Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has come under more criticism from the opposition over his claims that Malays have been reduced to beggars due to their weakened political dominance, and have to rely on support from other races to remain in power.
DAP national vice chairman Teresa Kok said the former prime minister’s tactic of using the purported loss of Malay dominance to rally Malays into supporting Umno is a bogey that will not work.
She said Dr Mahathir knows well that Malays have not become beggars in Malaysia and will remain politically dominant.
She said he had used the same "doomsday scare tactic" during last year's general election against the party’s parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang, who contested against former Johor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Othman in the Gelang Patah parliamentary seat.
Dr Mahathir had warned then that there would be racial clashes should Lim win the seat and it would replace the existing cooperation between the Malay majority and Chinese community, she said.
"But his doomsday prediction and scare tactic did not work and Kit Siang won the seat with support from all races.
"Malays have changed and the political landscape in the country has changed, yet (Dr) Mahathir has not changed... Malays have not and will not become beggars in this nation," Kok, who is also Seputeh MP, said in a statement today.
Dr Mahathir had said yesterday that the Malays’ grip on politics was weak due to disunity, prompting them to beg other races for support to remain in power.
“Now Umno, PKR, and PAS have to beg for support from DAP to win the general election. When we become beggars, we no longer have power,” he said.
Kok said Dr Mahathir has forgotten what the late Tun Dr Lim Keng Yaik, who was Gerakan adviser, had said about "political beggars" when he was a member of the Cabinet.
She reminded Dr Mahathir that in May 2008, Keng Yaik had told Chinese newspaper Sin Chew Daily that the non-Malay Barisan Nasional component parties MCA, MIC and Gerakan were like beggars because the coalition "did not treat its component parties equitably".
Although Gerakan was a multiracial party, it too suffered a major setback in the 2008 general election mainly because its candidates were fielded in constituencies that were not predominantly Malay, Keng Yaik had said.
"Why were the non-Malays angry with BN? (It's) Because of the arrogance of Umno, the dominant party in BN. Many people also felt uneasy with the racist remarks made by Umno leaders. These had also caused all BN component parties to suffer in the polls,” Keng Yaik was quoted as saying in the interview.
Kok said Umno has demonstrated that it has not changed when its delegates made fear and hate speeches at its party general assembly last month.
With Umno not changing, she said its comrades in BN would continue to be the beggars.
"How does Umno expect MCA, Gerakan and MIC to deliver in the general election if these parties are treated like beggars?" she added.
Earlier today, Kit Siang had challenged Dr Mahathir to a public debate following his claims. The DAP veteran leader took a dig at Dr Mahathir, saying he had made the remark because it represented the last gasp of Mahathirism to prevent politics of inclusion replacing the politics of exclusion in the country.
Meanwhile, Parti Keadilan Rakyat vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar said PKR had never played the race card to gain Malay support, hence the issue of depending on its ally DAP for votes of "other races" in elections did not arise.
“From the beginning we have worked on winning the elections for the betterment of all Malaysians.
“It is clearly highlighted that Pakatan Rakyat wants to regain Malay confidence to a narrative of a multiracial Malaysia that will uplift their economic condition," she said today.
"For PR it has never been about race. Tthe race card is being used time and time again to create a deep sense of insecurity among the Malays.
“He (Dr Mahathir) is the last person who has any right to bring up this issue and I feel very sorry for anyone who wants to follow or be influenced by his manipulative narrative.
“He is bringing a lot of bitterness and angst to a volatile situation," she said.Meanwhile, Parti Keadilan Rakyat vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar said PKR had never played the race card to gain Malay support, hence the issue of depending on its ally DAP for votes of "other races" in elections did not arise.
“From the beginning we have worked on winning the elections for the betterment of all Malaysians.
“It is clearly highlighted that Pakatan Rakyat wants to regain Malay confidence to a narrative of a multiracial Malaysia that will uplift their economic condition," she said today.
"For PR it has never been about race. Tthe race card is being used time and time again to create a deep sense of insecurity among the Malays.
“He (Dr Mahathir) is the last person who has any right to bring up this issue and I feel very sorry for anyone who wants to follow or be influenced by his manipulative narrative.
“He is bringing a lot of bitterness and angst to a volatile situation," she said. – TMI
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