The Malaysian Insight

THE Pakatan Harapan (PH) government was brought down by those who wanted political power for their own personal gain, said former government adviser Daim Zainuddin.

These personalities used race and religion as justification for their actions, said Daim, who headed an advisory council for the PH administration.

Examples of such manufactured racial and religious rhetoric were that PH was sidelining the Malay community and that it was anti-Islam.

These divisive perceptions were peddled by Malay nationalist party Umno and conservative Islamist party PAS, both of which are in the current Perikatan Nasional (PN) government, he said.

PN came into power through defections of MPs from PH and political scheming in what was dubbed the “Sheraton Move” on February 23.

About 40 MPs defected from PH parties Bersatu and PKR to form PN with the help of Umno, PAS, and a clutch of Sabah and Sarawak parties.

One of those defectors, Muhyiddin Yassin, who was formerly home minister under PH, was sworn in as PN’s prime minister on March 1.

Mohamed Azmin Ali, the former economic affairs minister under PH, was made a senior minister under the PN government.

Daim is confident that Malaysian voters, especially younger ones, will be able to see through the racial rhetoric by parties such as Umno and PAS.

These were among Daim’s observations on PH’s performance during its 22 months in power and which he shared during a recent interview.

Below are excerpts of the interview:

Q: The whole conspiracy which led to PH’s fall was inspired by racism and religious bigotry. This sentiment appears to be gaining ground among the young Malaysians. The fight against corruption seems to have taken a backseat.

A: The PH fall was not due to a conspiracy that had its fundamentals in racism and religious bigotry, although it was a convenient war cry. The takeover was mainly caused by the need of certain political personalities to take control of power for personal reasons, but this is politics.

Race and religion were used to justify their actions because these were convenient narratives. Throughout the world, we are witnessing the same mentality being used to wield political power – driving the majority to fear minority groups and then blaming them for any troubles that arise.

But I have more faith in our young people. I don’t believe that this sentiment is widespread among our young. They have the world at their fingertips and they can see the effects of racism such as what is happening in the US now.

I believe Malaysian youth as well as the population at large are very sensible and like to live peacefully and are now more worried about the implications brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has forced them into facing a very uncertain and scary future.

But certainly, the lack of plans, programmes and initiatives from the government is heightening this fear and insecurity.

You must also understand that the PH government was besieged from the onset by racist and religious attacks from the then opposition. Race and religion are powerful and emotional tools and the opposition, bereft of ideas and policies and constructive criticisms, then used both race and religion in a most toxic manner.

Given the fragility of the PH coalition and even the prime minister’s position at the time, these continuous attacks were bound to have some effect.

However, I don’t think that you can use race and religion for long in place of economic and social policies. After a while, people want to know how the government’s plans to put food on the table, a roof over their heads, educate their children and take care of their future.

Q: Race relations have taken several hard knocks with the current political manoeuvres. PN seems to be using the DAP as a front to hit out at the Chinese.

A: I think you may be wrong here. PN is hitting out at DAP to win support from the Malays who may swallow their rhetoric. They are not using DAP to hit out at the Chinese. This has been the modus operandi of PAS and Umno ever since PH won in the last election. Race and religion are very emotive issues and time and again, these parties will use these issues to secure their support among the Malays.

Their tactics can only be rendered ineffective if and when the Malays themselves realise that nobody can undermine their positions except they themselves.

To combat problems where races are pitted against each other for political expediency and political and economic status quo, our future should be based on an education system which should teach the young of the Malaysian consciousness, to act and behave as Malaysians and to get to know the various cultures and celebrate them together so that Malaysians understand each other.

We need an education that encourages them to think logically, to compete and to be confident of themselves. Our education system should fight against ignorance, parochialism, intolerance.

Good morals, ethics and values embedded in a good, sound education, together with government policies that create employment for the rakyat with a good income, then it will surely diminish the politics of race over time. When everyone is doing well, then you will not look at your neighbour and think he is taking away opportunities from you.

It may seem that race relations are suffering because those who scream and shout get a lot of publicity and media play. But at the grassroots level, I believe race relations are still at a healthy level. More so during this Covid-19 pandemic when we have seen Malaysians come together to help each other irrespective of race or religion.

It is at the top-level politics where leaders seem to play race politics which is very unhealthy and divisive. Racial politics will not bring peace and stability. It will affect economic growth and investors will shy away from Malaysia, and that will be bad for all of us. – June 16, 2020.