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What leaders are saying after Malay Dignity Congress
Published:  Oct 6, 2019 5:44 PM
Updated: 3:28 PM

Updated at 6.20pm with comments from Darell Leiking


The Malay Dignity Congress in Shah Alam came to an end today and leaders from both sides of the political divide, as well as community leaders, are weighing in on the event.

Malaysiakini has compiled what they're saying.

Umno information chief Shamsul Anuar Nasarah

Today Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the Pakatan Harapan government does not have strong Malay elements. Whose fault is that?

Was it not Mahathir who brought down Umno-BN's power which had a strong Malay element because of his desire for vengeance? And then he gave victory to DAP which hates the Malays?

Mahathir should cease blaming the Malays for being "lazy" and "not wanting to fight for opportunities". The weaknesses among some Malays are due to Mahathir's weakness in his first 22 years as prime minister.

This Malay Dignity Congress is just a congress. Nothing will change if Mahathir continues to do things that don't benefit the Malays and the bumiputera.

Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy

I am not sure whether Zainal Kling is aware of the pitfalls of ethnic nationalism as history is replete with examples of how the relentless drive towards ethnic nationalism or jingoism might end up in fascism. 

Maybe on a lighter note, there could be a feeling on the part of Zainal that he wants to be popular and the only way to do this is get himself involved in the Malay congress, so that he could take an extreme line.

But why for your own selfishness, there is a need to pit Malays against non-Malays.

Perlis mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin

Even though I think Mahathir's speech lacked "flavour" but there was content asking all Malays to unite and set aside political party differences.

The dream of many just now was that Mahathir's message needs to be more clear.

Whatever it is, the congress has succeeded in uniting Malays from all backgrounds and set aside differences. 

International Trade and Industry Minister Darell Leiking

While I had not read nor heard the full text of Zainal's speech, I am disgusted to have read what was reported by the online news portal.

I opine that such manner of the "social contract through inheritance" as to how Zainal described it to be is deemed no longer existent in that context when Sabah, Sarawak, Singapore and the Federated States of Malaya jointly formed the Federation of Malaysia, but is in fact now stated in its new form as in the Federal Constitution.

Hence the question of inheritance does not arise anymore because, through the Malaysian Agreement, Malaysia is not the land of Malays but the land of Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans, Dusuns, Muruts, Bajaus, Ibans and Dayaks.

So I hope Zainal will understand it clearly that Sabah and Sarawak did not "join" but "formed together as separate entities" the Federation of Malaysia and he should make a detailed research on Malaysia Agreement 1963 before using the social contract in Malaysia as his basis of an argument.

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