I hope the six state polls on August 12 will usher in a new political order with political stability and national unity of Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or region, to ensure that Malaysia can rise again to become a great world-class nation.
In the 35 years from 1965 to 2000, I was accused of being anti-Chinese, anti-Chinese educated, anti-English educated, anti-Indian, anti-Hinduism, anti-Buddhism, anti-Christianity, a CIA agent, a MI6 agent, a KGB agent, a Australia Secret Service agent – which were all lies and falsehoods.
But in the 21st century, after Ahmad Nor became the first Malay Member of Parliament, I was accused of being anti-Malay, anti-Islam, anti-Royalty, cause of May 13, 1969 riots in Kuala Lumpur and a communist because Malay political parties find the DAP a threat to their Malay political base with more and more Malays becoming open-minded and support the DAP objective of a Malaysia which transcends race and religion to build a Malaysia for all Malaysians.
Today, after the 15th General Election on Nov. 19, 2022, we have three Malay Members of Parliament – Syahredzan bin Johan (Bangi), Young Syefura Othman (Bentong), and Syerleena Abdul Rashid (Bukit Bendera).
The demonisation of DAP as anti-Malay, anti-Islam and anti-Royalty will continue so long as there are Malay parties who fear that the Malay support will be undermined, and that more and more Malays are open-minded and support the DAP to regard themselves as Malaysian first while maintaining their Malay ethnic and Islamic religious identities.
The Perikatan Nasional (PN) of PAS and Bersatu are pushing the race and religious rhetorics as if Malaysia is facing a racial or religious confrontation.
No race or religion in Malaysia is facing a threat of extinction. There are 70,000 mosques in Malaysia. Does any believe that Islam in Malaysia can be wiped out?
We must not pander to irresponsible PAS and Bersatu rhetorics as if Malaysia is to erupt as a racial or religious volcano which is the opposite of what the Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional want – the continuance of inter-ethnic, inter-religious, inter-cultural and inter-civllisation understanding and co-operation so that Malaysia can rise again and be a great world-class nation.
If the six state polls of August 12 result in a strong PH-BN presence in the Selangor, Penang and Negri Sembilan and a better showing in Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah (as we want Kelantan, Terengganu and Kelantan to learn from Selangor, Penang and Negri Sembilan to be developed states instead of Selangor, Penang and Negri Sembilan become as poor and undeveloped as Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah), with a strong government in Selangor, Penang and Negri Sembilan, then it will be the last gasp of extremist and intolerant racialist and religious rhetorics in Malaysian politics.
This is the new political order in Malaysia that I am looking forward to after August 12.
Then Malaysians can focus on how Malaysia can rise and become a great world-class nation.