LIM Kit Siang today questioned why former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was never called up by the police for saying that a non-Malay could be prime minister.
The DAP veteran claimed that Dr Mahathir had in fact mentioned it more than once.
“I also found out that Dr Mahathir mentioned this constitutional fact to frighten the Malays on the grounds that they had lost economic control of the country and risked losing their political power as well.
“In March for instance, he said a non-Malay could become prime minister as early as the next two general elections, which is less than 10 years away,” he said in a statement.
Lim said he differed greatly from Dr Mahathir as he did not expect a non-Malay to become Malaysia’s prime minister in the next 100 years.
“I was stating what is in the Malaysian constitution that any Malaysian, regardless of race or religion, can be prime minister of Malaysia – not to frighten the Malays or non-Malays or as a provocation to anyone,” said the retired politician.
Lim is expected to meet the police tomorrow after he was accused of making provocative statements.
He allegedly made remarks to Malaysian students in Manchester at the end of last month, where he was accused of saying that the Malaysian constitution provides that a non-Malay can become prime minister.
During the meeting he reportedly said “…this will only come about when the majority of Malaysians, whether Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans and Dayaks dream the Malaysian Dream and not a mono-ethnic dream”.
Lim also said PAS secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan deemed his statement that a non-Malay could become a Malaysian prime minister as “poisonous propaganda”.
“But this provision is in the constitution. Is Takiyuddin saying on behalf of PAS and Perikatan Nasional that the Malaysian constitution contains “poisonous propaganda”?
“Does this mean that PAS lawmakers have taken false oaths when they swore that they will ‘preserve, protect and defend’ the constitution during the swearing-in ceremony of MPs?” he asked.
Lim also questioned what Takiyuddin was doing as PAS secretary-general to ensure that PAS leaders, including the party president, do not spread lies, falsehoods, fake news and hate speech.
“To ensure Takiyuddin does not misunderstand… I do not expect any non-Malay to be the prime minister of Malaysia before Malaysia’s centennial in 2063.
“In fact I do not expect a non-Malay prime minister in the next 100 years, which will take us to 2123,” he added. – The Vibes, December 12, 2023.
