04-10-2021, 10:07 AM
By Moaz Nair
![[Image: DAP-Flag-Bendera-FB.jpg]](https://s3media.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/DAP-Flag-Bendera-FB.jpg)
“Pit race against race, religion against religion, prejudice against prejudice. We must not let this happen here.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
Using DAP as a threat to scare the Malays has become a political cliche among some politicians from the Malay-based political parties.
Ironically, almost all Malay-based parties and Malay leaders have worked with DAP in Malaysian politics. With the present political uncertainties in the country, post-15th general election will probably see Malay-based political parties again working with DAP, as no single party is likely to form the government without roping in their adversaries.
Possibly, the country will then see a unity government and this will augur well for it.
Malaysian politics must be one of a kind in the world where race and religion are often overtly used by some political parties to seek power. DAP is often used as the bogeyman by the Malay-based political parties, enough to scam the naive and gullible voters in the country for politicians to achieve their political goals.
Speeches among some failing politicians do not lack the habit of stereotyping the narrative that DAP can be a threat to their race and religion. Sowing hatred for DAP in the name of politics is not going to bring any economic benefits to the nation. What more, not all Malaysians will fall to a political cheat that DAP is a threat to the Malay race, Islam and the royalty.
A political ploy
Politics in the country has evolved for many years since independence and it has led to Malays being split into many political parties. When these parties of single race and religion squabble among themselves to seek power and dominance over each other, DAP is needlessly made the punching bag.
This is a political ploy to divert attention from the reality and hoodwink the masses. The people have come to realise that this is all a game of power and has nothing to do with racial unity in the real sense or that DAP will arrogate Malay political power in the country.
If truth be told, it’s the fear of losing power and Malay support that some Malay-based parties are demonising DAP, even to the extent of describing the latter as “extreme”.
DAP is a multi-racial party. Never in the history of DAP’s party manifesto has it shown any aversion towards the Malays, Islam or the royal institution.
The party, on the other hand, has set a lofty principle that the country should be governed with full accountability and that race and religion should not be the stumbling block to progress. People of all races and religions should have a fair share of the nation’s wealth and opportunities.
To DAP, deserving Malaysians irrespective of their race or religion should be acknowledged as rightful citizens and no Malaysian should be discriminated against based on race or religion.
Disparaging DAP, hence, is not going to make the party less popular among sensible Malaysians. In fact, Malay-based political parties working with DAP would be an asset for the country, as the latter has many capable no-nonsense leaders who could help bring progress to the nation.
The clarion call for unity among the dominant Malay parties after the 14th general election has been confined to race and religion. Yet the nation sees the three major Malay-based parties – Umno, PPBM and PAS – wrangling among themselves, each seeking dominance over the other. DAP is not at all part of this equation, yet the party is without reason impugned by some Malay political leaders for their own internal glitches.
Interestingly, the country is not short of Malay-based political parties. Pejuang and Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia (Putra), among others, for their political mileage, have joined in the fray chorusing the same tune – Malay unity and that DAP is a “thorn in the side”. With almost half a dozen Malay-based parties vying for support from the Malay race only proves that Malay unity in politics is just a utopian idea and it can never come about. It has, in fact, divided the Malay race politically.
- More -
“Pit race against race, religion against religion, prejudice against prejudice. We must not let this happen here.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
Using DAP as a threat to scare the Malays has become a political cliche among some politicians from the Malay-based political parties.
Ironically, almost all Malay-based parties and Malay leaders have worked with DAP in Malaysian politics. With the present political uncertainties in the country, post-15th general election will probably see Malay-based political parties again working with DAP, as no single party is likely to form the government without roping in their adversaries.
Possibly, the country will then see a unity government and this will augur well for it.
Malaysian politics must be one of a kind in the world where race and religion are often overtly used by some political parties to seek power. DAP is often used as the bogeyman by the Malay-based political parties, enough to scam the naive and gullible voters in the country for politicians to achieve their political goals.
Speeches among some failing politicians do not lack the habit of stereotyping the narrative that DAP can be a threat to their race and religion. Sowing hatred for DAP in the name of politics is not going to bring any economic benefits to the nation. What more, not all Malaysians will fall to a political cheat that DAP is a threat to the Malay race, Islam and the royalty.
A political ploy
Politics in the country has evolved for many years since independence and it has led to Malays being split into many political parties. When these parties of single race and religion squabble among themselves to seek power and dominance over each other, DAP is needlessly made the punching bag.
This is a political ploy to divert attention from the reality and hoodwink the masses. The people have come to realise that this is all a game of power and has nothing to do with racial unity in the real sense or that DAP will arrogate Malay political power in the country.
If truth be told, it’s the fear of losing power and Malay support that some Malay-based parties are demonising DAP, even to the extent of describing the latter as “extreme”.
DAP is a multi-racial party. Never in the history of DAP’s party manifesto has it shown any aversion towards the Malays, Islam or the royal institution.
The party, on the other hand, has set a lofty principle that the country should be governed with full accountability and that race and religion should not be the stumbling block to progress. People of all races and religions should have a fair share of the nation’s wealth and opportunities.
To DAP, deserving Malaysians irrespective of their race or religion should be acknowledged as rightful citizens and no Malaysian should be discriminated against based on race or religion.
Disparaging DAP, hence, is not going to make the party less popular among sensible Malaysians. In fact, Malay-based political parties working with DAP would be an asset for the country, as the latter has many capable no-nonsense leaders who could help bring progress to the nation.
The clarion call for unity among the dominant Malay parties after the 14th general election has been confined to race and religion. Yet the nation sees the three major Malay-based parties – Umno, PPBM and PAS – wrangling among themselves, each seeking dominance over the other. DAP is not at all part of this equation, yet the party is without reason impugned by some Malay political leaders for their own internal glitches.
Interestingly, the country is not short of Malay-based political parties. Pejuang and Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia (Putra), among others, for their political mileage, have joined in the fray chorusing the same tune – Malay unity and that DAP is a “thorn in the side”. With almost half a dozen Malay-based parties vying for support from the Malay race only proves that Malay unity in politics is just a utopian idea and it can never come about. It has, in fact, divided the Malay race politically.
- More -