The Malaysian Constitution, both in 1957 and the amended one in 1963 when Malaysia was formed, the Rukun Negara and Vision 2020 with its nine strategic challenges, provide for a multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural Malaysian Dream and not a mono-ethnic dream.
This is best illustrated by the fact that the Malaysian Constitution provides that a non- Malay can be a Prime Minister.
In the United States, it took 230 years for a Black American to become the President of the United States.
I hope that Malaysia will not take 230 years for a non-Malay to become a Prime Minister, but in the next 100 years, I do not expect this to happen.
I was accused of wanting to be a Prime Minister of Malaysia. This thought never entered my mind because under the present circumstances, it was not possible.
We must have a situation where the majority of Malaysians, whether Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans or Dayaks, dream the Malaysian Dream and not an mono-ethnic dream.
I met many Malaysians during my current visit to the United Kingdom and asked them what they think is the future of Malaysia – whether Malaysia can rise up again to become a great world-class nation or Malaysia is doomed to become a divided, failed and kleptocratic state.
There is one who hoped that Malaysia will follow the Indonesian model and become a republic.
I advised against it and suggested that Malaysian must create a world precedent with the monarchical system to be a role model of the world of inter-ethnic, inter-religious, inter-cultural and inter-civilisation dialogue, understanding, tolerance and harmony, as we are one of the nations in the world which eminently qualifies for such a role model.
I ventured the view that if there is a “republican” movement in Malaysia, it will be exploited by those who want preach and spread racial strife and polarisation by misusing the 2R issues of race and religion to divide Malaysians.
I do not agree with any movement to form mono-ethnic political parties in the country, for this is not way to unite Malaysians of diverse ethnicities, religions and cultures.
Only the Malaysian Dream can unite all Malaysians, regardless of ethnicity, language, religion, culture and civilisations.