::In his adjournment speech at the 55th Umno [Baru] General Assembly at the Putra World Trade Centre, the baru [new] deputy President of UMNO [Baru] said :: "I will stand firm behind Pak Lah and I am not the kind of person who stabs Pak Lah in the back." It is so deja vu like, haven't we heard many others said these words before and then go on to do whatever needed doing.
According to Bernama ::

Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, said he would give his undivided support to Abdullah just like Abdullah did to his late father, Tun Abdul Razak Hussein 30 years ago.
"Now, it's my turn and fate has it that I will serve Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi or Pak Lah," he said.

While we on this back topic, it looks like after some 30 years there are many still having weak backs. According to Bernama, Pak Lah in his maiden policy address at the 55th Umno [Baru] General Assembly had the following to say ::

The Prime Minister said the Bumiputeras realised that they were on crutches and want to walk without them but were afraid to discard them.
"Because of this fear, they resort to find short-cuts to blame others.
"If this trend continues, Bumiputeras may go weaker, from walking with crutches to cannot walk at all and become paralysed and must be pushed in a wheelchair.

It was pretty obvious that the baru [new] UMNO [Baru] President was referring to the weak backs of some of the non-non-bumis and their need for crutches to stand up and be counted. He has also expressed his fears that like a 'traitor' who need not be named the crutches may not be enough and they may become wheelchair bound. Worse still, things may get worse and they may need trolleys to eventually move around. In such a state, being wheelchair/trolley bound, one may find it difficult to Live One's Life With Pride And Dignity. This was what Pak Lah had to say when winding up the debate at the final day of the 55th Umno [Baru] general assembly ::

"If Hang Tuah had declared 'Takkan Melayu hilang di dunia' (the Malays will not perish from this world), I want the Malays to live their lives with pride and dignity."
He said that for over 400 years under colonial rule, the Malays did not perish but they had no power or authority until Umno came to rescue them and gave them pride and dignity.

But those with weak backs have little to fear for recently it is known that there was a case of a patient with a weak back and who was wheelchair bound who went to this clinic in Munich and after an operation which took just 1 hour 45 minutes to complete, was apparently able to return to his room by foot, whatever that meant.
Our MoH, Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek, should seriously pay this clinic, the AlphaKlinik, a visit. Better still our Health MINIster should immediately seriously consider sending our government doctors to receive training on this minimal invasive spinal procedure which can be done under local anaesthesia. This would be a great help for those with weak backs. Already the private sector has beaten the MoH in this aspect, for at least one neurosurgeon in private pratice is said to be receiving training in this technique.
Now where has my mind wandered off, at the start what i wanted to point out was that someone pointed out that UMNO Baru was only founded in 1988 by Mahathir, now Tun. Now, how is it possible that in 2004, this UMNO Baru is having its 55th General Assembly. And suddenly there were these issues of weakness, backs, crutches, wheelchairs, minimal invasive surgery and so on. And off i wandered. Can anyone out there please explain to senile me how a relatively new party can be holding its 55th general assembly, is said to have 5 former presidents when many have only managed to count truly two, the first having just stepped down in October 2003 and the second just having been anointed at this recent general assembly. The whole thing is so confusing, please explain.
Now, before i go, just one more item, at the UMNO [Baru] General Assembly, much mention was made about the "Malay Agenda". But not so long ago we were told in no uncertain terms that as Malaysians, "We are all equal, We are all Malaysians", "There is no individual in this country recognised as "more Malaysian" than others", and "All of us are the same"
Oh yes, there is one more thing i need to be reminded. Lately before the General Assembly, much fuss was made regarding "money politics". Now that the assembly inclusive of the "night of shock" is over, it apppears that this "money politics" has not been clearly defined leading to mucho confusion. According to Pak Lah, this term needs to be redefined. Now while he is at it, could he also redefined the following terms :: 'traitors', 'treachery', "equal Malaysians" and 'meritocracy'; there has also been confusion regarding these terms. We need truly to understand what these terms truly mean.