Nothing to fear being governed by Malay parties, says Dr M

 

Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the Chinese had prospered more under Malay rule than under the British administration.

PETALING JAYA: Non-Malays have nothing to fear if they are governed by a Malay party like Pejuang because history has shown the community prospered under such rule, according to Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The former prime minister said Malay governments had always been friendly towards the Chinese migrants, while their businesses flourished in Malay-dominated administrations as their economic policies “were far more friendly and open than the British”.

“There is every evidence to show that the Chinese prospered more under Malay rule than under the British,” he said in a series of tweets.

Mahathir said that the country’s first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, had also appointed Chinese and Indians to his Cabinet.

And while it remained a Malay-dominated administration, the views of the Chinese and Indians were given due consideration, he said, adding that the government effectively became multiracial.

This, he said, belied claims that in independent Malaya, the Malays would seize Chinese property, adding that nothing of that sort had happened.

“Instead, all obstructions to Chinese businesses were removed.

“One of the most significant acts by the new independent Malay-dominated government was to grant banking licences to two Chinese applicants.”

While the British were reluctant to let locals go into banking, Mahathir said the Malay-dominated governments were more forthcoming.

And with that, the problems of finance for the Chinese businesses were mitigated.

Mahathir went on to say that when Malaysia became known as an “Asian Tiger”, Malaysian Chinese businesses expanded and overflowed into many foreign countries.

He said Malay governments were more liberal towards Chinese businesses compared to the British government, although the impression given is that the New Economic Policy discriminates against the non-Malays, the Chinese, in particular.

Pejuang, he said, would follow the path laid out by former Malay leaders, including working with non-Malays.

“There is no reason for non-Malays to fear governance by Pejuang simply because it is a Malay party.” - FMT