LEGAL and constitutional protections are no longer enough to safeguard not just the Malays – but all Malaysians – from the looming spectre of economic and political decline.
Twice former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad recently proposed the formation of an umbrella organisation to defend and promote Malay economic and political interests. His concern: the Malays face an uncertain and troubling future despite formal guarantees.
Dr Mahathir believes that the current administration under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim lacks sufficient Malay support to effectively defend their interests.
On other occasions, Dr Mahathir has even suggested that the Pakatan Harapan (PH)-led coalition is politically dependent on the DAP, thus raising doubts about its ability to act independently or inclusively.
But Dr Mahathir’s alarm shouldn’t just concern the Malays. The future of all Malaysians – including the Chinese, Indians and native communities in Sabah and Sarawak – is being called into question.
UMNO vice-president Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin has pointed to legal provisions and the role of Malay rulers as safeguards. But these are formal structures without agency.
Without proactive and visionary leadership, they cannot ensure the well-being of Malays or non-Malays alike.
‘Fate of non-Malays equally worrisome’
Although Dr Mahathir stopped short of detailing the exact economic, social or political threats, his warning speaks to a broader fear: the current government’s inability to manage national affairs effectively.
And while his message was targeted at Malays, its implications apply to every ethnic group in Malaysia.
Dr Mahathir’s emphasis on Malay solidarity seems calculated – an attempt to build a united front against the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar-led Madani government.
Whether Malays will rally under his new political umbrella remains to be seen. Many have already shifted their allegiance from the PH coalition to the Perikatan Nasional (PN) opposition which appears to support Dr Mahathir’s latest initiative.
While Dr Mahathir’s concern is centered on Malays, the fate of non-Malays under the PH-led government is equally worrisome.
Anwar’s much-vaunted reform agenda has all but collapsed, replaced by political manoeuvring, favouritism and family politics. The so-called reformist seems more focused on securing legal and constitutional immunity than delivering real change.
Meanwhile, the DAP – once the voice of disillusioned Chinese Malaysians – has retreated into the politics of silence and complicity. Among Indian Malaysians, their disillusionment with multi-racial parties within the PH coalition which began in 2023 has since accelerated.
Perhaps it is time for non-Malay communities to consider their own umbrella coalition – a political force to defend their rapidly eroding rights in an increasingly fragmented and directionless Malaysia.
The writing is on the wall: without meaningful reform and inclusive governance, the entire nation – not just the Malays – faces an ominous and uncertain future. – June 6, 2025
Former DAP stalwart and Penang chief minister II Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy is chairman of the United Rights of Malaysian Party (Urimai) interim council.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
Main image credit: UKEC
