Dr M spins tale of non-Malays wanting to change country's name

In a lengthy diatribe against non-Malays today, Dr Mahathir Mohamad claimed that they want to “change the name and ownership” of Malaysia.

The former prime minister repeatedly alleged there was an attempt by people “from other countries” to shift Malaysia from being a tanah Melayu (land of the Malays) into a multiracial country.

He also claimed that these people refused to recognise the Malays as the founders, locals and builders of the country.

“How arrogant are those who come here, whom we have made into citizens, to demand that the name of our country be changed, turned into a multiracial country?

“Many people migrate from one country to another. When they go to another country, they accept that country and its owners, and they adapt their lives to be like the locals (but not those who came here),” the veteran politician said during a press conference in Sepang.

Earlier, Mahathir went on a tirade about the history of Malaysia and pointed out how “outsiders” had made two attempts to change the country.

Ex-PM Mahathir Mohamad speaking at the press conference today along with Marzuki Yahya (left) and Khairuddin Abu Hassan (right).

He elaborated extensively on Malaysia's historical background, highlighting the period when it was known as the Malayan Union during British colonial rule.

He then touched on the post-independence era, where the late Singapore prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, who was then leading the opposition against the Malaysian government, advocated the concept of “Malaysian Malaysia”.

In the mid-1960s, the term “Malaysian Malaysia” emerged as the rallying slogan of the Malaysian Solidarity Convention to champion a more egalitarian vision of the country, transcending ethnic divisions and promoting equal rights for all citizens, regardless of race or ethnicity.

It aimed to challenge the prevailing emphasis on Malay ethnicity and special privileges for Malays, as enshrined in the Federal Constitution's affirmative action policies.

“We were fortunate that in the 1964 general election, Lee’s proposal was rejected and thus, we successfully stopped another attempt to make our Tanah Melayu into a multiracial country. It would be shared equally,” Mahathir said.

Malay People’s Proclamation

The nonagenarian also alleged that whenever the Malays spoke up about their struggles, they were immediately shut down and labelled as racists.

Previously, the former Langkawi MP was investigated under Section 124B of the Penal Code for alleged involvement in activities deemed harmful to parliamentary democracy, over matters related to his Malay People's Proclamation.

Additionally, he was also investigated for his statements, allegedly containing elements of contempt towards the royal institution, in which he purportedly said that the Malays cannot rely on the Malay rulers to protect them.

This recent rant marks another episode in Mahathir's Malay People's Proclamation campaign, purportedly aimed at raising awareness among the Malay population regarding their perceived “lost power”.

However, Mahathir stressed that the Malay People's Proclamation movement was not against the non-Malays, but only focused on fighting for the well-being of the Malay community who are struggling financially.

The move even made a signatory campaign which garnered support from political parties such as Pejuang, PAS and Bersatu. It stated that it will support Perikatan Nasional in the coming state elections.

Malays must fight

Similarly, during the press conference, Mahathir encouraged the Malays to stand their ground and fight for their rights, especially during the state polls.

He advised them to give their all when supporting Malay candidates and most importantly to the ones who were being backed by the Malay Proclamation.

“If Malays do not protect their powers, their future will be grim. Even after every election, such as the coming state elections, their future will be ruined.

“As a reminder, we must reject corruption and we must reject those who will take our rights away. We should also vote for those who truly care about the Malays’ struggles so that our future will not be destroyed,” Mahathir said. - Mkini