Lack of assimilation among Malaysians driving race-based politics, says Dr Mahathir

Raevathi Supramaniam Raevathi Supramaniam Updated 2 years ago · Published on 6 Oct 2021 5:49PM · 8 Comments

Dr Mahathir Mohamad says that so long as Malaysians continue to identify with their country of origin, the politics and political parties in the country will continue to be race-based. – The Malaysian Insight pic, October 6, 2021.

RACE-based politics continue to thrive in Malaysia because the people insist on retaining the identity of their country of origin, Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today.

The former prime minister said unlike in other countries where the immigrants adopt the local languages and cultures upon receiving citizenship, this does not happen in Malaysia.

“The migrants from other countries, upon accepting citizenship, adopt the language, culture and loyalties of their adopted countries completely. They get fully assimilated after one or two generations,” he wrote in a blog post.

“But in Malaysia, the migrants, despite being citizens, insist not only on being recognised as of different origins from the indigenous people but are physically separated through their economic functions and their political affiliations.”

So long as Malaysians continue to identify with their country of origin, the politics and political parties in the country will continue to be race-based, he added.

Dr Mahathir, who is the chairman of Pejuang, said that this lack of assimilation is the reason why the party has to be Malay-based in order to fight for votes.

“It (Pejuang) expects to contest against Umno, a Malay party. And it expects to do this in the rural areas where the population is largely Malay.

“These people will not support a multiracial party. In the absence of any other Malay party, the rural people will vote for Umno.”

The Langkawi MP said it can only take on Umno on its race rhetoric as it does not have deep pockets.

“Umno is rich and rural Malays are poor. Money means a lot to them.

“Pejuang is the alternative. Pejuang has no money. It depends on race and its anti-corruption campaign,” Dr Mahathir added. – October 6, 2021.
 

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Comments

  • Its absolutely Astounding he doesnt see the irony in his statement. Who divided the nation into Bumi and non-Bumi? Who made racism a government policy? No wonder the ethnic groups dont interact.

    Posted 2 years ago by Malaysia New hope · Reply

  • Who identifies themselves as Malay first, and then only as Malaysian?
    The non-Malays identify themselves as Malaysians first.
    So who are the pendatang? And who are the Malaysians?

    The Orang Asli are the only real bumiputera in this equation.

    Posted 2 years ago by Arul Inthirarajah · Reply

  • Tun M is talking cock. He is the main cause for our current poor race-religion situation.

    Posted 2 years ago by Rupert Lum · Reply

  • Firstly, this is a nice example of minda terjajah. The whole homogeneous nation-state thing was a European import that we got together with colonisation.

    Secondly, even in one of the most culturally homogenous of countries (France), Breton, Basque and other regional language schools have been sprouting up and regionalism/minority cultures and identities are getting stronger. Less than a hundred years ago, Breton children were punished for speaking their native tongues in school. Not so long ago, many French people couldn't string a sentence together in English. Now, most young French people are learning English. Today, even France is recognising that strength can be found in diversity. Meanwhile, this dinosaur politician is still stuck in 1950 or so.

    Posted 2 years ago by Anak Kampung · Reply

  • He is playing God again. Trouble is that no one is afraid of this so called God.

    Posted 2 years ago by Richard Foo · Reply

  • Who started calling the non-Malay citizens of Malaya/Malaysia as "PENDATANG"? That is what gave birth to racists and bigots to break the pillars of racial unity!

    https://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/487785 -
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    FROM OUR READERS
    'Mahathir mudah lupa'

    Posted 2 years ago by Ravinder Singh · Reply

  • As slimy and venomous as ever !!

    Posted 2 years ago by Tony Chew · Reply

  • Race will always be a divisive factor in Malaysia because bloody politicians are mainly responsible for divisive race based rhetoric. Left alone Malaysians will always live in peace with each other

    Posted 2 years ago by Jeevaraj Nadarajah · Reply