Let’s defeat Tun M’s colonialist attacks on multi-culturalism by affirming Malaysia

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TUN Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s vicious attacks on multi-culturalism and secularism is a manifestation of Malayan (Tanah Melayu or Peninsular Malaysia) imperialism and colonialism that threaten Malaysia’s territorial integrity.

His earlier claim on June 28 that non-Malays want to change the country from Tanah Melayu to a multi-ethnic country and his latest claim on July 3 that it is unconstitutional to promote Malaysia as a multi-ethnic country reveal the malicious mind of a Malayan imperialist and colonialist who sees Sabah and Sarawak as nothing but colonial possessions of Malayan Malays.

For all his attacks on Western imperialists and colonialists, Dr Mahathir has become one when he looks at Sabahans, Sarawakians, and Malayan minorities.

By insulting Sabahans and Sarawakians as subjects of Malayan imperialism and colonialism, Dr Mahathir is declaring war to the very idea of Malaysia.

If by being part of Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak were to become appendices of Tanah Melayu – and Sabah and Sarawakian natives to be assimilated as Malayan Malays – there would not be a Malaysia in the first place.

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Kit Siang quotes Dr M’s book to rebut views on multiculturalism

PETALING JAYA: Lim Kit Siang has rebutted Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s views on the Federal Constitution and multiculturalism, with the DAP stalwart quoting an excerpt from the former prime minister’s book published in 2021.

Referring to Mahathir’s book, “Capturing Hope – The Struggle for a New Malaysia”, the former Iskandar Puteri MP quoted a paragraph in which Mahathir had taken a swipe at Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin when he alluded to “those who desire to be seen as Malay-first…and this enabled them to promote a Malay-Muslim government.”

Muhyiddin, the then deputy prime minister, had in 2010 declared he was “Malay first” when responding to Lim’s challenge to state whether he was Malay or Malaysian first.

Lim said that Mahathir had, in his book, stated that it was impossible to set up a Malay-Muslim government.

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Article 3 proves Malaysia’s multiracial identity, Ramkarpal tells Dr M

PETALING JAYA: Deputy law and institutional reform minister Ramkarpal Singh has reminded Dr Mahathir Mohamad of Article 3 of the Federal Constitution as proof of Malaysia’s multiracial identity.

He was referring to the former prime minister’s assertion that promoting Malaysia as a multiracial country was against the Federal Constitution.

Ramkarpal told the former Langkawi MP that while Article 3 explicitly states that Islam is the official religion of Malaysia, other religions may be practised in “peace and harmony”.

“The existence of Article 3 of the Federal Constitution demonstrates that Malaysia is a country comprising various ethnicities, cultures, and religions,” Ramkarpal said.

He also cited a Federal Court ruling last year in which the judges said that Article 3 is part of the “basic structure” of the Federal Constitution and that Parliament cannot amend it as it would be “unconstitutional”.

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Sarawak minister slams Dr M’s ‘crazy’ multiculturalism statement

PETALING JAYA: A Sarawak minister has hit out at Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s “crazy” claim on multiracialism in Malaysia, adding that the state’s ruling coalition will not work with the former prime minister.

Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said it was impossible for Gabungan Parti Sarawak to work with Mahathir after the latter stated that promoting a multi-ethnic country went against the Federal Constitution, the Borneo Post reported.

“What kind of crazy opinion is that?

“How would the non-Malays feel? I am a Malay, but when you say that you cannot promote Malaysia as a multiracial country, what crazy statement are you making?” the state youth, sports and entrepreneur development minister was quoted as saying.

Karim said Mahathir’s statement did not go down well with the majority of Malaysians.

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Multiracial Malaysia: Mahathir rebuts Mahathir

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad is not someone who fears controversy. In fact, he seems to thrive on it.

And he has done it again by making claims that have been described variously as “a travesty”, “incorrect”, “invention”, “illogical” and “baseless propaganda”.

His latest claim is that promoting Malaysia as a multiracial country is against the Federal Constitution.

In responding to Umno Bukit Gelugor information chief Mohd Huzaidi Mohd Hussin who had urged him to stop playing up racial sentiments as most Malays had moved on and were eager to see a resurgence of the nation’s economy, Mahathir tweeted:

“I am just voicing out on what was stated in the Federal Constitution. It’s not against the law to defend the constitution. But what is against the constitution is promoting the country as a multiracial country.

“Is the current government rejecting the Rule of Law including the Federal Constitution that never said Malaysia is a multiracial country. In fact, the constitution stresses upon the ‘Malay-ness’ of Malaysia.”

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Constitution’s provisions reflect importance of diversity: Rais Yatim

KUALA LUMPUR – There are several provisions in the federal constitution that in their implementation reflect diversity and the importance of the races in Malaysia, said former Dewan Negara president Tan Sri Rais Yatim.

He said that among them is Article 8 which states that all individuals are entitled to equal protection of the law and it is intended to promote racial diversity.

“Under Article 8, all of them regardless of whether they are Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazan, Murut, Orang Ulu, or Dayak are equal before the law,” he said when contacted today.

He also said Article 153 provides for the special rights of the Malays, the Orang Asli population of any state, the natives of Sabah and Sarawak, as well as the interests of other communities.

Therefore, he emphasised that it would not be right for any party to say that the constitution places no value on racial diversity as claimed by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

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Law expert hits back at Pejuang lawyer for defending Dr M’s constitutional claim

PETALING JAYA: Constitutional law expert Philip Koh has hit back at Pejuang’s Rafique Rashid Ali after he defended Dr Mahathir Mohamad over claims that promoting a multi-ethnic country is unconstitutional.

Koh, an adjunct professor at Universiti Malaya, agreed that the Reid Commission did ensure the constitution protected the special position of the Malays and the role of Islam as the official religion of the federation.

“Notwithstanding the recognition of the role of Malays, Islam and also the monarchy, the constitutional commission affirm a nation premised on multiracial equal citizenship,” he told FMT.

Rafique, a lawyer who is also Pejuang’s information chief, had claimed that the special position of the Malays was reflected in the Reid Commission’s papers, which he said amounted to an acknowledgement by the nation’s forefathers that Malaysia was not a multicultural country.

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“Tun M’s past is catching up to him”

JOURNALIST A. Karthirasen is right in saying that the past Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammed is the right person to contradict the present one.

Returning to Dr Mahathir’s past as prime minister for 22 years, his countless speeches are rich with the fact that non-Malaysians, Chinese, and Indians have not yet become Malaysians in accepting Malaysia’s political reality.

Thus, for 22 years, Dr Mahathir bemoaned the fact that some sections of the population are not fully Malaysians yet.

The separate cultural identity and the perpetuation of the vernacular school system were instances of the lack of integration between Chinese and Indians.

His argument then was that if the Malays were generous in accepting the non-Malays as citizens, then there was a parallel need to accept the Malayness of Malaysia.

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