TUN Dr Mahathir Mohamad 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 stated that a prime minister must be an MP who commanded majority support, racial dynamics would dictate that the position would be helmed by someone from the majority race.
“In Singapore, the prime minister has always been from the majority Chinese race since independence.
“Lee Kuan Yew admitted that a non-Chinese leader might face challenges in gaining acceptance among the predominantly Chinese population.
“So, the prime minister of Singapore will always be Chinese.”
On the same note, the former prime minister said Penang has never had a non-Chinese chief minister.
“Given the racial balance is in favour of the non-Malays, even when Umno had the largest number of seats under the Barisan Nasional, it gave way to Gerakan.
“Even if the Malays are politically divided, they make up the majority race,” he said in a statement today.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim last week stressed that there was no need to make amendments to the Federal Constitution to ensure the prime minister’s position could only be held by a Malay.
He said despite what the Constitution states, the prime minister’s position has always been held by those of Malay ethnicity.
“No need (to amend) there is no serious proposal and no discussion.
“Ever since Merdeka, the candidates have always been Malay, after this the candidates from the government will be Malay and even from the opposition, it will also be Malay.
Anwar was responding to a suggestion by Bersatu Youth chief Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal that the Federal Constitution be amended to ensure only Malays could become prime minister.
Wan Ahmad Fayhsal’s proposal comes after DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang said the constitution did not prevent any non-Malay from becoming prime minister. – The Vibes, December 18, 2023.
