Ibrahim Ali: Non-Malays need not fear the emergence of a united Malay/Muslim community

 

THE much-touted Malay unity among the community has thus far been an elusive concept which will never be realised because the country adopts a democracy system.

As long as there is a system which encourages Malay-Muslim political parties to be formed and to jostle among themselves for the right to win the community’s electorate hearts and minds, there is no such thing as a Malay unity, according to veteran Malay rights politician Datuk Paduka Ibrahim Ali.

“The Malays will continue to battle among themselves as each party wants to outduel the other. This is democracy in practise,” the PUTRA (Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia) president told FocusM.

“We now see a rush of parties trying to represent the Malays and the Bumiputera in Sabah and Sarawak. Even multi-racial ones want a bite at the cheery.”

Against the backdrop of high level of enthusiasm to court the Malays, the 73-year-old opposition-slant politician reckoned that whoever continues to pursue the Malay unity agenda is only day dreaming in the Malaysian context.

This is considered an about turn from the self-proclaimed Malay rights supremo who in 2008 formed PERKASA (Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa) – a Malay rights NGO. One of its staple contentions was a need for Malay unity then.

Perkasa was a prelude to PUTRA which has now became a political entity but found itself on the losing end in the last general election, losing all of its seats and in some cases its deposits.

PERKASA president Datuk Ibrahim Ali (muddle) (Image credit: Sinar Harian)

Non-Malays to benefit from Malay unity

What has shifted for the ultra-nationalist Ibrahim who first defected from UMNO to join the now defunct Semangat 46 is that the Malay party who can reign supreme is the one who can best serve the needs of the growing community in both the religious and economic sense.

However, what he now wants to champion is to firstly assure the non-Malays that there is nothing to fear about the original concept of Malay unity.

“We had envisioned that a unity within the community will help bring about political stability for the community can naturally lead and focus on nation building without having to constantly look behind their shoulders,” contended the thrice Pasir Mas MP (1986, 1990 and 2008)

“But it is not happening. The new reality is much noise and struggle.”

On the contrary, if the community is united, non-Malays can also benefit from a Malay-led government which is fully focused on nation building and nothing secondary, according to Ibrahim.

Datuk Ibrahim Ali (right) and twice former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad (Image credit: Bernama)

He further assured that Malay unity will not lead to them trampling on the rights of non-Malays.

Now in the age of uncertainty following the aftermath of the grand pandemic, Ibrahim sees Malaysian unity as of paramount importance.

“We need a buy in from the minorities – the Chinese and Indians as well as others – to a concept of Malaysian unity to secure the country from external threats from security to the economic unrest.”

He sees external issues which may undermine global stability as a possible factor in bringing about higher levels of national unity and patriotism.

Ibrahim also hopes that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s Madani administration can do more to promote this cause while also safeguarding the rights of the Malays.

As for the future of his mentor Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah who is now 87, Ibrahim replied that age is a factor for the UMNO stalwart who will turn 90 come the next national poll.

He however hopes that what the nine-term former Gua Musang MP and former finance minister went through and his legacy in forming many of the government institutionalised financial bodies can be a lesson for the younger generation’s struggle. – Focus Malaysia