A FORMER UMNO MP has brushed off Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s most recent attempt to “unite” and “save” Malays, saying that Malay unity is a “myth”.
Former Sungai Benut MP Tawfik Ismail said the 97-year-old politician has always been crying out for Malay unity but the irony is that he was the one who has caused Malay disunity by his own actions.
Tawfik further accused Dr Mahathir of being a divisive leader and ignoring the sentiments of the people – including UMNO grassroots – when he was the prime minister and UMNO president.
He cited UMNO’s 1987 crisis which not only led to a deep split within the party but caused a constitutional crisis when the Dr Mahathir-led government suspended and eventually removed then lord president Tun Mohammad Salleh Abas.
Mahathir, who is the country’s longest-serving prime minister, also fought with almost everyone he had ever allied with, Tawfik added.
The son of Malaysia’s second deputy prime minister Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman was commenting on reports that several PAS and Bersatu leaders had signed Dr Mahathir’s “Malay Proclamation”, which is aimed at uniting and “saving” Malays.
“Malay dominance has never been under threat because the number of Malays in power is more than proportionate to its population,” said Tawfik.
He also states that it was ironic that Dr Mahathir was slowly warming up to the PAS leaders when he was critical about the party’s Islamic credentials during his reign as prime minister.
“It’s something very characteristic of Dr Mahathir. He has very little concern for principles. He’s not very consistent in his choice of enemies,” Tawfik added.
Calling Malay unity a “chimera” – a mythical creature made up of different parts of different creatures – he further noted that Dr Mahathir and his allies can try to talk about Malay unity all they want but “the very act of dividing and ruling negates any effort towards that end”.
It was clear that Dr Mahathir, alongside the PAS and Bersatu leaders who signed the “Malay Proclamation” were merely engaging in “politics of convenience”, he added. – May 5, 2023
Main pic credit: Facebook/Proklamasi Orang Melayu
