Zaid Presses Kit Siang Same Malaysian Or Malay First Test For Anwar

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Zaid Ibrahim has questioned whether DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang will direct the same hard-hitting “Malay first or Malaysian first” question - originally posed to Muhyiddin Yassin in 2010- to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
“Will Lim ask Anwar the same question now? Or add another, like is it ‘Petronas first or Sarawak first’?” he asked, alluding to the ongoing dispute between the federal-owned Petronas and state-owned Petros in Sarawak.
The former law minister was reacting to Lim’s criticism of the Perikatan Nasional chief, who claimed that his “Malay first” stance was a thing of the past and that his coalition now represents all Malaysians.
Zaid accused Lim (above, left) of “playing hardball” with Muhyiddin by refusing to acknowledge the latter’s shift in position.
Ex-law minister Zaid IbrahimHe argued that if Anwar could respond convincingly to both the “Malay or Malaysian” and “Petronas or Sarawak” dilemmas, Lim would have fair grounds to persist in grilling the Bersatu leader.
“But chances are both questions will be avoided (by Anwar) and Lim will faithfully accept the non-answer from Anwar. But will not accept the change in Muhiyuddin.
“Now you know why a Chinese leader described DAP as an extreme party,” he added pointedly without elaborating.
Changing tune
Earlier, Malaysiakini reported that Lim had posed two additional questions to Muhyiddin, including when the former prime minister experienced his apparent shift in perspective.
“When was he converted from ‘Malay first, Malaysian second’ to ‘Malaysian first, Malay second’?”
“Second question: Is he prepared to lead a campaign to urge all Malaysians to see themselves as nationality first, ethnicity second?” Lim asked.
Lim’s original challenge to Muhyiddin - posed during his tenure as deputy prime minister under the Umno-BN government - sparked a long-standing political debate about national identity.
Ex-PM Muhyiddin YassinWhen the two later served together under the Pakatan Harapan administration, the “Malay first or Malaysian first” issue never resurfaced.
Their alliance collapsed in a political coup that ousted the government in 2020, just 22 months into its term.
Muhyiddin was one of the primary architects of the coup, now commonly known as the “Sheraton Move”.
Muhyiddin’s previous stance continues to be cited as evidence of his alleged ethno-nationalist leanings. - Mkini

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