The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 30 — The ketuanan Melayu (Malay supremacy) row that has broken out between PKR and its political foe Umno is unlikely to gain traction on the ground and sway voters one way or another in the 13th general election, say pundits.
Voters, including from the Malay community, are more focused on seeing the results of public policies trumpeted by the federal and state governments respectively and less likely to be moved by racial rhetoric, several academics told The Malaysian Insider.
Umno partymen and their supporters have launched a blistering attack against PKR and its leaders accusing them of betraying their own race in the mainstream newspapers and in cyberspace following Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail’s (picture) move resurrecting calls that “ketuanan Melayu should be abandoned”.
The PKR president had claimed the concept of Malay supremacy championed by Umno was only a front to benefit a small group of Malay elites in power.
Voters, including from the Malay community, are more focused on seeing the results of public policies trumpeted by the federal and state governments respectively and less likely to be moved by racial rhetoric, several academics told The Malaysian Insider.
Umno partymen and their supporters have launched a blistering attack against PKR and its leaders accusing them of betraying their own race in the mainstream newspapers and in cyberspace following Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail’s (picture) move resurrecting calls that “ketuanan Melayu should be abandoned”.
The PKR president had claimed the concept of Malay supremacy championed by Umno was only a front to benefit a small group of Malay elites in power.
She said it must be left behind “so that our children will grow up with the vision of a dignified race.”
Political analyst Dr Sivamurugan Pandian said the PKR president’s remark last Saturday could be seen as a strategy move to draw the senior party in the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition into taking a hardline stand that may repel its non-Malay supporters.
“I don’t think it has become an issue, maybe among the rural Malays but not the educated urban voters and especially not with the younger voters,” he said.
Sivamurugan said the 2008 general election had changed the mindset of voters, noting that blind support of a political party was no longer the norm.
“Voters are more rational and want to see implemented the GTP, ETP, 1 Malaysia concept. They want to see these policies transformed into activities and programmes on the ground now,” he said, referring to the government reform measures mooted under the Najib administration.
“I think why Wan Azizah did it was to focus on wooing back non-Malay support and divert attention from what happened during their party’s election,” he added.
Sivamurugan noted the reform party had lost much support from its non-Malay base after several contenders, including its former deputy presidential hopeful Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, went public with their allegations that top leaders had rigged the party polls.
The PKR elections had caused much public excitement as it was the first political party to allow ordinary members to directly vote in the top leaders of their choice.
The Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) lecturer observed that the grand old party has been put on the defence and pointed to the police report lodged by Perkasa, the hawkish group championing its version of Malay rights.
But Sivamurugan said so far the two political parties had only been harping on each other’s weaknesses, believing it would make a difference in the upcoming general election that is speculated will be called by April next year.
The 13th general election is only due in March 2013.
Sivamurugan said the “ketuanan Melayu” call may backfire on PKR because “younger voters especially would want to focus on the reform achievements the political parties have wrought” including at the state level controlled by the PKR-DAP-PAS alliance.
“It’s anyone’s guess now how the next election will turn out,” he said.
The Pakatan Rakyat (PR) pact was formed in the wake of the watershed 2008 general election which swept the three federal opposition parties into power in four states apart from Kelantan that had been long-ruled by the Islamist PAS.
Political scientist James Chin too shared the view that the supremacy concept would not gain traction on the ground either way in the upcoming general election.
But he believes that Dr Wan Azizah’s call for an end to racial superiority may cause a considerable shift at the 14th general election with a surge in younger voters.
“I see youths making 40 per cent of the total voter population by the one after this coming general election. Minimum would be 30 per cent,” Chin told The Malaysian Insider.
He said the message will appeal to the younger generation of voters and potential voters who are widely read and travelled.
“They don’t buy the argument that the Malays must be in charge. The whole concept of ketuanan Melayu is that they must be No. 1 in everything, politics, the economy, socially,” Chin elaborated.
The Monash University lecturer in political science praised Dr Wan Azizah for being the first leader of a Malay-dominant party since the 1970s to sound the call to end supremacy of one race over another, a concept many believe is based on Article 153 of the Federal Constitution.
“Wan Azizah’s statement is historic by Malaysian standards. It’s the first time since the ‘70s. No other Malay leader has done it. The message she’s selling is that Umno-BN is a racist party.
“What she’s saying is consistent with PKR’s stand for the last 10 years. PKR’s been projecting itself as a multiracial party. It’s just a reaffirmation of that but no one else has come out and said it,” Chin said.
Dr Abdul Aziz Bari from the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) said Dr Wan Azizah’s remark was not new, noting PAS had been calling for an end to “ketuanan Melayu” for more than a decade.
“Actually many people have been saying that, PAS, for example, has been rejecting it since Fadzil Noor's time more than a decade ago.
“And as we know this catchphrase has got nothing to do with the Malay position in the Constitution. It is a term coined by Tan Sri Abdullah Ahmad in 1986,” he said, referring to the former Umno supreme council member and Kok Lanas MP who once helmed media giant New Straits Times Press.
The law lecturer echoed Sivamurugan’s view that Dr Wan Azizah’s call was a successful strategic move to put Umno on the defensive and to reclaim its loss of support among the non-Malay community and urbanites by “trying to get Umno into their game”.
“To me it was an attempt to keep the non-Malay votes and tell the Malays it is all right to dump Umno,” he said, stressing that the grand old party is losing its mandate as guardian and protector of the Malay community.
Like Sivamurugan, Abdul Aziz noted that the Malay community at large was more interested in how Putrajaya and the state governments would carry out their public policies and less likely to be swayed by “ketuanan” issues.
“Except for the poor Malays and Umno diehards the concept rings hollow to them. That is why one finds that more and more educated and professional Malays are leaving the country and working abroad.
“Only Umnoputras benefit from government programmes. Not the Malays that have been put as the main target,” he said.
And like Chin, Abdul Aziz said PKR appeared to hold a slight edge with Dr Wan Azizah’s call.
“From the constitutional point I think PKR has been advocating what is there in the supreme law, namely to help the Malays without prejudicing the interests of other races,” he said.
The law expert noted that because of that, there may be no need to amend Article 153.
Political analyst Dr Sivamurugan Pandian said the PKR president’s remark last Saturday could be seen as a strategy move to draw the senior party in the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition into taking a hardline stand that may repel its non-Malay supporters.
“I don’t think it has become an issue, maybe among the rural Malays but not the educated urban voters and especially not with the younger voters,” he said.
Sivamurugan said the 2008 general election had changed the mindset of voters, noting that blind support of a political party was no longer the norm.
“Voters are more rational and want to see implemented the GTP, ETP, 1 Malaysia concept. They want to see these policies transformed into activities and programmes on the ground now,” he said, referring to the government reform measures mooted under the Najib administration.
“I think why Wan Azizah did it was to focus on wooing back non-Malay support and divert attention from what happened during their party’s election,” he added.
Sivamurugan noted the reform party had lost much support from its non-Malay base after several contenders, including its former deputy presidential hopeful Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, went public with their allegations that top leaders had rigged the party polls.
The PKR elections had caused much public excitement as it was the first political party to allow ordinary members to directly vote in the top leaders of their choice.
The Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) lecturer observed that the grand old party has been put on the defence and pointed to the police report lodged by Perkasa, the hawkish group championing its version of Malay rights.
But Sivamurugan said so far the two political parties had only been harping on each other’s weaknesses, believing it would make a difference in the upcoming general election that is speculated will be called by April next year.
The 13th general election is only due in March 2013.
Sivamurugan said the “ketuanan Melayu” call may backfire on PKR because “younger voters especially would want to focus on the reform achievements the political parties have wrought” including at the state level controlled by the PKR-DAP-PAS alliance.
“It’s anyone’s guess now how the next election will turn out,” he said.
The Pakatan Rakyat (PR) pact was formed in the wake of the watershed 2008 general election which swept the three federal opposition parties into power in four states apart from Kelantan that had been long-ruled by the Islamist PAS.
Political scientist James Chin too shared the view that the supremacy concept would not gain traction on the ground either way in the upcoming general election.
But he believes that Dr Wan Azizah’s call for an end to racial superiority may cause a considerable shift at the 14th general election with a surge in younger voters.
“I see youths making 40 per cent of the total voter population by the one after this coming general election. Minimum would be 30 per cent,” Chin told The Malaysian Insider.
He said the message will appeal to the younger generation of voters and potential voters who are widely read and travelled.
“They don’t buy the argument that the Malays must be in charge. The whole concept of ketuanan Melayu is that they must be No. 1 in everything, politics, the economy, socially,” Chin elaborated.
The Monash University lecturer in political science praised Dr Wan Azizah for being the first leader of a Malay-dominant party since the 1970s to sound the call to end supremacy of one race over another, a concept many believe is based on Article 153 of the Federal Constitution.
“Wan Azizah’s statement is historic by Malaysian standards. It’s the first time since the ‘70s. No other Malay leader has done it. The message she’s selling is that Umno-BN is a racist party.
“What she’s saying is consistent with PKR’s stand for the last 10 years. PKR’s been projecting itself as a multiracial party. It’s just a reaffirmation of that but no one else has come out and said it,” Chin said.
Dr Abdul Aziz Bari from the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) said Dr Wan Azizah’s remark was not new, noting PAS had been calling for an end to “ketuanan Melayu” for more than a decade.
“Actually many people have been saying that, PAS, for example, has been rejecting it since Fadzil Noor's time more than a decade ago.
“And as we know this catchphrase has got nothing to do with the Malay position in the Constitution. It is a term coined by Tan Sri Abdullah Ahmad in 1986,” he said, referring to the former Umno supreme council member and Kok Lanas MP who once helmed media giant New Straits Times Press.
The law lecturer echoed Sivamurugan’s view that Dr Wan Azizah’s call was a successful strategic move to put Umno on the defensive and to reclaim its loss of support among the non-Malay community and urbanites by “trying to get Umno into their game”.
“To me it was an attempt to keep the non-Malay votes and tell the Malays it is all right to dump Umno,” he said, stressing that the grand old party is losing its mandate as guardian and protector of the Malay community.
Like Sivamurugan, Abdul Aziz noted that the Malay community at large was more interested in how Putrajaya and the state governments would carry out their public policies and less likely to be swayed by “ketuanan” issues.
“Except for the poor Malays and Umno diehards the concept rings hollow to them. That is why one finds that more and more educated and professional Malays are leaving the country and working abroad.
“Only Umnoputras benefit from government programmes. Not the Malays that have been put as the main target,” he said.
And like Chin, Abdul Aziz said PKR appeared to hold a slight edge with Dr Wan Azizah’s call.
“From the constitutional point I think PKR has been advocating what is there in the supreme law, namely to help the Malays without prejudicing the interests of other races,” he said.
The law expert noted that because of that, there may be no need to amend Article 153.
No comments:
Post a Comment