Dr M: Harapan will protect Malay rights, but not at expense of non-Malays

INTERVIEW | For ruling party Umno, the prospect of the Malays losing their special rights and privileges is something that can be exploited to ensure that Pakatan Harapan does not win over its Malay support base.

Umno president Najib Abdul Razak claimed the Malays can be undermined because Harapan is dominated by the allegedly anti-Malay DAP.

But Harapan chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad assures that Malays have nothing to fear if the coalition comes to power.

"(Bumiputera privileges) will be maintained (by Harapan)," Mahathir said when quizzed on the matter.

There is however a caveat.

"We will take into account the interests of the other races. We don't want to rob what belongs to the non-bumiputeras to enrich the bumiputeras," he said.

Mahathir was speaking to Malaysiakini in an interview at his Putrajaya office on Thursday.

Najib's claims about DAP wanting to strip the Malays of their special rights and privileges is not something Mahathir is unfamiliar with.

The former premier himself had peddled such a narrative during his two decades in office.

"I'm responsible for that also, I was the one who had portrayed DAP as monsters," he said.

DAP not the syaitan

But Mahathir is singing a different tune now that fate has brought him and DAP together under the Harapan banner.

His experience with the party since joining the opposition has changed his perspective, and he believes the Malays have also evolved in their views of the party.

"The Malays are beginning to realise that DAP is not the syaitan (devil) that we imagined before," he said.

He cited how DAP's party song is in Malay, and how it has Malay members and lawmakers.

He also rubbished allegations that DAP dominated Harapan, saying it was just one of four parties in the coalition.

"Of the 222 parliamentary constituencies, they can't contest more that 55.

"They are not likely to win 55 seats either, maybe they will win around 40 seats," he added.

In the following excerpt from Malaysiakini's exclusive interview, Mahathir also talks about the Malays dwindling gratitude towards BN, and what Bersatu is offering for the youth

The interview has been edited for language and brevity.

The Malays feel indebted to BN. Will this be a problem for Bersatu and Harapan?

The Malays feel indebted to BN, (but) not to Najib's BN.

They know the difference between Najib and the previous BN under the four prime ministers - Tunku Abdul Rahman, Abdul Razak Hussein, Hussein Onn, and me too.

It was different from (the BN under) Abdullah Badawi and Najib.

In the past the level of corruption is not as it is now.

Now we have a head of government that is the most corrupt person.

Most Bersatu members are youths. What is Bersatu offering that the other Harapan parties aren't?

Rather it is what BN is not offering.

Many of them who are qualified to further their studies can't get scholarships now, and many of them who qualify can't get jobs now. The prospect for their future is very bleak.

Many of them are unemployed now.

They believe only a change of government will increase their opportunities for scholarships and jobs in the country.

So it is the negative aspects of BN that is pushing them away from BN, towards Harapan. - Mkini