Umno losing Malay support, says PAS MP
S PathmawathyPublished: Feb 28, 2012 12:03 PM | Updated: Feb 28, 2012 2:35 PM
The reality is Umno is losing Malay support, said PAS research head Dzulkefly Ahmad, stressing that it is “undeniable” the community has been split for years.
The reality is Umno is losing Malay support, said PAS research head Dzulkefly Ahmad, stressing that it is “undeniable” the community has been split for years.
“But the real question that should be asked is why is the Malay support leaving Umno,” he said at a forum titled ‘Why are Malay votes split?’.
“Before, it was just between just Umno and PAS... first in 1969 and then again in 2008... today Malays are in PAS, PKR and DAP,” said the Kuala Selangor MP.
However, the split should not be regarded as a “curse” and “is necessary to save the Malay race”, Dzulkefly (right) said at the Shah Alam forum, organised by Kumpulan KarangKraf.
He recounted that PAS, which was allied with Umno from 1974 to 1978, severed ties after falling out, with the latter claiming that Umno’s governance of the country has led to various issues affecting Muslims.
Dzulkefly added that it was for the benefit of Malays because PAS has since made progress, together with its coalition partners in Pakatan Rakyat, in ensuring that there are checks and balances in the country’s administration.
“We would have to distribute sex videos (allegedly) of Anwar Ibrahim (if) we were still with Umno,” he said.
The Malay community which accounts for 60.3 percent of the population, will have a harder time deciding on who vote for if Malay-rights groups such as Jalur Tiga (Jati) and Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa (Perkasa) decide to field independent candidates, he added.
‘Lack of a common vision’
Perkasa information chief Ruslan Kasim, however, said the existence of various politic parties is not the reason the community is divided but the lack of a common vision.
“If we were to look back at history, Malays as well as the Chinese and the Indians, were united in opposing the formation of the Malayan Union and in the defeating the British colonisers.
“Today we need to identify a common vision,” suggested Ruslan (right), stressing that Malays have to come together when it concerns faith.
Johor PKR chief Dr Chua Jui Meng, who was also among the panellists, also concurred with Dzulkefly that the rift is evident. However, he opined that race-based politics are becoming “irrelevant”.
Chua (left) said that instead of targetting votes from a certain community, political parties should be gunning on issues of rampant corruption and abuse of public funds.
Targetting Perkasa, he said, the NGO should be more vocal on issues like he National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) controversy, capital flight and submarine commissions.
Ruslan, however, said that such matter are under investigation, particularly NFC, which is being probed by the police and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.
However, Pandan MCA parliamentarian Ong Tee Keat said that the split is apparent among all communities irrespective of race
“Let’s not hold on to the zero-sum game mindset. It does not mean that if one race is divided, another race will benefit,” he reminded, adding that racial polemics has to avoided to pave the way forward.
Related stories
'PAS can give a non-Muslim senior party post'
PAS' Phahrolrazi: I have problems with Kedah MB
Azizan defies PAS leadership, appoints 8 exco members
“But the real question that should be asked is why is the Malay support leaving Umno,” he said at a forum titled ‘Why are Malay votes split?’.
“Before, it was just between just Umno and PAS... first in 1969 and then again in 2008... today Malays are in PAS, PKR and DAP,” said the Kuala Selangor MP.
However, the split should not be regarded as a “curse” and “is necessary to save the Malay race”, Dzulkefly (right) said at the Shah Alam forum, organised by Kumpulan KarangKraf. He recounted that PAS, which was allied with Umno from 1974 to 1978, severed ties after falling out, with the latter claiming that Umno’s governance of the country has led to various issues affecting Muslims.
Dzulkefly added that it was for the benefit of Malays because PAS has since made progress, together with its coalition partners in Pakatan Rakyat, in ensuring that there are checks and balances in the country’s administration.
“We would have to distribute sex videos (allegedly) of Anwar Ibrahim (if) we were still with Umno,” he said.
The Malay community which accounts for 60.3 percent of the population, will have a harder time deciding on who vote for if Malay-rights groups such as Jalur Tiga (Jati) and Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa (Perkasa) decide to field independent candidates, he added.
‘Lack of a common vision’
Perkasa information chief Ruslan Kasim, however, said the existence of various politic parties is not the reason the community is divided but the lack of a common vision.
“If we were to look back at history, Malays as well as the Chinese and the Indians, were united in opposing the formation of the Malayan Union and in the defeating the British colonisers.“Today we need to identify a common vision,” suggested Ruslan (right), stressing that Malays have to come together when it concerns faith.
Johor PKR chief Dr Chua Jui Meng, who was also among the panellists, also concurred with Dzulkefly that the rift is evident. However, he opined that race-based politics are becoming “irrelevant”.
Chua (left) said that instead of targetting votes from a certain community, political parties should be gunning on issues of rampant corruption and abuse of public funds.Targetting Perkasa, he said, the NGO should be more vocal on issues like he National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) controversy, capital flight and submarine commissions.
Ruslan, however, said that such matter are under investigation, particularly NFC, which is being probed by the police and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.
However, Pandan MCA parliamentarian Ong Tee Keat said that the split is apparent among all communities irrespective of race
“Let’s not hold on to the zero-sum game mindset. It does not mean that if one race is divided, another race will benefit,” he reminded, adding that racial polemics has to avoided to pave the way forward.
Related stories
'PAS can give a non-Muslim senior party post'
PAS' Phahrolrazi: I have problems with Kedah MB
Azizan defies PAS leadership, appoints 8 exco members
View Comments0