New dilemma for Malays after dignity congress, say analysts

SM Amin SM Amin Updated 6 years ago · Published on 10 Oct 2019 7:39AM · 10 Comments

The Jalu Gemilang attached to chairs at the Malawati Indoor Stadium in Shah Alam, Selangor, before the Malay Dignity Congress started on October 6. Analysts say the congress has failed to bring any substantial changes and only focused on political rhetoric. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Seth Akmal, October 10, 2019.

THE Malay Dignity Congress has left the community facing a new dilemma, with the government failing to address the real issues and only playing up rhetoric, said political analysts and political leaders.

They said Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad failed to address the resolutions passed in the congress which were aimed at uplifting the Malays, but had instead lashed out at the community for being lazy and blaming them for their plight.

“There seem to be mixed messages coming out from the congress,” political analyst Mohd Azizuddin Mohd Sani told The Malaysian Insight.

“Those who were present at the event did not like Dr Mahathir’s speech as it did not address the real issues.”

At the same time, he admitted that the demands made in the congress were difficult to be implemented in a multi-racial country like Malaysia.

“These demands are difficult to fulfil, especially in a country like ours. Even the previous Barisan Nasional government was not prepared to fulfil these demands,” he said.

The real focus, said Azizuddin, should have been on uplifting the economic strengths of the Malay community.

“That should have been the focus, on strengthening the economy and for the Malays not to be too political in playing up racial and religious issues.

“However, what we saw were some radical and unrealistic resolutions which were not only good for the Malays but for all Malaysians generally.”

Institut Kajian Etnik Malaysia (Kita) director Shamsul Amri Baharudin said the congress had implied and had sent out clear messages for the community.

“The clear message was for the benefit of the Malays while the implied message was for Dr Mahathir’s political survival.

“That is why we saw the differences between the resolutions passed and Dr Mahathir’s speech,” he said.

He said Dr Mahathir was strategising to strengthen his party Bersatu’s position in Pakatan Harapan with the support of Malay groups such as civil societies, political parties and community development centres.

“His position and his party’s is very weak. All his actions are being criticised by those from DAP and he can’t afford such open attacks.

“The term ‘Malays’ has been used in organising this congress for specific reasons. The use of the four public universities as the organisers is also to give an impression that the Malay intellects are backing Dr Mahathir,” he said.

Selangor Opposition leader Rizam Ismail, meanwhile, said he wanted to see the government’s sincerity in delivering the demands made in the congress.

“Some of the resolutions are very important and the government will have to pay serious heed to them.

“This will be the yardstick of the government’s sincerity in bringing success to the Malays,” he said.

The congress on Sunday was organised by Universiti Malaya, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, Universiti Putra Malaysia and Universiti Teknologi Mara, which saw the participation of Malay leaders from across the political divide.

The aim of the congress was to find solutions to the problems facing the Malay community.

Among the resolutions passed were for all top government posts to be reserved to Muslims.

The congress also drew criticism over claims made that Malaysia belonged to the Malay, and the others were “orang asing”. – October 10, 2019.

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Comments

  • Quote - 'There seem to be mixed messages coming out from the congress'

    Mixed messages??

    Of course, that happens when there is no leadership in town but a bunch of self-serving politicians governing.

    Posted 6 years ago by Rock Hensem · Reply

  • What Mahathir said was for the betterment of the Malay race and the sooner they accept it the sooner they can turn their lives around.

    Posted 6 years ago by Elyse Gim · Reply

  • Draw a line to the unwise Malays, opportunities will be given to whoever deserve it but if not properly utilized , abused or failed to succeed, no more opportunity for that individuals. Opportunities will be given more deserving Malay individuals with higher standard of requirement. Put it straight forward, those who failed will not be given opportunities again at the same level. Then u will see those given opportunities will work hard and smart to succeed bcos that's the only chance he or she has. This method will not deprive others from having the similar opportunity and more Malays can be trained and offered opportunity for success.

    Posted 6 years ago by James Wong · Reply

  • Where on earth u see people spoon fed and succeeded. None. Nobody can be competitive if he does not need to work hard and smart for it. Previledges will kill competency of an individual bcos he us never on par with others. His best us still way below the average, how can he be competitive? U will have to continue to offer tongkat to him. There will be no Maruah Melayu forever.

    Posted 6 years ago by James Wong · Reply

  • This is the kind of leadership quality facing the Malay.

    Posted 6 years ago by Wei Kuan Tan · Reply

  • This is the kind of leadership quality facing the Malay.

    Posted 6 years ago by Wei Kuan Tan · Reply

  • This is the kind of leadership quality facing the Malay.

    Posted 6 years ago by Wei Kuan Tan · Reply

  • Since 1970 the Malay leadership have been harping about the NEP, restructuring the economy for equitable ownership by the Malays and introducing all manner of policies and spending programmes to uplift the economic position of the Malays. The government under Tun Razak and Mahathir had pushed hard for the successful implementation of affirmative programmes to benefit of the Malays. Despite all efforts made, the results have been disappointing. Instead of investigating the reasons for the failure to achieve set targets, the Malay leaders have organised mega events in which the blame was and is still placed on the non-Malays which suggests the politicians and Malay community have despite massive expenditure, learned nothing from previous failures. Instead the same record is played over and over again, blaming other races for being ungrateful and unpatriotic. All this is will never address and resolve the problems faced by the Malays because they have not been led in the right direction and their leaders seem more concerned to maintain political power rather than to solve the problems of the Malay community. If they cannot solve the dilemma of having the right leaders and implementing the right and effective policies how can the nation progress, move forward and achieve developed status? Mahathir and the rest of the herd are just flogging a dead horse.

    Posted 6 years ago by Panchen Low · Reply

  • The law of nature demands a balance in every aspect of development. There is no privileged group in this balance. Survival of a segment in the group also demands this balance. The oppressed Jews have become so strong that even USA, UK and Russia where they are the minorities, they are controlling the power. Apart from 'hot air' and 'chest thumping' what will these types of gathering achieve? Now 60 + years the Malay narrative is still the same but the divisions have increased. A good start will be to exclude the 'haves' among the Malays in any future such gatherings because they do not need this tongkat anymore.

    Posted 6 years ago by Citizen Pencen · Reply

  • This has nothing to do with the "Malays" ( a figment of imagination). There is no such person-but a way of life. So if you are Indian or Chinese and embrace Islam you can be a Malay. How did Mahathir ( an Indian Muslim) -MS Ally, Salem Brothers, Barkarth stores fame become a Malay ? It is all about Islam and Islamization. If Non-Malays left there will be differences with rich and poor bumiputra Malays ( as we had with the Najib era) and/.or Javanese fight Bugis in a civil war. Non-Malays are dynamic and made Malaysia great.
    Malaysia is special because of Chinese , Indians, Eurasians and our wonderful indigenous population ( Sabah, Sarawak and in peninsular Malaysia). I frown to think that one day Malaysia will become like Pakistan or Bangladesh.

    Posted 6 years ago by Magnolia Chan · Reply