Policies, not Race, dictate Malaysian Politics

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is right. He is right that in going for Merdeka, leaders of various racial parties banded together and convinced the British to give Malaya independence in 1957.

“But Tunku Abdul Rahman, the UMNO President, together withTan Siew Sin and V. T. Sambanthan decided that the races could cooperate more effectively if they formed a coalition of racial parties. They felt more secure even if they made up a minority. With the ensuing stability, Malaysia was able to develop and prosper. Can anyone deny that?” the country’s longest-serving Prime Minister said today of the Barisan Nasional(BN).

And perhaps, DAP appealed more to the Chinese and Indians when it was first formed in 1966. But it always pushed the Malaysian Malaysia line, first espoused by Dr Mahathir contemporary but apparent political foe Lee Kuan Yew.

But in Dr Mahathir’s mind, that policy is a euphemism for being anti-Malay. And perhaps, he can also rubbish DAP’s claim to be a multiracial party by pointing out that the overwhelming majority of its members, supporters and leaders are Chinese.

But they are Malaysians. The same Malaysians who believed in a Bangsa Malaysia that Tun Dr. Mahathir talked about in his “The Way Forward” speech in 1991.

“That the Alliance and the BN have representation from all races is ignored. That the parties share power in the Government is also ignored. That for 50 years the coalition has brought prosperity to all races, with the Chinese getting the biggest share because of their skills and ability, is deliberately disregarded,” he complained today.

The thing is, Malaysians do remember the Alliance and its successor, the BN. It still remains the government of the day right from 1957 to when Malaya joined Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore to form Malaysia and under Dr Mahathir’s 22-year rule.

However, the BN that exists now is vastly different from the Alliance that won Malaya its independence and later pushed for the creation of Malaysia. The BN of today is an aggregation of the same race-based parties that is failing to convince the latest generation of Malaysians that it works for all citizens, irrespective of ethnic origin.

And the fact is that the swing in urban votes from Election 2008 to the recent Sarawak Election 2011 shows people of all races are supporting DAP and its allies PKR and PAS because of their policies for meritocracy, reforms and justice. Pakatan Rakyat (PR) is not perfect but it’s a fledgling work-in-progress.

In comparison, BN has had 50-over years running the country but is still bargaining within itself for political and economic share. It worked once. It doesn’t work any more.Appealing to racial considerations doesn’t work because you helped us believe that we can be Bangsa Malaysia. That we are Malaysians pushing Malaysia Inc.

So, Malaysians are now asking for a better deal. Not one based on race but on policies that help all of us. Poverty does not profile anyone by race. But riches can if the government of the day decides so.

The Malaya that Dr Mahathir saw in 1957 has now grown into a Malaysia where its citizens speak the same language and share the same aspirations of unity and racial harmony. Ironically, BN’s success is now its undoing. Malaysians are grateful but they want something better.

BN has to grow up. And its leaders like Dr Mahathir should not refer to the golden age of Tunku and his compatriots because it shows the paucity of talent since then. The kind of talent now is running DAP, PKR and PAS — all three multiracial parties that emphasise policies, not race. - Malaysian Insider