Some truth to Malays feeling sidelined, says Umno veteran
Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin, a former minister, says the government cannot avoid or ignore the proposed 'Malay unity' movement.
PETALING JAYA : An Umno veteran says the unity government must look to regain the confidence of the Malays, following former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's latest effort to unite the Malays and 'restore their political power'.
Former minister Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin said the government cannot avoid or ignore this movement as there was truth to the notion that the Malay community feels sidelined under the unity government.
He added that Mahathir recognised this and was seeking to exploit it for his own political gain.
'Maybe it's merely a matter of perception or imagination (to some parties), but I think that there's truth to it (at the grassroots level). And something needs to be done to regain the confidence of the Malays.
'Whatever excuses we want to give, when you go to the grassroots, the reality is that many Malays feel sidelined, and Mahathir is exploiting that,' he told FMT.
Raja Nong Chik claimed that, based on feedback he received, nine out of 10 of his close Malay peers have expressed concern about the fate of the community under the current administration.
'They worry for the future of the Malays, and these are highly-educated guys. We're not even talking about the grassroots level yet.
'However, this doesn't mean they will vote for the opposition just yet, it's just that they want some assurance (that the special privileges of the Malays would be safeguarded,' said the former Lembah Pantai Umno chief.
The new Malay unity alliance was launched by Mahathir on Wednesday, with the backing of Perikatan Nasional's major components, PAS and Bersatu, as well as several Malay-based NGOs and academics.
Mahathir, a former Umno president who later led Bersatu, Pejuang and Gerakan Tanah Air before leaving all three, said the alliance would not be a formal political party for now but a loose coalition to gather the Malays under one 'big umbrella'.
Raja Nong Chik said the government led by Anwar Ibrahim must handle this new political threat wisely to ensure his administration retains the trust of the Malays.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Free Malaysia Today
4 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Some truth to Malays feeling sidelined, says Umno veteran
Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin, a former minister, says the government cannot avoid or ignore the proposed 'Malay unity' movement. PETALING JAYA : An Umno veteran says the unity government must look to regain the confidence of the Malays, following former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's latest effort to unite the Malays and 'restore their political power'. Former minister Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin said the government cannot avoid or ignore this movement as there was truth to the notion that the Malay community feels sidelined under the unity government. He added that Mahathir recognised this and was seeking to exploit it for his own political gain. 'Maybe it's merely a matter of perception or imagination (to some parties), but I think that there's truth to it (at the grassroots level). And something needs to be done to regain the confidence of the Malays. 'Whatever excuses we want to give, when you go to the grassroots, the reality is that many Malays feel sidelined, and Mahathir is exploiting that,' he told FMT. Raja Nong Chik claimed that, based on feedback he received, nine out of 10 of his close Malay peers have expressed concern about the fate of the community under the current administration. 'They worry for the future of the Malays, and these are highly-educated guys. We're not even talking about the grassroots level yet. 'However, this doesn't mean they will vote for the opposition just yet, it's just that they want some assurance (that the special privileges of the Malays would be safeguarded,' said the former Lembah Pantai Umno chief. The new Malay unity alliance was launched by Mahathir on Wednesday, with the backing of Perikatan Nasional's major components, PAS and Bersatu, as well as several Malay-based NGOs and academics. Mahathir, a former Umno president who later led Bersatu, Pejuang and Gerakan Tanah Air before leaving all three, said the alliance would not be a formal political party for now but a loose coalition to gather the Malays under one 'big umbrella'. Raja Nong Chik said the government led by Anwar Ibrahim must handle this new political threat wisely to ensure his administration retains the trust of the Malays.
Free Malaysia Today
4 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Malaysians at Harvard can continue studies for now, says govt
Currently-enrolled students at Harvard can continue their studies without interruption following a US Federal Court decision to suspend a US government order. (EPA Images pic) PUTRAJAYA : Malaysian students attending Harvard University in the US can continue their studies without interruption for now, the higher education ministry said today. Students in Harvard's September 2025 intake were advised to deal directly with the university and their sponsors to obtain the latest developments before making further decisions. The ministry's announcement comes after a US Federal Court judge provided relief to over 6,800 international students there by granting a temporary restraining order on Washington's attempt to bar most newly-enrolled international students at Harvard from entering the country. 'The decision enables international students, including Malaysians, to continue studying without interruption for the time being,' the ministry said. In a statement, the ministry said it was monitoring developments closely through the Malaysian education unit in Washington and officials have also contacted sponsors and US education officials. The ministry reminded students to update their optional practical training information and to be careful in all actions involving immigration matters. 'For now, no Malaysian student has encountered any problems or issues with their records with the student and exchange visitor programme or any withdrawal of their visa,' the ministry said.
Free Malaysia Today
4 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
MTUC challenges ministry's stand on ILO conference representation
MTUC joint special committee chairman J Solomon said the congress's internal election process is under way and progressing well. PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) has criticised the human resources ministry after it said the non-representation of workers at the recently concluded International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva was caused by the absence of legitimate leadership in MTUC. In a statement, MTUC alleged the ministry was trying to 'mislead the public'. 'It is undisputed that the current leadership of MTUC is the joint special committee,' said J Solomon, the chairman of the committee. He clarified that MTUC's internal election process — scheduled for Aug 2 and 3, 2025 — is under way and progressing well. The nation's largest labour union has effectively been without a working committee after a High Court ruling in 2023 declared the triennial election held a year earlier was null and void, triggering an extended internal dispute. In February, the Court of Appeal consented to an agreement to set up a joint special committee to run MTUC and hold a fresh election within 90 days. MTUC will hold its triennial election at a special delegates conference in early August to resolve the impasse.
