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| Ibrahim Ali, right, with DPM Muhyiddin |
In this difficult economic climate, there are many problems, such as: internal party elections, preparations for the general elections (GE-13), the efforts of the opposition to be thwarted and a country to run. A rogue politician espousing his views on “ketuanan Melayu” or ‘Malay supremacy’ would help to deflect attention from these difficulties.
The best man for the job? Ibrahim Ali of Perkasa.
Every major actor needs a supporting cast and there is no shortage of politicians, both within and outside of Umno, willing to quibble over the semantics of the concept.
At the PKR congress last weekend, party president Dr. Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said that the “ketuanan rakyat” (people’s supremacy) concept should be adopted and the “ketuanan Melayu” rejected.
Her belief was that “ketuanan Melayu” was misused by a small group of unprincipled Malays, to prey upon the majority of the Malay population.
She said, “After 53 years in power, the Malays and bumiputera are still neglected... The 30 percent Malay-bumiputera equity has yet to be met. Of the RM54 billion equity and shares for bumiputera, only RM2 billion still belong to them.”
She also claimed that the Malays made up three out of every four families with household incomes below RM2,000.
Perhaps, the “ketuanan rakyat” would have better appeal to a majority of the people, regardless of race. It is inclusive and appears to promote equality.
In a speech which concentrated mostly on Malay issues, presumably because it is the majority Malay mindset which presents the most challenges to any politician, her words must have rankled with Umno and Perkasa.
They were quick to condemn her and claimed that she clashed with the constitutional rights of the Malays.
Ibrahim Ali of Perkasa stressed that the “ketuanan Melayu” slogan did not betray a Malay weakness.
He said, “We must subscribe to the notion and the spirit of “ketuanan Melayu” for us to move forward and to achieve progress with dignity in all arenas. We have a cause and our cause is justified because it is our Tanah Melayu. Man has history and without history man is nothing.”
Ibrahim Ali’s supporting cast then enters the fray.
The vice-president of the People's Progressive Party Nik Sapeia Nik Yusof called Wan Azizah a “disgrace to Malays” and with a trace of irony, accused PKR of “saying anything for the sake of achieving its objectives”.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nazri Aziz warned Wan Azizah that she could be charged with sedition for creating racial tension. He clarified that “ketuanan Melayu” was about the status of the Malay rulers.
Even the deputy Prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin was eager to be heard. He called Wan Azizah’s statement an “attempt to salvage a sinking ship”.
It is perplexing how the issue of ‘Malay supremacy’ could jeopardize the institution of the sultan.
Ibrahim et al seem to imply that the rulers exist exclusively for the Malays. Do they not realise that a sultan, or Agong, rules over his subjects, who incidentally comprise all the races?
When one considers the “ketuanan Melayu” as being unsuitable and inappropriate for modern Malaysia, one is not disrespecting the rulers.
“Ketuanan Melayu” has been corrupted by former Prime minister Mahathir Mohamad to imply “affirmative action” for the Malays.
Only the behavior and conduct of the rulers and their families, are responsible for destroying any respect that their subjects have for them.
While responsible governments are focused on the well-being of their nations, the Malaysian government and BN-friendly MPs dwell on the merits of two words.
Small minds will concentrate on racial superiority. For them, the progress, development and prosperity of the country will take second place.
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