DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang today said he was in agreement with Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad over the latter’s statement that Malaysia would only have a non-Malay prime minister when Malays, who make up the majority of the population, were ready to accept one.
“This is a rare occasion where I agree with the former prime minister. However, I do not agree with what Dr Mahathir said on the subject in March this year.
“Back then, he said Malaysia’s indigenous Malays were losing political influence and the country may have a non-Malay prime Minister when the next election comes around.
“It is most unfortunate that an explanation of the constitutional provision of the prime minister in my remarks to Malaysian students in Manchester last month was exploited using irresponsible elements to intensify a sense of fear and insecurity of the Malays about the future.
“This, coupled with an unscrupulous and unprincipled use of lies, falsehoods, fake news and hate speech in the era of social media, made Malays feel a non-Malay prime minister was imminent,” he said in a statement.
Yesterday, Dr Mahathir said Malaysia would only see a prime minister from the ranks of non-Malays when the Malays felt they could accept it.
He said while the Federal Constitution states a prime minister must be an MP who commands majority support, racial dynamics would dictate the position would be helmed by someone from the majority race.
“In Manchester, I said I do not expect a non-Malay, whether a Chinese or Indian, to become prime minister in the next 100 years, expressing hope it would not take 230 years like the United States for a black American, Barack Obama, to become president. Maybe it may never happen at all.
“But would it take 100 years before a Dayak or Kadazan, to become prime minister of Malaysia?” Lim asked.
Despite extremist and perverted attacks, Lim said he was convinced Malaysia could rise again as a great nation.
“Malaysia can be a role model of the world in inter-ethnic, inter-religious, intercultural and intercivilisational dialogue, understanding, tolerance and harmony if all Malaysians dream the Malaysian dream, and not separate Malay, Kadazan, Dayak, Chinese and Indian dreams,” the DAP supremo said. – The Vibes, December 19, 2023.
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