Muhyiddin signals his ambition, plays Malay-hero at Umno meet

Wong Choon Mei, Malaysia Chronicle

In a move that left little doubt that he will challenge Prime Minister Najib Razak for the top post next year, Umno deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin set his own tone at the opening of the party's 61st general assembly. The Deputy Prime Minister warned minority races to end racial debates and stop questioning Malay and Bumiputera special rights.

“Racial debates must stop, not tomorrow or the day after, but now. Let there be no groups that question Malay and Bumiputera special rights,” Muhyiddin had told the 2,400-odd Umno women and Youth delegates at the Putra World Trade Centre on Tuesday night.

“Debates about racial issues without limits can incite provocation that will ignite racial sentiments. Surely we do not want a spark of anger to set off an explosion that destroys all the peace, prosperity and unity we have built.”

Muhyiddin's tone will force Najib to make another U-turn

The 63-year old DPM is widely expected to go for the Umno presidency next year. If he wins, he will become Malaysia's 7th prime minister provided that the Barisan Nasional coalition is still in control of Parliament after the next general election.

Najib - fizzling out

Muhyiddin has picked a strategy that directly opposes Najib's 1Malaysia plan, and it looks like the two men are set on a collision course in the months ahead. There is already talk within Umno circles that Najib is trying to postpone next year's party elections.

Muhyiddin's emotional speech came just hours after Najib urged Umno delegates not to rake up issues that would upset the minority races and further plaster Umno with a racist image. However, even at outset of the much-watched assembly, Muhyiddin has chosen to ignore him.

The conservative right-wing in the party, which includes former premier Mahathir Mohamad, are likely to take their cue from the DPM rather than Najib, who may now have to reverse course to save himself from being publicly embarrassed by his own deputy and party mates.

“History bears witness that, when Umno leads, not only Malays benefit, but other races as well. Racial rights are fought for within the framework of understanding that all races are guaranteed rights and equal treatment,” said Muhyiddin.

“In this context, the race-based politics practiced by Umno is not a form of racist politics. Racist politics means we only place importance on our own race and oppress other races.”

Same hypocrisy

Pundits however blasted Muhyiddin's hypocrisy, accusing him of being like Najib, and saying one thing but doing another.

"It is clear Muhyiddin is positioning himself to challenge Najib. He is playing race champion to garner the support of Umno members. His definition of racist polities is very strange because by refusing debate on Malay rights, he is doing exactly what he defined as racism - to place importance on his own race and to oppress others," PKR vice president Lee Boon Chye told Malaysia Chronicle.

"But Umno is not all about race. I don't see all Umno members as being the ultra-Malays that Muhyiddin thinks they are. Many are just unhappy because of the weak leadership displayed by Najib. There has been no progress, but worse still, regression and deterioration even though he has been in charge of the economy for two years now."