In new Malaysia, Malays still worry over race and religion

Looi Sue-Chern Looi Sue-Chern Updated 5 years ago · Published on 14 Aug 2018 7:00AM · 7 Comments

Voters queuing up in the early morning to cast their ballots during the 14th general election in Alor Star on May 9. Many Malay voters do not think the Pakatan Harapan government will protect Islam and Malay rights. – AFP pic, August 14, 2018.

THE Pakatan Harapan government wants to end race and religious politics but a survey of Malay voters shows that they are still swayed by communal sentiments.  

The survey by Ilham Centre among Malays in June, a month after the new government came into power, found that they can be provoked by racial and religious issues played up by Umno and conservative Islamists in PAS. 

The four top issues are the appointments of non-Malays Tommy Thomas and Richard Malanjum as attorney-general and chief justice respectively; recognition of the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) and the Chinese-majority DAP’s domination in the government. 

Out of 1,622 Malay voters, 61% and 68% disagreed with Malanjum’s and Thomas’ appointments, the survey commissioned by The Malaysian Insight showed.

Meanwhile, 69% disagreed with UEC recognition, while 55% believed that DAP pulls the strings in the government.

These were four out of six issues voters were asked about in the survey. The two remaining issues are that PAS was better than PH in looking after the welfare of Malay-Muslims and that PH could not look after the rights and position of Malays and Islam.

In the absence of Barisan Nasional, 40% believed PAS was better at taking care of Malay-Muslims compared with PH. 

About 43% do not believe that Islam and Malay rights would be more protected under the PH government.

These issues were played up by Umno and PAS in recent months, particularly in the recently concluded Sg Kandis by-election.

Ilham Centre acting executive director Mohd Azlan Zainal said top positions like the chief justice and the A-G were linked to Malay rights.

“That is what Malays think. Main positions should be held by Malays. Whether the position has anything to do with the race or Islam is beside the point. 

“These positions just have to be held by Malays. If they are not in Malay hands, then they just think Malay rights would not be protected.”

Younger Malays, however, are less susceptible to race and religious issues and more objective, rationale and pragmatic, he said. 

“Youths are more alert and concerned about the PH manifesto and election pledges. But for middle-aged individuals and seniors, racial and religious sentiments are still important. 

“It is hard to rid of such thinking. You cannot fight something that has been drummed in for 60 years in 100 days,” Azlan said.

When asked which parties in PH and the opposition could be trusted the most to protest Islam and Malay rights, 34% chose Umno and 29% picked PAS.

Only 15% chose PKR, Bersatu (4%) and Amanah (2%) while 12% said none of the parties qualified.

“Malanjum and Thomas’ appointments had already made Malay voters think PH cannot look after Malays and Islam.

“If the government could not keep the positions in Malay hands, how could it defend Malay rights and Islam? That’s the thinking.

“Positions are important to Malays, who often only see what is in front of them.”

 The study involved 1,622 respondents aged above 21. About 16% were between 21 and 29, 30-39 (19%), 40-49 (28%), 50-59 (21%), while only 14% were above 60.Men made up 51% of respondents. 

 More than half of the respondents were in the northern states, Selangor and the Federal Territories. A majority live in cities (66%), while the rest are from the suburbs (19%) and rural areas (15%).

Most of the 1,622 respondents are farmers, fishermen or worked in the kampung (21%), businessmen (21%) and government employees (16%). More than half the respondents are in the B40 group (52%) M40 (31%) and T20 (17%). 

The study was conducted via questionnaires and in-depth interviews from June 1 until July 30.

PH made history on May 9 when it ousted Barisan Nasional from Putrajaya by winning 116 federal seats. It also has the support of Sabah’s Warisan, which has eight seats, and Upko that has one federal seat.

BN won 79 seats but the number dropped to 54 after it lost its component partners from Sarawak and several Umno MPs, who have turned independent. – August 14, 2018.

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Comments

  • Do you think our colonial British rulers would have given us independence in 1957 only to the Malays, ignoring others? Malays must be strong in religion & overcome through prayer any insecurities they may have to live in this modern world..

    Posted 5 years ago by MELVILLE JAYATHISSA · Reply

  • They fear everything, and make worse by their feudalistic mindset. No wonder the race are caught in a time warped, preferred to walk with crutches (even without any physical disability) and cant move forward.

    Posted 5 years ago by Rupert Lum · Reply

  • PH parties especially the malay based ones must educate the malays on the backward notion that has been ingrained in them, namely race, religion as primary consideration.
    We must consider ourselves as Malaysians first otherwise it would only serve the interest of the politically connected and the leaders.

    Posted 5 years ago by Gabriel Chelliah · Reply

  • The solution lies about a decade or so away. As the older generation passes on, the tone of politics will change. This is just a game of demographics.

    Posted 5 years ago by K Pop · Reply

  • How the country can progress with this set of mentality. Instead of practicing meritocracy to let the best person to lead they look at race and religion. It doesn't matter to them if the person is much more qualified as compared to one who is less qualified from the community.

    Posted 5 years ago by Chee yee ng · Reply

  • Malaysia as a whole will be saddled with this concerns of the Malays insecurity who are always falling back on the race and religion as a shield where it is but a weighty concerns affecting all to uplift themelves to face the emerging new era. The Malays in the catergory of 35 years of age and above are too deeply entrenched in the feudalistic bondage perpetuated from the old 61 years regime. Might help with the passing over of such group by natures act and sadly it is a slow process but in conjunction the new regime should at this juncture start tuning and inculcate the independent mind set of the very younger generations to dispel the old politically created fears and harness in a new set of capabilities and abilities to restore their confidence. Again it depends on the ruling party on the needs to do so as it is detrimental to sustain their holding on to power.

    Posted 5 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply

  • 61 years of UMNO indoctrination on Malay supremacy has left them feeling insecure. Feels a bit like holding on to an expired lottery ticket. While Allah helps those who help themselves, fortune always favours the the better prepared. The world can be a very unforgiving place. It is therefore time for Malays to stake their claim to genuine supremacy through good old fashioned determination and hardwork. May Allah bless Malaysia!

    Posted 5 years ago by Roger 5201 · Reply