Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s remark that Malay political parties had to beg the Chinese for support shows how detached Umno is from Malaysia’s reality, a PKR leader said today.

 

PKR secretary general Rafizi Ramli said Mahathir had proven how everything was viewed from a shallow manner; and that is from the race perspective and how everything had to be bargained for.

 

Rafizi however said the race narrative was fast becoming irrelevant, especially to the younger generation.

 

“Yet, this dinosaur from Umno is still looking from the 1960s perspective,” Rafizi told Malaysiakini today.

 

The Pandan MP said that although everyone had said it was “stupid” to preach multiracial politics 15 years ago when PKR was established, things had changed in today’s day and age.

 

“The race identity is becoming less and less relevant. Good luck to Umno if they want to stick to that script.

 

“Maybe that explains why they are out of touch with the country’s future, which is the intertwining destiny of all races,” said the PKR vice president.

 

DAP begs to differ

 

Mahathir today said that political parties such as Umno, PKR, and PAS have had to become beggars in asking the Chinese for political support.

And because the Malay political parties had had to beg, they no longer have political power, said the country’s longest serving prime minister.

 

DAP acting chairperson Tan Kok Wai however said he was puzzled with Mahathir’s statement.

 

“Why did he say that when Umno is still the ruling party?” he asked.

 

On Malay political parties having had to “beg” the Chinese, Tan said it was sad that such a statement had come from a former prime minister.

 

He then pointed out how it was not always so that the Chinese did not support the Barisan Nasional government.

 

Tan pointed out that during Mahathir’s tenure, the BN had enjoyed the support of the Chinese in the 1982, 1995 and 1999 elections.

 

“This shows how the Chinese had been supporting the BN for many elections.

“But because of BN’s policy of discrimination, support for the government had waned,” he said.

 

Tan said hat a strong government was one that commanded the support of all races.

 

“To deserve the support of all races and for the country to be united and strong, the government has to be fair to all races.

 

“Mahathir should learn the lesson from the victories achieved and failure of the present government on why BN is losing ground among the Chinese and Indians,” he added.