YOURSAY | ‘Malaysia must defeat divisive ideologies because they are being promulgated purely for power.’

You won’t lose ‘Malayness’ by treating others well, Zahid tells youths

Kilimanjaro: Put all three in one container - race, religion, and economics. When all three are there, the Malays have a potpourri of choices on which party to vote for.

But Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's ‘reformasi’ saga in 1998 led the Malays to desert Umno as never before and in 1999, former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad won the general election largely with the support of non-Malays.

For decades, Malay leaders with the support of non-Malay leaders have taken for granted the support of non-Malays for Umno/BN. Just dangle a few carrots to the non-Malays and the support will continue.

But all the policies, be they racial, religious, or economic, are still steeply skewed towards the Malays.

If the Malays desert the coalition government’s parties in the coming state elections, the Malays for sure will see more money pouring in from the government to seek their favour in the next general election.

There will also be more religious tendencies by the federal government which may become a necessary tool to “counter” PAS/Perikatan Nasional (PN).

So, has voting for DAP and PKR substantially improved the lot of the non-Malays? No, it is still bread and crumbs. So, expecting the Malays to vote for Pakatan Harapan in the coming state elections will be a tall order.

Voting for PAS and PN will not deprive the Malays of the economic benefits they are currently enjoying.

Their privileges are already guaranteed under the Constitution. With millions of new voters entering the market, it may be easy to predict the predicament of Harapan and Umno.

So, what is there for non-Malays? They have lived more than half a century believing that the fruit will one day ripen and they will also get to savour it, but when it is rotten, there is no use for it.

The Malay leaders have to be very careful, so they say. Maybe there won’t be another non-Malay attorney-general in the foreseeable future.

Malaysiakini columnist S Thayaparan’s words of wisdom and truth “don't spook the Malays” ring very loudly in our ears.

Sealthedeal: Malays have been told they are weak by Mahathir, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, and Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin to exploit them and grab power.

They are not weak. They have been exploited by the ‘ketuanan’ class, their own people.

Ordinary Malays have no problem understanding the benefits of multiculturalism.

They have been infected with the message that they must come together and support the struggle by right-wing racists and hard-line religious extremists and that continues even against the wishes of the Agong.

Malaysia must defeat these divisive ideologies because they are being promulgated purely for power. If necessary, the government should prosecute those politicians who continue to divide the races.

They have failed to do that and therefore play into the hands of those who grab power using race and religion.

Malays are resilient, strong, and smart enough to reject those who divide the races, including so-called religious leaders. Will they do it is the big question in the state elections.

If they do, the government should then sanction those who attempt to divide the races with extreme prejudice.

Clever voter: Whatever Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has openly said is welcomed but he must accept he was part of the establishment that had created a divided nation.

It’s hard to detach Malayness from nationalism. The Constitution created was to accommodate the interests of the multiple racial representatives, but not at the expense of each other.

The self-interest pursuit of greed is to be blamed. It is the politicians and policymakers that have created the problem in the first place.

PurpleDove6067: Abang Zahid, syabas (congrats) to you. What you said are words that must be said by all public leaders in positions of power.

To unite people of diverse races, religions, and cultures, no one race or religion is superior or inferior.

Likewise, ideology can also differ to embrace plurality, which will strengthen the relationship between people, and the relationship between people and the state.

Words or actions that divide must not be condoned, embraced, or emulated by the leaders. Leaders must have leadership that will enhance and strengthen the nation. No one can be a destroyer.

Ultimately, all and sundry must practise respect for each other and perform acts that can strengthen the state now and in the future. Tabik (salute) Abang Zahid.

Fair Play: Let the rakyat judge and decide. As a united nation, which takes priority? Malayness or Malaysian-ess? After more than 60 years as a nation, do we still want to be identified by our differences in race and religion?

Wow! Is this the way forward - according to the politicians?

BluePanther4725: Malay is just one race among so many other races in the world.

In our modern globalised society today, it is extremely foolish and shortsighted to become overly attached to one’s race and religion.

There is no superior race or religion. We must all work together for the good of the human race and our planet.

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