Don T Dismiss Mahathir S Malay Proclamation Yet Analysts Say

---

 
Several political leaders including former PKR Wanita chief Zuraida Kamaruddin have backed Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s Malay Proclamation. (Facebook pic)PETALING JAYA: Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his “Malay Proclamation” should not be taken lightly, say two analysts, although Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has dismissed Mahathir as a political liability.
Azmi Hassan of Akademi Nusantara said the government should not write Mahathir off. “Any strategy based on the Malay struggle, especially in the coming state elections, will be effective,” he told FMT.
Azmi said that both PAS and Umno had in the past adopted a similar strategy and it was proven to be “very effective”.
Ads by KioskedOne way to counter the “Mahathir factor” is for Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional, especially Umno, to obtain a landslide victory in Malay-majority states like Kedah, Terengganu and Kelantan in the state elections.
“Such victories would be evidence that Malay votes were returning to Umno.”
BN is believed to have secured about 33% of Malay votes at the 2022 general election.
On Thursday, Zahid said the unity government had greater “meaning” than Mahathir’s proclamation, though the latter had managed to obtain the support of PAS and Bersatu leaders as well as politicians such as Annuar Musa and Zuraida Kamaruddin.
Zahid had also described Mahathir as the “latest liability” in the political landscape.
James Chin of the University of Tasmania agreed that the “Malay proclamation” should not be easily dismissed, as Mahathir still held sway.
Ads by Kiosked“He is a political icon. Tell me, who doesn’t recognise Mahathir,” he said. Mahathir still managed to get significant coverage for anything he said.
Chin said Mahathir was now trying to cobble together an anti-Anwar front to oust a prime minister he believes to be inadequate.
He added that Mahathir’s jaundiced view of Anwar as an incapable leader was one that he had held since sacking Anwar as deputy prime minister in 1998. - FMT

---