PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has advised the opposition bloc to first understand the Federal Constitution before making controversial suggestions about whether Malaysia should have a prime minister from a certain race.
Anwar said the prime minister’s racial background is irrelevant and accused the opposition of attempting to incite racial strife.
“Now the Constitution has rules, don’t complicate the situation. Likewise, the Opposition spoke about the redelineation.
“This matter does not even arise. They just want to play games to make Malay people angry.
“Understand the Constitution. The Constitution is for us to review only at the end of 2026. So, what’s with the fuss?” he was quoted as saying by Malay Mail after attending Friday prayers at the Surau Al-Kauthar in Bangi today (Dec 15).
The Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman reiterated that there’s no need to amend the Federal Constitution.
“So far, there is no need, no serious application, no discussion. From our Independence until now, the candidates for prime minister have been Malay.
“Even after this, the candidates from the government and the Opposition will be Malay,” he added.
In a speech to Malaysian students in the UK last month, DAP stalwart Tan Sri Lim Kit Siang had expressed hope that Malaysia would not have to wait as long as the US to have a leader from an ethnic minority.
He was referring to former US president Barack Obama, who was elected to the White House some 230 years after independence.
This had led to public outcry from both sides of the political divide and numerous political leaders had since weighed in on the matter.
UMNO Supreme Council member Datuk Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi had branded the DAP veteran politically immature over his statement.
“It’s true that the Federal Constitution does not explicitly state that the PM must be a Malay. So, why make this issue a hot topic?
“Lim himself admitted that he did not want to be PM and was sceptical of a Chinese becoming PM in the next 100 years. Let political maturity take place naturally, not by force. There is no need for this matter to be brought up and made into a sensational issue,” Puad penned in a Facebook post yesterday (Dec 14).
Yesterday (Dec 14), Perikatan Nasional (PN) deputy Youth chief II Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal requested that Anwar amend the Federal Constitution to make the position of PM exclusive to Malay Muslims.
He has since been slammed by several Sarawak leaders for his proposal to amend the Federal Constitution to restrict the post of prime minister to Malay Muslims.
Sarawak Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said Malaysia could only progress and gain international respect if leaders abandon ethnocentric perspectives.
Abdul Karim said that the people and leaders in the country should do away with such rhetoric, especially after more than six decades of independence.
“It is unfortunate to see we still have within our midst leaders who play the racial and religious card,” Abdul Karim was quoted as saying by FMT yesterday (Dec 14).
Meanwhile, Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii said the vision of the country’s founders was to build a nation where every Malaysian could contribute.
“This includes the possibility of assuming leadership, even the top position, and be measured by their abilities and contributions to the country we call our own,” he was quoted as saying.
Similarly, Julau MP Datuk Larry Sng said that politicising such issues will only widen the gap between races and would not benefit the country’s progress.
He also questioned whether this meant natives from Sabah and Sarawak would be barred from leading the country in the future.
“Bumiputera from Borneo who are non-Malay should be allowed to lead one day. Therefore, any amendment limiting the premiership to one race is discriminatory in nature,” he was quoted as saying. – Dec 15, 2023
Main pic credit: Facebook/Anwar Ibrahim
