YOURSAY | ‘Malaysia lacks real leaders within the dominant Malay-based parties.’

COMMENT | Guan Eng had no power but still feared by the Malays

MS: Malaysiakini columnist S Thayaparan asked: "The big question is if (Pakatan) Harapan comes into power again, will it continue the tradition of castrating important portfolios if it is led by a non-Malay or will the non-Malay leading the portfolio internalise his or her servitude?"

The answer to that is as obvious as the question is rhetorical.

From 1974, when the mendacious coot was allowed back into mainstream Malay politics by the father of that unrepentant convict, what was a faint scribbling on the imaginary wall of Tanah Melayu stealthily became the unwritten rule with a neutered MCA and MIC obediently and willingly playing poodle to their master.

Lee Kuan Yew, when he was still a force to reckon with in Malaysian politics, offered an inclusive counter-narrative with his "Malaysian Malaysia" - a proposition which, at best, only served to force the uncontrollable retching and expulsion of the island state stuck, as it were, like a bone in the throat of the "nationalists".

In the mid-80s, Mahathir’s ideologue Abdullah Ahmad breathed new life into ‘ketuanan Melayu’ (in Singapore of all places) from which time, I would say, it quietly toppled the Rukun Negara from its unsteady perch to become the official unspoken dogma - the core assumption of Malay governance.

The presence of non-Malays both in the civil service and in the "kabinet" has therefore been grudgingly allowed only on the condition that they will play second fiddle to their masters, that while they appear to be making the calls, real power vests with the puppet masters without whose pre-approval nothing is signed off. That has been the case since the days of the Alliance... and the ‘dacing’ which was never in equilibrium.

If memories of ageing non-Malay Malaysians still serve them well, they will recall the grotesque genuflections of MCA, MIC, Gerakan "ministers" who bent over to rationalise the absurdities of their overlords in government or trivialise their many transgressions.

Over the 30 years or so from the mid-80s when Mr Mendacity began his Reign of Error, this smiling willingness to "please the PM" became the national creed or to put it in senior minister Ismail Sabri's language, the SOP (standard operating procedure).

And now we know how it contributed to the 1MDB debacle that is now being shamelessly uncovered in the courts.

Restless_Native: Malaysia lacks real leaders within the dominant Malay-based parties. The last real and great leaders we had were Onn Jaffar and Tunku Abdul Rahman. They really cared about and loved the country and pushed for a 'Malaysian Malaysia' even though the term was not voiced openly.

It is the Malays who, ultimately, will determine which way this country will go. Dr Mahathir Mohamad is an autocrat – it’s the only style he knows. He is not about consensus-based approaches, so there will not be any 'middle-ground' in his dealings.

This is the reality with not just Mahathir, but with any of the Malay-based parties. Hence, any "coalition" with the likes of these types of individuals and parties implies a subservient role for those trying to ally with Mahathir or similar parties.

This is the card opposition non-Malay parties, and politicians are made to accept... so, it is almost a fait accompli. So, to try to portray DAP or any other non-Malay party (or individual) as "not standing their ground" is somewhat unfair. This is the unfortunate "progression" Malaysian politics has evolved to.

The Malay-based parties are becoming increasingly aware of this situation and are, emboldened to make evermore vitriolic race-slandering while knowing that this will fire up their respective bases and fortify their positions. Just look at the last 12 months of race rhetoric the zealots engaged in. If the non-Malays make even remote remarks about race, they will be picked up for questioning.

What they don't understand is that the country is heading down a path that is very dangerous - a country that will be, eventually, run by the clergy. Just look at Iran in 1979 and where it is now; Malaysia is tracking frighteningly close to an identical path.

To the Malays who know better but choose not to speak up now, be careful what you wish for.

IndigoTrout2522: There is no doubt Mahathir was the one who called all the shots during Harapan’s 22 months, making use of PKR, DAP and Amanah for his own agenda.

Has Mahathir changed from his early years as an Umno nationalist to now? Many people doubted it, but Harapan leaders convinced themselves that he did change when they saw power and positions were now theirs. They truly had good intention to serve the nation but were naive and failed to understand the intention of Mahathir.

He was rejected by Umno, and he formed Umno Baru. He was rejected by Umno Baru, and he formed Bersatu. Then, being rejected by Bersatu, he formed Pejuang.

He was such an autocratic that none of his deputy prime ministers could work with him. It had always been his way or the highway and PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim was another of his target. Mahathir never believed in the Harapan manifesto and fooling all those who believed in him.

All his parties are one-race parties because he does not believe in a multiracial society. It must always be Malay dominated, and that is why after 60 years, bumiputeras still need help. He believed that only Malay leaders can lead the government. His view is really not much different from PAS and Umno.

The difference is that he knows how to use the non-bumiputeras to achieve his agenda. A ‘Malaysian Malaysia’ is not on his agenda. If Malaysian leaders had embarked on a multiracial society, the bumiputeras would have been better off today as a strong economy would benefit everyone. Instead, Malaysia fell behind.

The Wakandan: "They truly had good intention to serve the nation but were naive and failed to understand the intention of Mahathir."

I agreed. Their only sin was hope. Hope that Mahathir would change. The fact he changed sides to take on Umno gave them, and us too, the hope that maybe he had changed.

He was in the twilight of his years. We thought this was a good opportunity to make amends. He would never have other chances to right the wrong what he had done.

But the leopard did not, and could not, change his spots. It was not just PKR, DAP and Amanah that were taken for a ride. In May 2018, nearly all Harapan supporters were.

Newday: We are a supposed democracy, not a fascist or dictatorial despot state (even though we do show the symptoms). Being a democracy, the theory is equal rights and opportunity for all. Don’t deliberately ignore these fundamentals.

Who needs to think rationally? The Malays that think their rights are superior to everyone else. There are at 30 percent of Malays that understand and support equal rights for all. I am one of them.

YOURSAY | The DAP dilemma – bend the knee or be feared?

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