Commentary by Mustafa K. Anuar

BARISAN Nasional (BN) chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi recently urged his coalition to make a paradigm shift, steering away from feeding the people the usual diet of race and religion.

Speaking at a mega ceramah to support the Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate, Mohamad Sofee Razak, for the Padang Serai parliamentary election, Zahid reportedly said BN must adjust to the changing political landscape where the race and religion narrative has become irrelevant.

The newly minted deputy prime minister argued for inclusivity as well as unity for the country’s diverse people – perhaps much to the surprise and concern of his coalition comrades.

This is because Umno in particular has always been a party that prides itself as one that is infused with the spirit of Malay nationalism and exclusivity. Its professed priority is to take care of the interests and welfare of the Malay community, and, thus, to be regarded as its protector.

Hence, embracing inclusivity may be read by some Umno members and the general public as diluting its Malay credentials that Umno is known for. This, in turn, would weaken its political standing vis-a-vis the Malay-centric Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition of PAS and Bersatu.

This is especially critical when the results of the recent general election showed that Umno (26 parliamentary seats) trailed behind the PN combo of PAS (49) and Bersatu (24) in terms of Malay support, particularly in the Malay heartland. Umno had a dismal electoral showing.

That is why it is hoped that the expressed intent to change Umno-BN’s political stance would not be only for the consumption of the attending voters in Padang Serai, given that inclusivity and unity is a key plank of the political platform of PH, its major partner in the “unity government”.

To be sure, such an ideological shift is desirable, especially in the wake of the bruising election that left the nation further divided along racial and religious lines.

Umno-BN should seize this opportunity to chart a new course, along with its partners in the government, in the supposed commitment to rebuild the nation.

In this regard, the BN coalition, particularly Umno, may have to communicate effectively to its grassroots about the proposed change in the party’s direction, so that some members may not have the fear that the Malay community would be neglected by the government.

If such a positive chemistry has emerged out of the “unity government” arrangement in the wake of a hung parliament, it should then be welcomed.  

The journey may not be smooth sailing, given the different backgrounds and preferences of the coalition partners, but serving the people as a guiding principle could very well put them on an even keel.

That is why it is important that from the word go, the government must be seen to be addressing challenges facing ordinary Malaysians; for instance, cost-of-living issues and the plight of padi farmers.

And very much in line with the spirit of inclusivity, the government must tackle problems of ordinary people, irrespective of their ethnic backgrounds.

As rightly indicated by Human Resources Minister V. Sivakumar, the responsibility of solving the problems faced by the Indian community need not rest on his shoulders alone, but on the entire cabinet.

The notion of inclusivity must go beyond celebrating diverse Malaysia by showcasing smiling faces of Malaysians who come from all corners of the federation only on Malaysia Day. To do otherwise is being cynical.

Similarly, Anwar and his team are expected to initiate institutional reforms so that stricter rules are laid down to combat financial mismanagement and political shenanigans.

It is hoped that such measures would ensure that the public’s money would be spent prudently for the benefit of the people in our society.

Spurning the narrative on race and religion, as Zahid did, in politics should be preferred. To do otherwise is clearly disturbing in the long run. – December 9, 2022.