Global Courant 2023-05-31 14:42:10
Despite being less than 100 years old, former Prime Minister of Malaysia Mahathir Mohamad remains active in politics.
Mahathir, a lifelong champion of Malaysian rights, was in frequent conflict with the Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) during much of his first term as Prime Minister from 1981 to 2003. May 2023 may be surprising.
PAS Chairman Hadi Awang signed up to the “Malaysian Proclamation“, a 12-point document written by Mahathir calling for Malaysian unity to “restoration of the political power of the Malays.” Malays – who form Malaysia’s dominant ethnic group – together with other Bumiputera make up two-thirds of Malaysia’s citizens.
But the proclamation claimed that Malays “lost political control – presumably under current Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim – with calls to put aside political differences to “revive” and “save” the Malaysian race.
Mahathir apparently has a point. He claims that Malays are divided into three political camps. In the November 2022 general election in Malaysia, the Malaysian vote was divided among three rival coalitions – Perikatan Nasional (PN), Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Harapan (PH), in descending order. The Anwar-led unity government is a coalition of PH, BN and East Malaysian parties.
Since Malaysia’s independence in 1957, racial politics has been at the center of political discourse. Politicians and political parties often appeal to one specific racial group. For Mahathir, “Malaysian unity” is a dream and a political slogan to gain support – never mind that such goals are not attainable or desirable in the first place.
The paradox of Malaysian unity can be seen in the coming together of Hadi Awang and Mahathir. In the 1999 general election, PAS captured Terengganu from the United Malays National Organization (UMNO).
Then Prime Minister and UMNO President, Mahathir discontinued petroleum royalty payments to PAS-led Terengganu for resources extracted in the state, even though economic development is among the lowest in Malaysia. Hadi Awang served as the then chief minister of Terengganu and relations with Mahathir soured.
Besides being a pure power game, the conflict sprang from competing political allegiances among Malays. PAS’ political Islam ideology – where Islam is the source of inspiration for social behavior and politics – was at odds with UMNO’s ethnic focus on Malaysian nationalism.
PAS also emphasized spiritual progress, while UMNO is seen as focused on economic and material goals. Since the Malaysian constitution legally requires Malaysians to subscribe to the Islamic faith, PAS and UMNO essentially compete for the same group of voters in the electorate.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim heads a so-called ‘unity government’. Image: Twitter
Despite multiple attempts by UMNO and PAS to collaborate since the 1970s, political coalitions between the two have usually failed spectacularly, with Muafakat Nasional as the last victim.
Despite Anwar being Prime Minister, PH received only an estimate 13% of the Malaysian vote in the 2022 general election. The opposition PN coalition consisting of PAS and the Malaysian Indigenous United Party are both Malaysian-based ethnic parties. Against this backdrop, Anwar’s political opponents conveniently accuse his government of ignoring Malaysian interests property ownership Unpleasant Islamic affairs.
For a multi-racial country like Malaysia, where non-Malays make up a third of the total population, attempts to single out one racial group can be detrimental to the country’s social fabric. Calls for “Malaysian unity” are exclusionary as the concept elevates Malaysian rights while neglecting the needs and interests of non-Malaysians.
Such stories could lead to a zero-sum game where Malaysians view each other as competitors rather than partners. Malaysia’s multiracial society would be polarized along racial lines — as it already is to a worrying degree — which increases the risk of social unrest.
A more inclusive approach to politics is needed. Rather than focusing on race, an issue-based approach would address politically pressing societal challenges and promote the common good.
Malaysia faces serious development challenges ranging from escape stagnation of the middle income to deal with youth unemployment And recurring severe flooding amid climate change – issues that transcend racial boundaries. A race-based approach to politics cannot solve any of the above problems.
Focusing the political discourse on issues affecting all Malaysians would promote greater social cohesion and reduce the risk of a spiraling political polarization.
But it is important to recognize that the Malaysian government faces pressing challenges in getting enough support from ethnic Malays. Six of the 13 Malaysian states are scheduled to hold state elections in July 2023, which will be a good indication of whether the Malays broadly support Anwar’s government.
Malays and Bumiputera are mostly supportive of continued positive action for their ethnic group, so numerous opinion polls assign. The Federal Constitution of Malaysia also contains several provisions that occupy a special position for Malays and Bumiputera.
A massive dismantling of affirmative action for Bumiputera would be political suicide. It would also respond to Mahathir’s allegations that Malays are being marginalised.
A UMNO meeting. The party has long defended Bumiputera’s rights. Image: Facebook
The Anwar government must focus on issue-based politics while ensuring that whatever reform the government implements does not worsen the well-being of the Malays.
A needs-based or merit-based approach can be applied in certain areas of policy making, while positive action can be maintained in others. But the challenge lies in striking a balance that addresses the concerns of Malays while promoting an inclusive society.
It is time for Malaysian leaders to develop initiatives that benefit Malaysians, regardless of race. By adopting a problem-oriented approach, government policies and discourse would enable greater social cohesion while promoting the social well-being of all Malaysians.
Kevin Zhang is a Senior Research Officer in the Malaysia Studies Program and the Regional Economic Studies Program at the ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore. Siti Suhaila Harith is a former researcher at the ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore.
This article was originally published by East Asia Forum and has been republished under a Creative Commons license.
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