Dr M S Leaky Umbrella Will Not Save Malays

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For several decades, Malaysians have been bombarded with messages that they are the “supreme race” (ketuanan Melayu), that they are the rightful owners of this land.
And if we are not careful, Malaysia will be “sold” to the Chinese - not just any old Chinese, but the Singaporean Chinese, as if that was the benchmark for the worst form of Chinese.
When the occasion suits the bigots, the Malay population will be told of the threat that Christianity or the Communists will have on them. Their lands will be re-colonised, their language will be banned, and their way of life will be changed beyond recognition.
These insecure Malays, whose ages range from their teens to their seventies, and who come from both the rural and urban communities, firmly believe that “the Chinese will overrun this country”. Somehow, the Indians are not perceived as a threat.
ADSWhen will the Malays understand that the stories about the Chinese taking over are just lies by manipulating leaders? The truth is that these extremist groups are afraid of losing their hold on the Malays and, by extension, their grip on power.
Nevertheless, on June 5, former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad announced the formation of a Malay secretariat committee, which he termed a “big umbrella”, with the sole purpose of unifying the Malay community.
Acknowledging the inability to act on his own, he met other political leaders in Putrajaya. They included Perikatan Nasional chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin, Bersatu deputy president Hamzah Zainudin, and PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man.
Mahathir convinced the other leaders that they had to restore Malay power in government. Then, at a press conference at the Perdana Leadership Foundation in Putrajaya, he said, “They (Malays) need fighters to champion their cause. Right now, they don’t have a dedicated fighter.
“We’re not concerned with other problems, we just want to focus on one struggle - the struggle to save the Malays.”
What does Mahathir mean by "save the Malays"? Save them from whom or what?
Old guard
Confident, self-assured and progressive Malays can disregard Mahathir's facetious statement, but what about less assured ones who wholeheartedly believe that they will lose out to the Chinese?
Malaysia's longest-serving prime minister, who also served two terms in office, is responsible for a good many of these lies. He may not be in power, but he has a powerful mouthpiece in other extremist Malay NGOs or political parties.
When asked about Umno-Baru being part of the "umbrella", Mahathir said he was willing to accept Umno-Baru members as long as they supported and believed in the cause.
It is impossible to believe that Mahathir and his new committee will make much headway in multicultural Malaysia. The leaders whom he met are of the old guard, and it would not surprise anyone to know that they will fail to inspire many Malays, especially the younger generation.
PAS' Tuan Ibrahim agreed with Mahathir, who said that one of the main reasons for Malay disunity was the proliferation of political parties which prospered under the country's system of democracy.
ADSSo, what is Mahathir suggesting? That authoritarianism is the way for Malay unity, and the future direction of Malaysia?
Mahathir urged intellectuals, corporate figures, politicians and religious scholars with the same shared interest to unite the Malays.
His perception of the Malays as weak is possibly true, but this is the result of decades of dependence on government crutches. Competition is discouraged, and Malays and non-Malays compete on an uneven playing field.
No love for Malays
The Malays who would like to shelter under Mahathir's umbrella must be made to realise that his reasoning is flawed. Policies that favour the Malays are based on greed and an inferiority complex.
Only weak-willed Malays will allow themselves to be manipulated into thinking that Malays should hold all the power.
Only insecure Malays will allow themselves to be used as political pawns by this new committee.
The Malay is not trapped by his success; he is trapped by his own lethargy and lack of curiosity. This self-imposed mental imprisonment of the Malay mind and his lack of physical exertion will prove his downfall.
Mahathir has no love for the Malays. How could he? He is indirectly saying that they are useless and cannot stand on their own two feet. Many Malays are also denied the freedom of choice.
When the Malay is too lazy to think for himself, he denies himself the benefits of education and economic empowerment. A lack of aspiration means that the Malay wallows in self-pity.
Mahathir and his new committee should not be allowed to strip the Malays of their dignity. We've had enough of the attempts by religious and race-based parties to strip the country of its unity and identity. - Mkini
MARIAM MOKHTAR is a defender of the truth, the admiral-general of the Green Bean Army, and the president of the Perak Liberation Organisation (PLO). Blog, X.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.

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