Latest news with #Malay-based
New Straits Times
19 hours ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Sg Petani MP slams PN over race politics
KUALA LUMPUR: Sungai Petani MP Dr Taufiq Johari has criticised Perikatan Nasional (PN) for what he calls a cynical use of unity rhetoric, following a Pas leader's defence of Dr Mahathir Mohamad's new alliance aimed at "restoring Malay power". "Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man must know that Dr M's proposal for all Malay-based parties to come under a single, broad coalition is a desperate and provocative move," he said in a statement. Taufiq, a PKR lawmaker, also accused PN of political opportunism, saying the coalition is attempting to present itself as a unifier of the Malay community despite a history of causing division. "They now pretend to champion unity, but both Dr Mahathir and Pas have repeatedly fractured the Malay community in the past," he said. Taufiq is an emerging leader in PKR party led by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. PKR represents a multiracial party, and Anwar has pledged to protect the rights of all races in the country while promoting economic growth, with a special action plan to uplift the poor. Taufiq said the unity government under Anwar is a broad-based coalition with strong Malay leadership alongside representation from diverse communities and regions. On Wednesday, Dr Mahathir announced the formation of a new loose coalition — comprising Pas and Bersatu — to rally the Malay community in what he described as an effort to save it from political and economic decline. The event was attended by PN chairman Muhyiddin Yassin, opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin, and Pas deputy president Tuan Ibrahim. Taufiq urged Malays not to fall for their rhetoric and not to be tricked by the "deceitful and irresponsible claims." "What does Mahathir even mean by "restoring Malay power?!
Malaysiakini
2 days ago
- Politics
- Malaysiakini
Dr M to launch big umbrella to 'save Malays'
Summary Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad is forming a Malay secretariat committee as a "big umbrella" to "save the Malays" by addressing issues affecting the community. The committee aims to return Malay-led government by focusing on Malay issues. PN is involved, but he claims it is non-partisan and that Umno is also free to join. In yet another bid to 'save the Malays' through returning political dominance, former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad yesterday announced the formation of a Malay secretariat committee as a 'big umbrella' for the community. This follows a meeting with several political leaders - including from Perikatan Nasional - to discuss the secretariat. Among those present were PN chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin, Bersatu deputy president Hamzah Zainudin, and PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man. Mahathir said the committee would serve as a platform to address issues affecting the Malay community that the current government had failed to resolve. 'We have agreed to focus on Malay issues—not party matters, but issues that concern all Malays. '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,' he said during a press conference at the Perdana Leadership Foundation in Putrajaya. 'We know there are many problems faced by the Malays, and they can only be resolved if the government is once again led by Malays. That is why our struggle is to find a way to return to power, so we can address the problems faced by the Malays. 'We have agreed to form an informal movement, which we are calling the 'big umbrella', so that all Malays can be part of one group,' said the soon-to-be centenarian. When asked whether the movement would involve Umno, the main Malay-based party, Mahathir, who since his exit had led two splinter parties - Bersatu and Pejuang - said he was open to Umno members joining the struggle. 'Even if they are Umno members, if they agree with our cause, we will accept them,' he said.
Malaysiakini
2 days ago
- Politics
- Malaysiakini
Dr M to launch big umbrella to 'save Malays'
Summary Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad is forming a Malay secretariat committee as a "big umbrella" to "save the Malays" by addressing issues affecting the community. The committee aims to return Malay-led government by focusing on Malay issues. PN is involved, but he claims it is non-partisan and that Umno is also free to join. In yet another bid to 'save the Malays' through returning political dominance, former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad yesterday announced the formation of a Malay secretariat committee as a 'big umbrella' for the community. This follows a meeting with several political leaders - including from Perikatan Nasional - to discuss the secretariat. Among those present were PN chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin, Bersatu deputy president Hamzah Zainudin, and PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man. Mahathir said the committee would serve as a platform to address issues affecting the Malay community that the current government had failed to resolve. 'We have agreed to focus on Malay issues—not party matters, but issues that concern all Malays. '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,' he said during a press conference at the Perdana Leadership Foundation in Putrajaya. 'We know there are many problems faced by the Malays, and they can only be resolved if the government is once again led by Malays. That is why our struggle is to find a way to return to power, so we can address the problems faced by the Malays. 'We have agreed to form an informal movement, which we are calling the 'big umbrella', so that all Malays can be part of one group,' said the soon-to-be centenarian. When asked whether the movement would involve Umno, the main Malay-based party, Mahathir, who since his exit had led two splinter parties - Bersatu and Pejuang - said he was open to Umno members joining the struggle. 'Even if they are Umno members, if they agree with our cause, we will accept them,' he said.
Malaysian Reserve
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Malaysian Reserve
Friday Jottings: The importance of being periphery flies
PURSUANT to last week's jottings, despite Umno and Barisan Nasional successfully defending the Ayer Kuning seat, the coalition and party's stalwart Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan seems affected by the opposition's mock of UMDAP – coined for the Umno and DAP collaboration. The UMDAP mock had upset Ahmad because, to him, it conjured the idea that Umno was controlled by the DAP and that the DAP dominated the current Government. Ahmad is yet another Umno leader who had been disturbed by the UMDAP mock for the same reason. The DAP, however, seems unperturbed by it. One of DAP's top leaders, Nga Kor Ming, upped the ante on the mock, making it a battle cry during the Ayer Kuning campaign with several Umno youth members doing the chorus. While Umno interprets the mock as something that hurts their political well-being because it is unacceptable to their members and the bigger body of Malay supporters because it made out that the party is subservient to the DAP and that it is part of a Government dominated by the DAP. On the flip side, going by Nga's enthusiasm, the DAP thrives on the mock. It is doubtful, given DAP's political prowess, that it is unaware of what bothered Umno and the hurt the UMDAP label impacted the Malay-based party. Simply put, it can be deduced that what pained Umno, is DAP's gain. It can then be further deduced that for the DAP, Umno's interpretation of the UMDAP label, suits its political well-being and that its members and supporters are comfortable, if not gleeful, over it. Ahmad is trying to get Umno branches, which are holding their meetings nationwide, to debunk the narrative that the DAP dominates the Government as well as controlling Umno. His logic is that the current Government is formed by a coalition of 18 parties and not merely Umno and the DAP. Ahmad pointed out that the two parties combined would only have a total of 70 parliamentary seats, far from the required 112 simple majority to form the Government. The is logical and yet, politics is not merely about numbers. In most times, perceptions, history and context play a bigger role in forming public opinion. In these aspects, Umno and Ahmad have their work cut out for them. Perceptions that the DAP, given its superior numbers compared with most of the other partners in the coalition, Umno included, is a dominant, if not the dominant, force in the present Government is quite entrenched. Lest Ahmad forgets that the fall of the first Pakatan Harapan Government in 2020 was due to Umno and other Malay parties involved in the Sheraton Move being unable to accept the DAP in the administration. Again, lest Ahmad forget, Umno and BN's campaign in the last general election was premised on 'No DAP, No Anwar (Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim)'. In fact, the 'no DAP' was central in Umno and BN's campaign and the ground for such rejection of the DAP is based on the narrative that it is a chauvinist party out to dismantle the special position and privileges accorded to the Malays and Bumiputras. It is a narrative that is accepted by Umno members. It is further accepted by the bigger body of Malay/Bumiputera voters and the 15th general election saw the Malay-dominated Perikatan Nasional securing some 60 percent of the Malay/Bumiputra votes while the PH only managed 11 percent, with the rest going to Umno/BN. In simple maths, almost 90 percent of the Malay/Bumiputra votes rejected the DAP and PH. So today, Umno/BN has taken its 30 per cent Malay/Bumiputra votes to the PH and DAP, but that too, based on several analyses, is eroding hence the discomfort felt by Ahmad and other Umno leaders despite the win in Ayer Kuning. The equation is simple. What Umno/BN has brought to the table is some of the Malay/Bumiputra votes that are still with them. Then, add that with the 11 per cent that PH may still command from the last polls and combined with the still loyal and solid non-Malay votes of the DAP and PH; the collaboration becomes formidable in mixed seats of those with marginal Malay/Bumiputra majority seats. But most Malays realise that Umno/BN are merely an addendum to the PH coalition apart from the fact that they came together as a post-electoral pact, not much different than how they perceive Malay leaders in the DAP as being tokens, brought in simply to win over the Malay votes. These narratives were Umno's before the collaboration with DAP and PH was formed, and it is something that the Malay had taken to heart. Given Umno's scandalous and weak leadership, it is difficult for any Malays to believe that they would be able to stand up to the DAP. Attempts by the likes of its youth chief, Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh, to stand up to what is perceived as insults by the non-Malays, including that from the DAP, had been summarily neutered. For that matter, Dr Akmal, who earlier had built quite a reputation among the Malays, even those outside of Umno, to be the defender of Malay interest, is now slowly being dismissed as a pestering pest. Lest Ahmad forgets, he should be reminded of the recent local lore of the fly and the lion, in which Dr Akmal was unceremoniously flattened. Ironically, it was Nga of the DAP, who swiped the swat. Shamsul Akmar is an editor at The Malaysian Reserve.
Free Malaysia Today
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Look to Umno ex-presidents on unity, Akmal told
Melaka DAP Youth chief Cassel Krishnan said Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh is responsible for fostering unity among all races, regardless of political alignment. PETALING JAYA : A DAP leader has called on Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh to emulate two of the Malay-based party's past presidents following recent remarks by the latter seen by some as divisive. Cassel Krishnan said the country's first prime minister and second Umno president, Tunku Abdul Rahman, had said that Malaysians, regardless of race or creed, must make the country a home and live happily together. Umno founder and first party president, Onn Jaafar, meanwhile, in his final address at the general assembly in 1951, advised the party against narrow-mindedness. Cassel, the Melaka DAP Youth chief, said that as a national leader, Akmal was responsible for fostering unity among all races, regardless of political alignment. 'Stop seeing race first and dividing our multifaceted society,' he said. He added that non-Malays do not question the provisions of Article 153 of the constitution, which safeguards the special position of the Malays and the natives of Sabah and Sarawak. 'We only hope that our nation will be able to progress with unity and harmony, which will only happen if all of us are treated equally, and not as second-class citizens.' Cassel was responding to recent remarks by Akmal, including his response to former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin on identifying as 'Malay first'. Akmal had criticised the Bersatu president for abandoning his 'Malay first' stance taken in 2010, accusing him of shifting his position for political gain. Akmal also said that he remained a Malay before a Malaysian 'because that is my race' and something unchangeable. He also hit out at Roger Yapp, an MCA leader who said Malaysia did not belong exclusively to one race. 'All this while this is Tanah Melayu, and this will not change. Understand!' he was quoted as saying.
