Bersatu has to be Malay party to defeat Umno, says Dr Mahathir

Noel Achariam Noel Achariam Updated 7 years ago · Published on 8 Sep 2018 11:36PM · 8 Comments

Bersatu chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad waving at supporters as he arrives at the party's second anniversary celebration with his wife Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali at the Melawati Stadium in Shah Alam tonight. The prime minister said Bersatu had to be a Malay party to defeat Umno. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, September 8, 2018.

BERSATU needed to be a Malay-based party to defeat Umno in the 14th general election, said Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The Bersatu chairman said this was because Malay voters were  still unable to accept representation by a multiracial party. He said it was the belief that only Umno could protect them that had caused the Malays to fall behind in the last 60 years.

“Some may say that our party is racist and we should follow our friends in Pakatan Harapan to become a multiracial party, or be open to all races.

“Maybe one day, but the fact is that Malaysian voters are still used to race-based parties. They want to maintain their racial identity,” he said at Bersatu’s second anniversary celebration at Shah Alam’s Malawati Stadium, tonight.

Dr Mahathir said this was evident in the way election candidates were selected on the basis of the racial compilation of the constituencies.
 
“The candidate has to be of the same race as the people in the area. This we have seen all parties do.

“We haven’t reached the level where the race of a candidate does not matter.”

Dr Mahathir said this was because the politicians knew that Malays would feel uneasy about their safety and future if they were not represented by someone of the same race, and that other communities felt the same way too.
 
“That’s why we cannot place a Malay candidate in the city, or a Chinese or Indian candidate in the village.

 “Even if we are a multiracial party, we have to also take into account the race factor. Otherwise, we will lose.

 “Maybe one day race will not matter,” he said, but for now, “the fact is we are still blinded by race.” – September 8, 2018.

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Comments

  • AS MALAYSIA PROSPERS RACE WILL BE LESS OF AN ISSUE?..

    Posted 7 years ago by MELVILLE JAYATHISSA · Reply

    • The widespread proficiency in the English language (an e.g. is during Merdeka time in 1957) and gateway to more knowledge could also reduce the racial baggage TDM is talking about, in addition to English preparing Malaysians to survive the demands of Industrial Revolution (No.4). IR (No.4) will likely see us competing for fewer jobs available when jobs are taken over by robots and AI (Artificial Intelligence). Malaysia must also increase & maintain its agricultural food production with modern methods..

      Posted 7 years ago by MELVILLE JAYATHISSA · Reply

    • It is clear to me that Malays had failed to prosper that much, or fell behind, after politicians, like also happened in Sri Lanka, misguidedly replaced English with local languages, setting both countries back a lot..

      Posted 7 years ago by MELVILLE JAYATHISSA · Reply

    • The ketuanan was a curse instead of a gift.

      Posted 7 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • The politics of fear will carry on if TDM continues to treat Malay as a weaker group. It is time to treat the Malaysians as equal in order to create a society where mutual suspicions will dwindle away and prejudices will die off naturally.

    Posted 7 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

    • Absolutely!! It is always the racist mind of politicians that is a bane to a country success. By being communal it is still dwelling in the guisr of non readiness but actually it is powet hunger and grabbing for self serving.

      Posted 7 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply

  • Belum lagi? Sampai bila Tun? Another 50 years? It's time to promote Ketuanan Malaysia, Bangsa Malaysia.

    Posted 7 years ago by Ramli Sirap · Reply

  • TDM bulldoze the word MALAYSIAN. Ur ALLAH Will Surely Love U n Reward U bcoz who walk on the Truth Path are Loved by Creator

    Posted 7 years ago by Tharan Singh · Reply