NON-MALAYS in the country will not lose their rights and opportunities should Pejuang become the government, its chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad said.

In a statement, the two-time prime minister pledged the party will uphold democratic principles and the rule of law while rejecting all kinds of abuses of power and corruption. 

“This is our pledge. Supporting Pejuang is supporting Malaysia and Malaysians. While the Malays can hope to catch up, the others will not lose their places and opportunities. 

“Pejuang will practise good governance with the objective of making Malaysia a developed country by 2030 or earlier,” the Langkawi lawmaker said in a post on his blog. 

However, the nonagenarian admitted Pejuang is a Malay-based political party but said it will adhere to liberal policies and privileges that Malaysia accords the non-Malays. 

“While Pejuang will strive to propel Malays to approximately the same economic level as the non-Malays, particularly the Chinese, it will adhere to all the liberal policies,” he said. 

Dr Mahathir’s statement today comes on the back of several instances where the rights of non-Malays have come under attack from the Muslim majority in the country.

The latest incident occurred yesterday after the PAS-led Kedah government decided to ban all four-digit gaming outlets in the state, hence creating backlash from non-Muslim communities. 

Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor announced in a press conference at the Kedah assembly that the state government will not renew the business licences of all 4D outlets in the state. 

He also said alcohol sales will be restricted in rural areas of the state “to ensure that our people remain sane”.

Reacting to the decision, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng asked Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob as well as MCA, Gabungan Parti Sarawak and MIC ministers to explain whether banning 4D gambling shops and alcohol sales to non-Muslims is the new policy under Keluarga Malaysia. 

Lim speculated that the hasty decision could have been made to help PAS candidates contesting in the Malacca elections. 

The Bagan MP added PAS should have consulted MCA, MIC and the Chinese community to appreciate the financial losses that could result from the sudden and hasty decision made. 

“Or does both MCA and MIC support such a sudden and hasty policy decision by Kedah? Again the non-Muslims will feel that they are unfairly victimised by this latest decision that interferes with their business practices and lifestyle, which have been undisturbed all this while,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Earlier, PAS piled on the pressure on the manufacturer of the award-winning Timah whiskey, which led a charge demanding the name be changed. 

It led the charge after certain quarters had taken offence at the beverage’s name, believing it to be a shortened version of the Arabic name Fatimah, while some claimed that the image of a bearded man wearing headgear on the label is that of a man wearing the Muslim kopiah.

However, on Saturday, Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong announced that Timah could keep its name. 

The cabinet discussed the matter, with ministers agreeing that the name, which has been controversial for some Muslims, need not be changed, Wee said in a statement on Facebook. 

“In a recent meeting, cabinet members also discussed the latest developments regarding the incident. 

“I am grateful that in the spirit of the Keluarga Malaysia, the incident has been successfully resolved,” he said. – November 15, 2021.