YOURSAY | ‘Bersatu opens doors to second-class politicians’

YOURSAY | ‘Nothing can be more insulting than this. Only beggars seek associate memberships.’

Bersatu moots new non-Malay chapter as Azmin, supporters join

Azmin and allies announce joining Bersatu

Constitutional Supremacy: Bersatu to accept non-Malays as associate members?

Article 8 of the Federal Constitution provides that all persons are equal before the law. It further provided that there shall be no discrimination against citizens on the ground of religion, race, descent, place of birth or gender.

By offering only associate membership, and this is based on religion and race as it only applies to non-Malays, there is clear discrimination.

But we have some non-Malays willing to join and be subservient to ‘ketuanan’ (supremacy), perhaps to get some crumbs.

PAS also has some non-Muslims as associate members. But I know of those who, although very poor, will never join such a party as dignity is important to them.

Fair Malaysian: Nothing can be more insulting than this. Only beggars will seek such positions.

With possibly no right to vote, they will merely be lower than third-class members. Even in this "magnanimity", one can see the deceit – non-Malays cannot be ordinary members. They are trying to create a new order.

Anonymous 5035: Don't try to pull wool over our eyes. We know that associate members are just members with little rights. They are just subordinates and subservient to other members of the party.

To join such a party is to confirm that you are willing to serve and be subservient to a racist and treacherous party who may throw you some crumbs. But to get those crumbs, you must be willing to betray your community.

You must be just like them – willing to swear to do anything and everything to betray and steal the rakyat's mandate.

Come GE15, we will be looking at you - the associate members of Bersatu. We will watch out for your sweet talk.

RZee: What hypocrites and the rubbish they spew. The only reason former PKR leader Azmin Ali is saying this is because he has nowhere to go with his merry men and women of Malay and non-Malay descent.

As for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, didn’t he support the removal of non-Malays from cabinet positions? Isn’t Umno and PAS and Muafakat Nasional all about Malaysia being only for the Malays?

What is Muhyiddin talking about now? Make non-Malays members as show ponies and use them to pretend that we have equal rights in this country and in the government?

This is sickening and disgusting.

Not Bitten Twice: These associate members are not even window dressings. They are disposables - to be discarded when no longer deemed to be useful.

Clever Voter: Define associate member. Non-voting rights? Forty percent of the population may not be bumiputeras but each one of them has contributed to the nation’s development and progress.

Aside from their chosen faith and ethnicity, they too should enjoy rights and access, but these are not in reality.

Political parties have every right to define their own requirements and agenda, but race and religion have conveniently been used to polarise our society for the sake of harnessing and building their own vote bank.

Bumi Cinta: Please offer the associate membership to the MCA and MIC leaders who are disillusioned with Umno and PAS.

The application form should include this loyalty test: When the master shouts, "Jump!", the correct answer is "How high, sir?"

RengitBP: I see this as a positive development. In essence, the Malay political elites realised that, in the long run, the future of the country can no longer be based on the 3Rs (race, religion and royalty) mantra.

It is yet to be seen how they would make political parties more inclusive. Today, we have many parties claiming to be multiracial, but in true sense, are not.

What we have seen in Malaysia is that intent and slogans, whichever party there is, do not reflect the reality on the ground.

Fair Play: For an ‘astute’ politician like Azmin, he appeared like a kindergarten kid. He masterminded the Sheraton Move but ended up homeless.

What choice has he except Bersatu? After GE15, perhaps the rakyat would ask - Azmin who?

Lone_star: Please go ahead and form your new non-Malay chapter. The story is already written.

Plenty of like-minded individuals sharing similar thoughts like you and your gang would rush to join the new chapter, all with similar desire to save the nation.

But save from whom? Are there still plenty of government-linked company (GLC) positions available for the horde to come? Will crumbs satisfy?

Gerard Lourdesamy: The country did not need saving in February 2020. It was rather the greed for political power, position and status that caused the unprincipled change in government and the betrayal of the voters' mandate in GE14.

The coup has caused more instability in the country, the return of cronyism and an economic recession. Hardly, "great" achievements by a government that claims to serve the people.

BusinessFirst: Bersatu, I think, realises that it has no chance to succeed as a Malay party hence it has to be a PKR with the entry of non-Malays. A kind of BN.

I am not sure it will work since it won't get the Malay votes nor the non-Malay votes, pleasing neither as it has no credibility among non-Malays and the Malays seem quite settled with their Umno or PAS camps. - Mkini