Mahathir’s bigotry may yet revive the spirit of Malaysia
Dennis Ignatius - 9 July 2023
Extremists like Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Hadi Awang have always felt that they can say even the most outrageous things and get away with it. Let’s face it: the law has always been unequally applied. Ordinary citizens get hammered left right and centre when they step out of line but men like Mahathir and Hadi Awang are untouchable no matter how egregious their comments may be. It should tell us just how impotent (and dishonest) the authorities are in dealing with extremism and bigotry.
But Mahathir went too far this time with his insistence that promoting multiculturalism is unconstitutional.[1] The pushback has been fast and furious, especially from Sabah and Sarawak. While exceedingly proud of their own tradition of multiculturalism and inclusiveness, both states have tended to take a more detached view of the culture wars raging in Semenanjung. That is now changing thanks to Mahathir’s reckless and provocative remarks.
Sabah MP Wilfred Madius Tangau described Mahathir’s comments as a “manifestation of Malayan imperialism and colonialism that threaten Malaysia’s territorial integrity.” He went on to say that “By insulting Sabahans and Sarawakians as subjects of Malayan imperialism and colonialism, Dr Mahathir is declaring war on the very idea of Malaysia.” And he warned, “If any Malayan Malays carry the imperialist and colonialist mindset and treat Sabahans and Sarawakians as subject of dominance and assimilation, then they are effectively advocating Malaya’s separatism from Malaysia.”[2]
Sarawak’s Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) vice-president Abdul Karim Hamzah also took umbrage with Mahathir’s remarks, adding that the state’s ruling coalition, Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), could never work with Dr Mahathir or his political supporters again after this.[3]
Their strong response might well represent a turning point in the political evolution of our federation. What they are reminding everyone is that the Malaysia that emerged as a result of MA63 does not belong exclusively to any particular ethnic group but is the shared heritage of all Malaysians. It means that while Malays have special constitutional protection and Islam is the religion of the federation, no one group is entitled to claim hegemony over the rest and certainly there is no legal basis to discriminate against other ethnicities.
They are drawing a sharp distinction between the Malaya that was and the Malaysia that was created after 1963.
Malay nationalists will now have to decide whether they want to see Sabah and Sarawak be pushed to breaking point (like Singapore in 1965) in order to retain their ethnic hegemony in the Peninsula or accept a more egalitarian federation.
It is not a rhetorical question. We have, in fact, been moving towards a de facto “one-country, two-systems” arrangement with both West and East Malaysia going in different directions on several issues including education, language, recognition of UEC, religion and culture. And it is a growing divide.
Whatever it is, Malaysians who have long waited for Sabah and Sarawak to take their place as co-equal leaders of our federation can only rejoice that Mahathir has finally pushed them to stand up more strongly for Malaysia.
It is a fitting response to a man whose views have been nothing but dishonest, deceitful and deceptive, a political charlatan with zero credibility.
Fittingly too, the law of unintended consequences seems to have had a particular fondness for him. His scheming against UMNO brought down the party and freed up the political system from its iron grip. His scheming against Anwar Ibrahim led to his own downfall. And now his machinations to undermine the Anwar administration have galvanised Sabah and Sarawak to respond strongly to the very real dangers that racism and extremism pose to us all.
As well, it might conceivably solidify East Malaysian support for the unity government even if PH-BN do not do well in the upcoming state elections. With both Kota Kinabalu and Kuching stunned by the behaviour of Ketuanan Melayu politicians like Mahathir, it is less likely that they would be tempted to align themselves with Ketuanan Melayu parties like Bersatu or PAS should the political winds change direction in Peninsula Malaysia.
Perhaps there might be hope for Malaysia after all.
He contradicted himself for what he had said when he was in power ! Obviously the satanic tongue. 👇
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