PERSOALAN NASIONAL - DI PETALING JAYA

Unchecked racial, religious politics costing Pakatan Malay support, says activist

Mohd Farhan Darwis

SOCIAL activist Hishamuddin Rais says the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government’s failure to get a grip on the racial and religious politics employed by the opposition is the cause of its eroding support among Malays.

The activist said it is not only the Malays in the villages that are easily swayed by issues related to their race and religion, but also the so-called educated professionals.

Hishamuddin said the opposition, particularly Umno, has mounted a campaign that claims the government has done nothing to protect the royal institution, the Malays and Islam.

“The Malays, as expected, are easily bought over because they believe the country will be sold to Chinese.

“This is the Malay psyche, trapped in the (Umno) narrative for 60 years.

“They are convinced that DAP, seen as a Chinese party, will take over Malaya despite the fact that DAP has only a few seats in Parliament,”  Hishammuddin said at the launch of the book titled Surah-surah terlarang: Persoalan Nasional at the Selangor Art House, Petaling Jaya, last night.

He said PH needs to make comprehensive structural reforms in handling the racial and religious narrative used by Umno and its new political partner, PAS.

“This (Umno) narrative is now a wall that is slowing down the structural reforms voters in last year’s 14th general election supported,” he said.

Hishamuddin Rais says the racial and religious narrative espoused by Umno for the past 60 years, and with its new ally PAS, will be difficult to tear down. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Seth Akmal, April 20, 2019.

Hishamuddin Rais says the racial and religious narrative espoused by Umno for the past 60 years, and with its new ally PAS, will be difficult to tear down. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Seth Akmal, April 20, 2019.

Hishamuddin said some DAP leaders did not help the situation with their statements on Islam, the Quran and questioning the civil service, all seen inextricably linked to the Malays.

“All these convinced the Malays that the Chinese do plan to take over Malaya.

“While the PH government’s priorities are in tackling the country’s financial woes, its crippling debt and attempts to plug all the leakages, these are conveniently ignored by the opposition as they mount attacks to give the impression that it (PH) has done nothing on these three main agendas.”  

The fears of the Malays, he said, are also on an incomplete Malay nation.

He said while the Malays are concerned their Malay nation has yet to take roots, there are already talks this country will be taken over by the Chinese, the DAP will “sell everything” even though it does not make sense.

“Still, this narrative is believed by the Malays,” he said.

He said the failure of the Malays to control the country’s economy also contributed to the problem.

“The Malays may be the majority in the country, but they feel threatened.

“Why they feel they are is because the economy of this country is owned by non-Malays.”

After ousting the Barisan Nasional (BN) government in last year’s general election, PH is also often attacked for allegedly failing to defend Malay institutions, such as Felda and Tabung Haji (TH).

In the aftermath of the election, the appointment of Tommy Thomas as attorney-general was also protested by the Malays and his recent statement on the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) of Chinese schools reinforced why they opposed the appointment.

Thomas had said the UEC is equivalent to STPM and A-Levels, which the Malays see as the PH government marginalising them.

On top of that, the Malays also believed recent issues, like the Rome Statute, would affect them. – April 20, 2019.

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