Tag Archives: Lim Kit Siang

Kit Siang’s non-Malay PM hullabaloo

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What really is the reason for the contention over DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang’s statement to a gathering of Malaysian students in London last November that a non-Malay could become a prime minister of Malaysia?

Why did that statement that is correct and which is stated in the Federal Constitution raise such a cloud of protests from the Opposition which represents the majority in the country by virtue of being the majority race, namely the Malays?

Article 43(2)(a) states: The Yang di-Pertuan Agong shall first appoint as Perdana Menteri
(Prime Minister) to preside over the Cabinet a member of the House of Representatives who in his judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the members of that House.

This law does not state the race of the PM, so Yang Berhormat (YB) Lim was correct in saying that a non-Malay could become a PM; he wasn’t being seditious. So, why did it trigger such adverse reactions that a member of the public lodged a police report prompting the police to call him up for questioning?

Perhaps, it was because of an oversight on his part that he did not clarify the second part of the law which states the condition on which a non-Malay can become a PM. A non-Malay can become a PM if he commands the confidence of the majority of the Members of Parliament in the Dewan Rakyat. The majority of MPs represent the Malay majority and if a non-Malay can command their support, he/she can become PM.

The current reality, however, is that it is an unlikelihood that the majority of MPs representing the Malays would give their support to a non-Malay PM. That might happen in the future but now, unlikely.

The point to note is that an MP becoming a PM is conditional to him/her winning the support of the majority of MPs the majority of whom represent the Malay majority. In other words, no one — Malay or non-Malay can ever become a PM in Malaysia without Malay support. It must also be noted here that the majority support must come from the “members of the House” — the MPs — not political parties.

YP Lim did explain that the possibility of a non-Malay PM isn’t a current reality. Yet, it didn’t pacify his critics, mainly because he had written in his blog that “The Malaysian constitution provides for a Malaysian Dream and not a mono-ethnic dream as it provides that a non-Malay can (also) be a prime minister”.

The obvious question is: How can the Malaysian Dream NOT be a mono-ethnic dream when the majority of the MPs represent a mono-ethnic community?

Perhaps, YB Lim, looking through his ethnic lens, overlooked this reality and failed to communicate that in the Malaysian Dream the mono-ethnic dream is central or integral and will not be swamped by other dreams. This is the fear that his statement triggered and which resulted in such a chorus of negative reactions to his definition of the Malaysian Dream which excludes the mono-ethnic reality.

If he had conceded that in the Malaysian Dream other dreams would co-exist and thrive with the mono-ethnic dream, it would have made his stand less threatening. It would have shown his commitment to a Malaysian multi-culturalism that builds on the mono-ethnic dream and is inclusive of other dreams but does not attempt to overtake or set aside the mono-ethnic dream.

To a people who are still smarting from being forced out of a government — although they are the majority — through unconstitutional moves supported by the DAP, describing a Malaysian Dream which dismisses the mono-ethnic dream, comes across as a biased interpretation of the constitution to favour multi-ethnic dreams at the exclusion of the mono-ethnic dream.

In the context of the most recent experience of forming the unity government where an MP with minority support was appointed as PM — fully supported by the DAP — YB Lim’s statement conjures the possibility that a minority-supported MP could in the same way become PM by sidelining the majority representation of the Malays.

To a veteran politician such as YB Lim and doyen of Opposition MPs, it should come as no surprise that his statement of a non-Malay PM stirred up such stinging criticisms. No doubt, his statement shows his desire for a more inclusive Malaysia — and that is commendable! — but it also reveals an unconscious and unintentional, perhaps, lack of sensitivity to the Malays and their aspirations.

How then can the DAP, in the spirit of its Malaysian dream, claim it also represents the majority race which, in recent events, it failed to include? If it excluded majority representation when it was convenient for it to join the unity government, what guarantee is there that it would not also exclude other minority representations when it suits them?

PN’s deafening silence

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Last Friday, retiring Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador exposed his boss, Home Minister Hamzah Zainuddin, as a meddling leader who allegedly attempted to interfere with the management of the police force and to use it for political advantage.

It raised a hue and cry but Hamzah did not respond to the criticisms and brick bats hurled at him. Nor did his boss, Muhyiddin Yassin, who sits in the prime minister’s seat and who, ultimately, is responsible for the performance of his bloated 70-member Cabinet. Why this silence?

Why maintain this heavily guilt-ridden silence for failing to be accountable to the people? Is this supposed to be the style of the PN leadership? Or, simply the indefensible defensive action of weak and insecure people who have been found out but refuse to accept responsibility for their action or inaction?

Hamid’s expose of Hamzah is a serious allegation and should be addressed by Muhyiddin yet nothing is being done to deal with Hamzah. Not only should Hamzah be disciplined but the PN coalition should resign on account of it because it amounts to failure to lead.

Muhyiddin’s so called “leadership” has led to a minister being accused by no less than the top cop himself and it must be acted upon not glossed over with silence. His leadership has led to one rule for ministers and another for the rest, a minister caught sleeping on the job, others who are invisible and, most importantly, the questionable management of the covid-19 pandemic in Malaysia with daily cases rising over 3,000, bringing the cumulative total to 427,927. The daily single-digit death tally went up to 23 on May 6.

Yet, no response from PN head, Muhyiddin. He is not alone in his seeming paralysis. India’s sick are dying without hospital beds and access to oxygen. The death toll there has averaged over 3,600 per day in the last seven days. In the face of such unbearable tragedy Prime Minister Narendra Modi has maintained an inelegant silence.

Citizens are dying but poor and weak leaders keep silent. Good leaders will face the people, accept criticisms and suggestions and improve. If their leadership does not benefit the people, they resign. DAP supremo, Lim Kit Siang, in exasperation, ended his article on the dangerous state of our pandemic (Makaysiakini, May 6) by pointedly saying “Malaysia is suffering at having the worst prime minister and the worst government in its 63-year history!”

Yet, not a word from Muhyiddin. He can’t or won’t handle Hamzah; he can’t or won’t reconvene Parliament. If he does, there’s still hope that a bipartisan effort will help arrest the rapid spread of the pandemic and decline of the economy. He can’t operate without the people’s money and resorts to selling assets; he won’t face the people with the truth. But, he wants to remain in power and refuses the help Parliament can offer. Thick-skinned and conscienceless.

Sworn in by the Agong, he needs to ask himself if he and his Cabinet are making the Agong look good? If the Cabinet has failed the trust of the Agong, it must resign. Whether there is an alternative coalition to take over the government or not is not Muhyiddin’s concern. He must step down and let those who can, take over the government because any government (without PAS and Umno) will be better than this!

The country isn’t looking good and Muhyiddin’s silence, like Modi’s, speaks eloquently of a dismally failing government. It’s an inelegant but deafening silence of its abilities or lack of them.

Better to step down than run the country into the ground!