And if this trajectory continues, it won’t be long before Malaysians forget the tiger that once ruled the jungle.
Mihar Dias is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
The User Content (as defined on Newswav Terms of Use) above including the views expressed and media (pictures, videos, citations etc) were submitted & posted by the author. Newswav is solely an aggregation platform that hosts the User Content. If you have any questions about the content, copyright or other issues of the work, please contact Newswav.