While most Malaysians agree that racial inclinations do not or should not have a place in modern politics, especially in a multiracial country like Malaysia, the newly set-up Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia has raised some talking points.

However, without the benefit of the new party’s official manifesto or what their struggles are for, I am nevertheless hopeful that the new party will fight for the rights of every Malaysian despite of its membership criteria.

From the little that I can gather, I believe that making Malaysia great is one of their agenda items. To achieve this, I would humbly say that firstly, every Malaysian has to be on an equal footing and no one segment of society should be allowed to remain in the poverty bracket.

Sadly, a substantial portion of the Malays who make up some 60 percent of the population, are in the poverty bracket. Clearly whatever policy that has been in implementation for the benefit and welfare of the Malays over the past 40 years or so has not been working.

Until and unless the majority of people are brought out of that poverty category, this country will never be great simply because it is the people that make a country.

If the new Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia intends to make Malaysia great, they have the task of bringing up the Malays and at the same time looking out for the rights of other races.

If we are serious in changing the course of our beloved country, irrespective of what race we belong to, we must acknowledge the fact that Malays need help. That is why, I believe, that the membership criteria of the new party is what it is.

Demographics do play a part. The political reality of this country is such.

There is nothing wrong with one race of people getting together to strive for the rights of another race. If a group of Indians or Chinese get together to form an entity to fight for the rights of the poor Malays, does that make them racist because they are all Indians or Chinese? Of course not. So the composition of the party is not what is important, it is what they fight for.

Similarly, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia despite of their membership criteria, I believe, will fight for the rights of all races, with a view of eventually doing away with any talk of this race or that race. Once we can reach the point where everyone can be on an equal footing, I believe that eventually the membership criteria would be done away with and would be open for all.

The current ruling party seem to thrive on racial segregation, that is to say one party for a particular race, and they don’t seem to want to change that approach at all. That cannot be beneficial for Malaysia, however one tries to justify it.

Ultimately, as Malaysians, we must also view things no more from a racial point of view. As stated earlier, one race can stand up for the rights of another race until such time where all Malaysians can stand side by side on an equal footing without referring to ourselves as Malays or Chinese or Indians, but as Malaysians.

PUTHAN PERUMAL is an advocate and solicitor of the High Court of Malaya.