A non-Muslim as PM? Perish that thought

YOURSAY | ‘With 60 percent Malay population, how can a non-Malay be PM without their support?’

Do non-Muslims never want to be PM?

Pemerhati: Even though Malaysia after independence started off as a secular democratic country and had a multi-ethnic public service, it has gradually changed for the worse where you now have a situation where the public service is more than 90 percent mono-ethnic and former PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad proclaimed that Malaysia is an Islamic country.

The Malay Malaysians, unlike say the secular Europeans, Australians and Americans, are indoctrinated right from young with a strict form of Islam in the schools, mosques and through the monopolised media.

Forget about a non-Muslim PM, instead start worrying about a future under an IS (Islamic State) type of government.

Prudent: Commander S Thayaparan, read Lim Guan Eng's words in context. The legal term is "adjustem generis". He was referring to Pakatan Harapan - that no non-Muslim in Harapan wanted to be PM and that their candidate for PM is a Malay-Muslim.

There are many ways to 'skin a cat' or to fight a war. 'Full frontal assault', as seemingly most favoured by you, is only one and not the most suitable way.

We all know the nature of the corrupt ‘ketuanan Melayu’ beast and how it is desperately protecting itself. As Sun Tzu said: "The most excellent way to win a battle is to win without fighting."

KCW: What ‘ketuanan Melayu’ are we talking about when the majority of the blue-collar workers and the majority of those who live in urban ghettos are Malays?

Can you call a community in which the majority of them are at the bottom 40 percent as ‘tuan’? That's a total joke, isn't it?

By the way, the Malay civilisational zone is a term used by historians to define two distinct civilisations in the Malay Archipelago, one is Malay and the other one is Javanese.

It's a historian’s term. It's not even a term used by Umno. Sometimes our racial anger is too deep that even historians’ terms are being accused as an extension of ‘ketuanan Melayu’.

For those who are interested to understand why Najib Abdul Razak is still being supported by many Malays despite his alleged involvement in 1MDB corruption and kleptocracy, I suggest you read Hishamuddin Rais series of articles on ‘Persoalan Nasional’ in Malaysiakini’s BM version which is already in its 10th series.

Those of you who mostly read in English language need to venture out from your comfort zone and start to engage the Malays in our national language because it's there where you can understand the mind and the feelings of the Malays and learn how to win their support this coming GE14 because without Malay support, Pakatan Harapan would never be able to wrest Putrajaya from Umno.

Read Hishamuddin’s articles starting from his first article entitled ‘Mukadimah’ until the latest one entitled ‘Psiki Bani Melayu Di Mana Sekarang?’ I believe you can read and understand our national language, no?

David Dass: We cannot ignore what the first prime minister said. He was involved in the formulation of the constitution. And we cannot ignore what the judges said in their interpretation of the constitution.

If we do that then where do we draw the line? Non-Muslims and Muslims alike have raised concerns about the practice deviating from constitutional norms.

It is a fact that the state does more for Islamic schools, teachers, muftis and mosques then the Westminster model. But that does not detract from the fact that our constitution is secular. The state is also there to help the other religions, perhaps not to the same scale.

We cannot ignore the constitution. That is the supreme law of this country. We cannot also ignore the fact that we are a multi-religious country.

I think that we are going round in circles. Getting personal about education and making generalised statements about race does not help advance an argument.

I think that all can accept that there were established communities in Peninsular Malaysia before the British came. These communities were led by Malay rulers and comprised mainly Malays. There would have been Chinese and Indian settlers.

I think that we can also accept that Malays have always been concerned about forging a Malaysian culture which would reflect more elements from traditional Malay culture. Malay was accepted as the national language.

All Malaysians subscribe to the principles set out in the Rukunegara. All Malaysians accept or should accept the provisions of the Federal Constitution, which amongst other things establishes the position of the Malay rulers, the Agong, the status of Islam as the religion of the Federation, Malay as the national language and Article 153.

Whatever version of history one subscribes to, one can accept the above matters as fact. KCW has said in no uncertain terms that he rejects the notion of ‘ketuanan Melayu’. That is a closed issue with him.

Anyway, the question is whether a non-Malay can become prime minister. At this moment in time, the constitution is open on the issue. PAS wants to amend it to only allow Malays or Muslims to become prime minister.

Shibboleth: Dear Commander Thayaparan, "A text without a context is a pretext," says Ravi Z. So, when Guan Eng talks about non-Malay/Muslims not wanting to be the PM, he was talking about the political reality.

Malay/Muslims have the numbers and it’s increasing. And we all know that unless and until they choose to change, BN will still win come the next GE and the next PM will be a Malay/Muslim.

Anonymous #37634848: Lee Kuan Yew (with his law qualification, fluency in Malay both Jawi and Rumi, and his leadership qualities) wanted to be PM of Malaysia. What happened?

Malaysia would rather lose a precious piece of land called Singapore in order to keep Malay power. Umno was formed to strive for Malay power and betterment. With 60 percent Malay population, how can a non-Malay be PM without their support?

Our main issue now is to strengthen the ‘check and balance system’ and to ensure we get a statesman as a leader of the country.

Your piece, Thaya, surely shall polarise the Malays to hold on to power. Even in Singapore, a minority Malay is yet to be PM.

NNFC: The fact remains that the major political parties play a race game so that they can win voters from their selected group by showing that they discriminate favouring the select groups.

If voters can reject this superficial politics, we will then see the bigger picture where Malaysia will be a progressive nation.

Ipoh Pp: Commander Thayaparan, yours is a dream in futility. It will never happen in this country. In the days when I was a young man I too had such a dream of a non-Malay being PM of the country and all the 'jazz' about equality.

What opened my eyes was when my children graduated and were by passed over jobs and positions in the civil service though they were more qualified than their peers. Even me, then in the civil service, was denied a rightful promotion because I was 'different'. What the others had was the capital ‘M’.

Today, I, like Guan Eng, have accepted this hard, painful truth and most of my younger siblings, children and nephews/nieces have migrated. The reality is painful but we have to face it and make equally hard and painful decisions.

Gen Half Track: Writing what is sensible and writing what is doable are two different things. Thayaparan, what you say is sensible but perhaps not doable as of now.

Guan Eng is saying what he is saying is more to quell the Umno machinery that has gone into overdrive that a non-Malay like Kit Siang is said to be now aiming to take the highest office of the land from the Malays.

With the election around the corner, it's wise not to rock the boat. If and when Pakatan Harapan wins, there is plenty of time perhaps to build on your thoughts.

But that would take a very long time, if ever, for it to happen. Still, there will be much hope if Harapan rules with wisdom and ultimately that day will come.

God bless Malaysia and God bless soldiers like you - never afraid to say what needs to be said. Bravo Zulu, my friend.- Mkini