Let us return to the Malaysia we once had

 The call for unity must not be about one community alone. By restoring the mutual respect of the 1970s, we can build a Malaysia that works for everyone.

From R. Muralitharan

The writer of the opinion piece “What are we as Malays uniting for?” is spot on. His concern is not with the Malay community. His concern is with politicians who use the idea of “Malay unity” to divide people for political gain. That distinction matters.

The points he raised deserve serious consideration.

When unity is invoked only before elections and defined purely in political terms, the public has every right to ask: unity for what? If the answer is merely about consolidating power, then it is not about the nation. It is about political arithmetic.

Reading his article took me back to the Malaysia in which I grew up during the 1970s. It was not a perfect decade, but it was a Malaysia where the people lived like one big family. We understood our boundaries and respected the do’s and don’ts.

We respected each other’s cultures and sensitivities. There was room for disagreement, but there was also trust. At school, at work and in our neighbourhoods, we looked out for one another.

What happened in the years that followed is an open secret. Political narratives shifted, and certain parties found it useful to exploit racial sentiments. Over time, this created divisions.

The idea of “Malay supremacy” became part of public discourse, bringing fear and insecurity to communities on all sides.

I do not blame the Malay community for this. Communities do not wake up one day and decide to divide themselves. Division is created and encouraged. When leaders choose to speak in racial terms, society eventually responds along racial lines. That is politics, not the natural state of our society.

Where do we go from here?

If more Malays can think like the FMT writer – with honesty and concern for the entire country – then perhaps we can move towards that earlier Malaysia again, not by turning back the clock, but by restoring the values that once held us together.

Non-Malays are not asking for equal rights in the sense of rewriting the Constitution. We are asking for fair opportunities within the existing system. We seek a fair chance in education, business and public service.

We want to be seen as part of the solution, not as a problem to be managed.

What should we unite for instead?

1. A shared social contract.

The 1970s worked because there was mutual respect. Malays protected their position, while other communities accepted this and sought only to be treated with dignity. We can return to that understanding, while adapting it to today’s realities.

2. An economy that includes everyone.

Policies must benefit the B40 and M40 across all communities. This includes Indian Malaysians who were displaced from estates and moved into urban areas, where many now face poverty, as well as Chinese Malaysians living in low-cost flats and other urban poor communities who are often overlooked.

It also includes Malays in rural areas who continue to need support. Poverty does not have a race.

3. Leadership that unites, not divides

We need leaders who speak for all Malaysians, not just their own supporters. We need leaders who focus on the cost of living, corruption and effective governance, rather than constantly returning to racial issues.

Let me be clear: I am not against Malay unity. Every community has the right to organise and protect its interests.

What I am calling for is Malaysian unity – a unity that allows Malay unity, Chinese unity, Indian unity, and the aspirations of Sabah and Sarawak communities to exist together under one roof.

If unity means one group coming together to deal with others, it will always remain fragile. But if unity means all Malaysians taking shared responsibility for the country, it can endure.

The FMT writer asked: “What are we as Malays uniting for?” Perhaps the better question now is: “What are we as Malaysians uniting for?” I believe the answer lies in the Malaysia we once had – and the Malaysia we can build again. - FMT

R. Muralitharan is a FMT reader.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.