Machang MP urges Anwar to limit PM post to Malay Muslims

A Perikatan Nasional lawmaker wants Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to amend the Federal Constitution to make the prime minister post exclusive to Malay Muslims.

Machang MP Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal said this could help restore Malay support for the government.

“My suggestion to Anwar is that this is the best time, with his purported two-thirds majority support, to amend the Federal Constitution so that only a Malay who is Muslim can become the prime minister of Malaysia.

“Maybe this way, it might somewhat help to restore Malay support for the government rather than wearing capal (traditional Malay sandals), kissing a keris, or bertiwikrama (going all out) on language!” he said in a statement today.

Wan Fayhsal said this in response to DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang's remarks that a non-Malay could become prime minister.

Under the Federal Constitution, the only requirement for someone to be prime minister, as per Article 43(2)(a), is that the premier be an MP, who, in the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s judgement, has majority support.

Meanwhile, Article 160 defines a Malay as a person who professes the religion of Islam, habitually speaks the Malay language, and conforms to Malay customs.

This definition does not cover Orang Asli or natives of Sabah and Sarawak.

Lim had made the remarks about the possibility of a non-Malay becoming prime minister during a meeting with Malaysian students in Manchester, UK, at the end of last month.

He later clarified that his remarks were a "statement of fact" and not a "statement of reality".

Wan Fayhsal said Lim's remarks appeared to have "killed" the spirit of the formation of the federation which emphasises on racial unity based on respect for the social contract, the will of the Malay rulers, and the "unwritten consensus", among others.

Hence, the Bersatu Youth chief said now was the right time to "kill" DAP's night terrors (igauan) - referring to the non-Malay premier remarks.

"This DAP leader has for decades sold a nightmare to Malays and pribumis who headed the independence struggle with blood and tears to fight colonisers for hundreds of years," he said.

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