Former Penang deputy chief minister P Ramasamy says there is nothing inherently wrong with Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s plan to form a new umbrella organisation to protect and advance Malay rights, as long as it does not come at the expense of other ethnic communities.
The Urimai chairman said the former prime minister’s proposal would only become “problematic” if such advocacy infringes upon the rights of other ethnic communities, such as the Chinese, Indians, and others.
Noting that non-Malays make up 40% of the population in Peninsula Malaysia, he said it must be acknowledged that they also experience a “deep sense of deprivation”.
“So far, there appears to be no fundamental quarrel with Mahathir’s initiative, provided it respects the multicultural fabric of the nation,” Ramasamy said in a statement.
“They (non-Muslims) are not against Malays seeking their legitimate rights, as long as this does not translate into their own marginalisation.”
He also suggested that Mahathir’s call for Malay unity reflects growing concerns over the country’s unstable political and economic conditions.
However, Ramasamy said the struggle for rights in Malaysia must not be “ethnically siloed”.
“Instead, it should be a common, inclusive quest for all Malaysians, regardless of race or religion, toward social, economic, and political justice.”
He added that establishing a Malay-centric umbrella initiative should not be viewed as the end goal, but rather, an opportunity to imagine new, equitable frameworks for managing race relations in the country.
Ramasamy was responding to a call by Mahathir for Malays to join his new unity alliance, which the latter said was aimed at saving the community from what he described as their political and economic decline.
Mahathir said the group, which includes PAS and Bersatu, is not a political party but a coalition aimed at “restoring Malay power” in the government.
