The recent hot debate of whether a non-Malay can become the country’s Prime Minister, many feathers were ruffled prompting opposition Member of Parliament calling for the Constitution be amended making on a Malay to be holding the leadership position.
Recently even Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had to step and quell the debate when he said only a Malay will be the country’s Chief as the majority citizen in the country are Malays.
Penning a comment on his personal X, Malaysia’s longest serving leader and iconic figure, Tun Dr Mahathir has also weighed in on the topic’. Saying that while the Federal Constitution states that the only requirement for someone to be the Prime Minister of Malaysia is that the person must be an MP who, in the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s judgment, is likely to command majority support, racial dynamics will dictate for that position to be helmed by a person from the majority race.
Citing neighbouring country Singapore, Tun M said over there the Prime Minister has always been from the majority Chinese race since independence.. Lee Kuan Yew admitted a non-Chinese leader might face challenges in gaining acceptance among the predominantly Chinese population. So the Prime Minister of Singapore will always be a Chinese.
Another example was Penang which has never had a non-Chinese Chief Minister. Given the racial balance being in favor of the non-Malays, still when, UMNO had the largest number of seats under the Barisan Nasional, it gave way to GERAKAN.
Tun M then said, so by the same token, in Malaysia, even if Malays are divided politically, they still make up the majority race. Until and unless the majority Malay feel that they can accept a non-Malay as Prime Minister it is status quo ante.
