THE Federal Constitution provides for a non-Malay to be the prime minister, DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang said.
Sharing his thoughts with Malaysian students in Manchester, England, Lim said: "The Malaysian Constitution, both in 1957 and the amended one in 1963 ,when Malaysia was formed, the Rukun Negara and Vision 2020 provide for a multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural Malaysian dream and not a mono-ethnic dream".
He said this was best illustrated by the fact that the constitution allows a non-Malay to be prime minister.
"In the United States, it took 230 years for a black American to become the president of the United States.
"I hope that Malaysia will not take 230 years (to see) a non-Malay become a prime minister,” he said.
However, he did not expect such an event to happen in the next 100 years.
"I was accused of wanting to be a prime minister of Malaysia. The thought never entered my mind because, under the present circumstances, it is not possible," he said.
Lim said all Malaysians, whether Malay, Chinese, Indian, Kadazan or Dayak, must be allowed to have the “Malaysian dream”.
"I met many Malaysians during my visit to the UK and asked them what they thought is the future of Malaysia – whether Malaysia can rise again to become a great world-class nation or (is it) doomed to become a divided, failed and kleptocratic state.
"There was one who hoped that Malaysia would follow the Indonesian model and become a republic.
"I advised against it and suggested that Malaysian must create a world precedent with the monarchical system to be a role model... of inter-ethnic, inter-religious, inter-cultural and inter-civilisational dialogue, understanding, tolerance and harmony... We are one of the nations in the world which eminently qualifies (to be such) a role model," said the 82-year-old veteran politician.
He said mono-ethnic political parties is not the way to unite Malaysians of diverse ethnicities, religions and cultures.
"Only the Malaysian dream can unite all Malaysians, regardless of ethnicity, language, religion, culture and civilisations." – The Vibes, December 1, 2023
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