AT A time when the unity government faces a stringent test with an unimpressive first-year report card, one wonders if retired DAP supremo Tan Sri Lim Kit Siang has any ‘ulterior motive’ to once again stir up this sensitive-cum-controversial topic which Malaysians in general have accepted as a social contract.
Airing his thoughts from UK, the former DAP secretary-general and national chairman has again reminded Malaysians at large that the Federal Constitution provides for a Malaysian Dream and not a mono-ethnic dream in that a non-Malay can be a Prime Minister (PM).
Barring any underlying intention, Kit Siang has earlier this week appealed to critics of Prime Minister (PM) Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to give the unity government “three or four years” which coincides with the 16th General Election (GE16) in 2026 or 2027 “as the time of judgment whether it has failed its reform promises”.
“The Malaysian Constitution, both in 1957 and the amended one in 1963 when Malaysia was formed, the Rukun Negara and Vision 2020 with its nine strategic challenges, provide for a multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural Malaysian Dream and not a mono-ethnic dream,” he told Malaysian students in Manchester on Wednesday (Nov 29).
“This is best illustrated by the fact that the Malaysian Constitution provides that a non-Malay can be a PM. In the US, it took 230 years for a Black American to become the US president. I hope that Malaysia will not take 230 years for a non-Malay to become a PM but in the next 100 years, I do not expect this to happen.”
Uniting Malaysians
Nevertheless, Malaysia’s longest serving opposition leader of 29 years on three separate occasions denied accusations that he harboured any ambition of wanting to be a Malaysian PM.
“This thought never entered my mind because under the present circumstances, it was not possible. We must have a situation where the majority of Malaysians whether Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans or Dayaks dream the Malaysian Dream and not a mono-ethnic dream,” reckoned Kit Siang in his latest blog.
“I met many Malaysians during my current visit to the UK and asked them what they think is the future of Malaysia – whether Malaysia can rise up again to become a great world-class nation or Malaysia is doomed to become a divided, failed and kleptocratic state.
“There is one who hoped that Malaysia will follow the Indonesian model and become a republic.
“I advised against it and suggested that Malaysian must create a world precedent with the monarchical system to be a role model of the world of inter-ethnic, inter-religious, inter-cultural and inter-civilisation dialogue, understanding, tolerance and harmony as we are one of the nations in the world which eminently qualifies for such a role model.”
The 82-years-old former Iskandar Puteri MP also expressed disagreement with any movement to form mono-ethnic political parties in Malaysia for this is not way to unite Malaysians of diverse ethnicities, religions and cultures.
“Only the Malaysian Dream can unite all Malaysians regardless of ethnicity, language, religion, culture and civilisations,” added Kit Siang. – Dec 1, 2023
