KUALA LUMPUR – Having a non-Malay prime minister in Malaysia will remain a pipe dream as vernacular schools cause division with their separate stream of teaching, said Pejuang president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir.
“Before we can even entertain the possibility of a non-Malay becoming prime minister, we must first eliminate the factors that divide us as a people. The existence of vernacular schools, in particular, creates a separate stream of teaching that can cause divisions between our children.
“We need to allow our children to learn, play, and mingle with each other until the differences between them become celebrated and not divisive. Only then can we hope to see a non-Malay as nothing other than a Malaysian, not coloured by their ethnic background,” he said in a statement today.
“It’s not just a matter of a non-Malay identifying as Malaysian first and their ethnic background second. It’s also about how others perceive him based on his words, actions, way of life, and demeanour.”
He added that Malaysian Chinese “often insist on maintaining their language, culture, and way of thinking separate from the majority of Malaysia”, reinforcing “the emphasis on ethnicity and creating further divisions in society”.
Mukhriz’s response came after DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang’s recent concerns about Malaysia’s readiness to accept a non-Malay prime minister.
The Pejuang leader also questioned why non-Malays are “determined” to have one of their own as PM and whether they feel their potential has not been fully realised due to a Malay prime minister.
“Have previous Malay PMs neglected to strike a balance between representing the interests of the various races in the country? Or do non-Malays believe that Malays have always been favoured at the expense of other races?
“It’s important to note that the reason why all 10 PMs we have had are Malays is not due to behind-the-scenes manipulation by Malay politicians.
“As long as democracy is practised in this country, the majority will continue to choose a leader who best represents their interests. If a non-Malay can convince the majority of Malays to support them, the norms will change. Unless our system truly unites all our peoples, this will remain a pipe dream.”
Last week, it was reported that Pejuang wrote to Perikatan Nasional (PN) indicating the fledgling party’s intention to become a coalition member.
“The pact between Pejuang and PN will not only be limited to the upcoming state elections (slated to take place this year), but also for the long term.
“Pejuang joining PN will ensure that the Malay votes will not be broken during the state elections,” Mukhriz said.
The heads of the governments of Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Penang, Kedah, Kelantan, and Terengganu had recently agreed to consider dissolving their respective state assemblies in the last two weeks of June.
Last month, Pejuang founder Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and 12 other party members announced their exit from Pejuang after Mukhriz decided to withdraw the party from the Gerakan Tanah Air coalition.
Dr Mahathir, a former two-time prime minister, has since joined Putra, along with former Federal Territories Pejuang chief Datuk Seri Khairuddin Abu Hassan, who resigned from his party post last year due to a loss in confidence in Mukhriz’s leadership. – The Vibes, March 6, 2023
