COMMENT | The Umno purge and big Malaysian stink

"Everything happens fast, but nothing actually happens. Each story on televised news is 'breaking' until it is displaced by the next one. So we are hit by wave upon wave but never see the ocean."

- Timothy Snyder, On Tyranny

COMMENT | Honestly, I do not think this is an Umno purge, because when it comes to politicians, whatever the party, it is more accurately described as diarrhoea. The personalities involved in this case are not important.

Those sacked or suspended were not a threat because of their ideological stance or because they wanted some kind of genuine reform. What genuine reform means in a race-based party is open to debate. I cannot make that argument but would be interested if anyone could.

No doubt they would be feted by power brokers or wannabe power brokers to assume positions that their benefactors think appropriate - until they can be reintroduced to the mainstream political process. Some will, of course, use their ejection from Umno as some sort of...