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It seems that there is no unity between Umno, PAS and PPBM although they are all members of the government of Perikatan Nasional (PN). This should show that a coalition serving only one race does not work.
In a one-race arrangement, there are likely to be intraracial problems, as it is in human nature to compete for dominance in the pursuit of power.
In truth, there is no Malay unity or Islamic solidarity in Malay politics. Only common goals and a shared ideology can create a true union.
Malaysia is blessed with a multiracial society and the formula developed by Tunku Abdul Rahman in forming the Alliance and by Abdul Razak Hussein in forming Barisan Nasional (BN) worked well for six decades.
Umno should realize that it was once perceived as a moderate political party.
Even today, not everything in Umno is bad. But its reputation has been hit by some of its leaders. They lost their balance because they assumed that the party would rule forever. Corruption crept in and ruined the party’s image. Consequently, BN fell in the 2018 general election.
If Umno cleans himself up, avoids corruption and chooses the moderate path in politics, he will once again be backed by all races to lead the country in a new multiracial setup.
It is abhorrent in a multiracial society to incite racial and religious strife, as some Malaysian leaders often do. They can get short-term support by arousing emotions. However, in the long run, people will see through the rhetoric and realize that it is only meant to mislead the voters.
In Perak, we have just seen Menteri Kiss lose his position after a “vote of confidence” that ended up turning into a vote of no confidence.
In this episode, the Pakatan Harapan (PH) parties – DAP, PKR and Amanah – joined Umno in expressing their disapproval of the state leadership.
Perak was ruled by PPBM, PAS and Umno under the banner of the PN.
If PH parties could partner with Umno to form the next state government, we could see the return of moderation and multiracial politics. It could pave the way for a unity government that will bring stability to the state. This would bode well for the entire country.
The DAP, although dominated by the Chinese, is a multiracial party with considerable voter support. In the past, it only contested around a fifth of the seats in Parliament, generally against MCA, MIC and Gerakan, not against Umno or PAS.
Umno has generally clashed with the PAS in almost all the Malay majority districts. Since he has practically never competed for non-Malaysian majority seats, the DAP is not a threat to him.
With Umno partnering with DAP, each can demonstrate that they have chosen a moderate political path. Then we can wait for the end of the rhetoric about race and religion.
DAP has long professed to seek integrity, accountability and excellence in governance. It has not cried out for absolute power. He wants to see a government that respects the wishes of all ethnic groups and a stable and harmonious society that earns the respect of the world and attracts investors.
He is aware that it is the Malays who must lead the country and he has shown this by giving in in Perak, Selangor and Putrajaya.
In fact, Malays in general also believe that Malays should lead the country, but this does not mean that they will tolerate incompetent and dishonest leaders.
By virtue of being the majority race, Malays have led the country since independence and this has never been a problem for non-Malays.
The DAP has many educated and competent leaders in its ranks and the party has business-oriented political goals. In fact, this will be to the advantage of the nation. Its success in Penang could be duplicated in other states.
DAP has always made it clear that it defends the Federal Constitution with all its provisions on the position of the Malays, of Islam, of the national language of the Malaysian rulers.
Umno has now learned the hard way that there is always a relentless struggle for power and position among Malaysians. Only when there is a multiracial government can Umno or a Malaysian take the lead, with allied parties participating in nation-building.
Perhaps it is time for Umno to revive the type of government he led for more than six decades by involving other parties, including the PH parties, to form a stable government.
Moaz Nair is an FMT reader.
The opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.
