How Can Barisan Nasional Learn From USA Basketball.

So at the dawn of 10th of May 2018, Malaysia is now celebrating a brand new chapter of its 61 years existence. The euphoria that swept the entire nation following the opposition coalition’s victory was not loss on me either.

I woke up from extreme hangover not only knowing that my country will now have a brand new government but also Huddersfield Town’s 1–1 draw with Chelsea means that they will retain their place in the Premier League. Now please don’t get hopes too up, this is not another article that I’m attempting to write about the Terriers great season at the top flight.

Instead, I would like to focus on my giving two cents worth of opinion on what does the country needs in order to move forward progressively. So here goes nothing.

For six decades, Malaysia has been ruled by the National Front otherwise locally known as Barisan Nasional (BN). By any means, BN deserves all the credit for staying power that long so kudos to them. I’m not going to dwell into what it took them to earn the people’s mandate as there are many other place in the net for you discuss on that.

I always like to make comparison on things in life to football or sports as this has always been my first love. I may have a professional job but it doesn’t supersedes the love I have for sports. So for me, when I think off BN’s longevity at the top of Malaysian politics, the first thing comes to my mind is USA basketball.

After all, if there is one thing that puts BN and USA basketball in the same plate, its complacency.

Though it is synonymous that basketball is always perceived as an American sports but make no mistake that the game’s popularity has spread throughout the world since the early 19th century. Yet, American has always remain the untouchables at the Olympics (For everyone’s info, I’m using the Olympics as it has always been the benchmark for America since they don’t take the FIBA World Championship seriously).

Since the game’s introduction at the 1936 edition in Berlin, the United States has won gold in every edition (except in 1972, where the lost in the controversial final against the Soviet Union and 1980, USA didn’t take part as part of the international boycott against Soviet’s invasion of Afghanistan). What made their dominance more interesting was that the Americans only had to send it collegiate players. Professional from the NBA were barred as the Olympics wanted to remain true to its amateur ideals.

While it was a noble one, the amateurs ideal was somewhat hijacked as the by 1980s there was sign that the rest of the world was catching up already. Those who played for a living in Europe weren’t necessary considered professionals. Especially in the Eastern Bloc nations where athletes were retained as government servant whose full time job description is to train and play sports.

Though the Americans were well aware of this practice from overseas, there was no counter reaction from their part. To their ignorance beliefs, a 17–20 year old college player was good enough to take on seasoned pros from the rest of the world. Then in 1988, the Americans finally fell to the Soviet Union in the semis and only this time there was no controversy. For the first time ever, the United States will not complete for the gold medal.

The situation is kind of similar to BN who forever believed that the masses will buy into their propaganda via controlled media. For the most that of part throughout my growing years it was the case as we were made to believe the news we read on the Star and what we watch on TV3 really tells the whole picture of the country. Not that all is untrue, but to be fair, BN also did had a great track record in terms of the country’s development and growth during those years. So kudos to them, again!

It became a custom that you wake up in the morning, enjoy your cup of coffee whilst spreading the A3 printed newspaper wide open with its freshly printed ink smell still rooming in the air. Anything less than this wasn’t deemed as news at all. I recall there was a time when a friend of mine who would ask me to come and listen at a “ceramah” organized by the opposition and I was dead set of not going. I just didn’t see the point in it. For the record, I still don’t see the point at all but that’s another story altogether.

But once the internet came to the forefront, the game now has changed tremendously. While BN were still basking in their glory with the use of outdated methods, the opposition has been gaining strengths thanks to the introduction of blogging and social media platform. Independent and alternative news outlet begin to grow like wild mushrooms giving people access to information that you won’t find in any mainstream media. This of course, had a profound impact on voters especially among those deemed as Generation X or Millennial.

The opposition took full advantage of this, in a similar way like those athletes from the Eastern Bloc took advantage of their amateur ahem professional status. Whether the news and stories were half baked or fully cooked is up for debate but the reality is, having a news portal could help you reach out to millions of people as opposed to say, 1000,000 printed copies of newspaper per day. This help the opposition to gain tremendous amount of momentum heading into the next election.

As such in the 2008 General Election, BN suffered its biggest setback in its entire history. Though they still manage gain a simple majority to form the government, the opposition has made heavy in roads into parliament. States like Penang and Selangor once the crown jewel of the government has now fall into the hands of the opposition. It was a huge wake up call for the elected government back then.

However, both USA Basketball and BN didn’t necessarily have learned from their latest setback. Let me explain here.

For USA basketball, the answer to their defeat at the 1988 Olympics Seoul was simple; time for NBA players to be given the permission to compete on the international stage. It was an idea they were initially lukewarm too eventually they embrace it knowing how the climate of basketball is now changing throughout the world. More and more talent from overseas are now earning a spot in a NBA’s team roster.

So in 1992 for the games in Barcelona, the Americans have assembled a group of players that will soon to be immortalized as the US Dream Team. And of course the rest is history. But complacency didn’t just run way, in the same fashion as in those college players days. They continued to believe by putting together a group of NBA players and showing up at the Olympics, the gold was theirs for the taking.

It did work for the next two edition but reality finally hit them when they suffered their performance at the 2004 edition in Athens. Team USA lost three games including semi-final clash against Argentina. For the time since the introduction of NBA players, they won’t be playing for the gold. It was the worst period for USA basketball. Apart from the Olympics, they failed at both 2002 and 2006 World Championship with NBA players.

You might thinking where does BN actually fits into all this?

In the past, BN wouldn’t need to bother about the credibility of those selected to stand for election or even its list in their manifesto. The votes will just flow it like an open beer tap. There is an old saying, put up a mop stand with a BN flag attached to it, victory is guaranteed.

The election in 2008 would have given them a clear idea what was the people’s aspiration and where did their shortfall came from. While it was good for them to embrace the world wide web to spread their cause. Fact is that some of their key members were way smarter in taking advantage on platform such Facebook or Twitter. If I would dare to admit, that I was fan of theirs.

However its fair to say despite of their fresh approach, BN continue to behave a like a cheetah that never leaves its spot wherever it goes. The same old negative tactics was still widely practice. Five years later, they begin to see further decline in their majority in parliament. Though on the surface, they’re popularity still remain intact but beneath of it, there were signs that the end is almost near.

Which bring us to the day which I started this article, 10th of May 2018. In the same way how, the Genaracio Dorado of Argentine basketball swept the US team of NBA playes in Athens in 2004, BN saw their once untouchables dominant being crush by the opposition coalition.

The good news is that, there is a first time for everything.

Team USA failures from 2002 to 2006 did open their eyes that the day a group of NBA players simply turning at the Olympics to win gold is all over. As such, they’ve introduce a proper national team program, bringing a group of players that were only committed to the cause. All egos and individualism is left at the front door. Instead of the idea of teamwork,harmony and selflessness were strictly emphasizes.

After all, the foundation of basketball in America is simply too strong judging by the pool of talent, it only needs a proper tweaking and system in place. An Americans too have embraced that their sports is now a global game and they are just another country that plays the game.

A piece of advice for BN.

Perhaps in a similar way it would be wise for BN to embrace the new environment that we call “Harapan Baru”. I do know many people reading this will think I sound silly. But the reality is, for this country to move progressively forward, it needs an effective opposition just as much it needs an effective government. It goes both ways.

It was good to hear that BN’s coalition partners are still sticking together. After all, friends are supposed to remains through the good times and bad times. Besides, BN still has a strong foundation to build on but it needs to be abandon its old outdated policies.

Just like USA basketball, a revamp in its approach and keeping sure its members check their egos at the door plus focusing on the nation’s cause. Maybe, just maybe, somewhere along the line, the people might just tune back to them.

A piece of advice for Team USA.

Don’t you ever try to introduce American football at the Olympics. Because one fine day, the rest of the world might just beat you in that too!

I hope this article made some sense for whoever took their time to read it but if doesn’t, it's okay I’m not offended either. Just using my three cents worth freedom on Medium for the first time. That’s it when it comes to politics from me, only politricks from now on-words. Adios.