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Malaysia is a beautiful nation built on diversity where many of us dream of Bangsa Malaysia. But when we look at our politics, it often feels like race divides us more than it unites us. Most of our political parties are built around race, and sadly, many believe that’s the only way to keep peace.
Recently, there’s been a call for “Malay unity,” urging Malay political parties to merge to protect what some see as a decline in Malay power. While the idea of unity sounds good, it’s also creating fear and division. The message being sent is that Malays need to protect themselves from others, which doesn’t bring us together, instead it divides us even more.
I must say, it is so disheartening that many of our leaders and politicians believe that the only way to stabilise Malaysia's politics is by supporting race-based politics.
The truth is, race-based politics don’t keep harmony, they create division. They play on our differences and use race and religion as tools to gain votes. This mindset has held Malaysia back for far too long.
As a Bumiputera Muslim, I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on this issue. For years, I stayed a neutral columnist, hoping to keep an unbiased perspective on things that matter. But I realised that staying on the sidelines wasn’t enough. I realised that I had to take a stand.
I realised that taking a stand is more than just a choice – it is a commitment to the values we believe in and the world we want to build. When we stay on the sidelines, we let others shape the future for us, even if we don’t agree with their direction. By taking a stand, we become part of the change we want to see, rather than waiting for someone else to make it happen.
Moreover, the future isn’t shaped by those who stay quiet; it's shaped by those who are willing to act, speak out, and stand firm for what they believe in.
Five years ago, I made a decision that would change the way I saw myself in Malaysia. I became a lifetime member of the Democratic Action Party (DAP). I still remember the teasing from some friends who called it the "DAPig party," but interestingly, these were the same people who once told me that as a Muslim, my future in Malaysia was always guaranteed.
Well, I suppose they can no longer say that, as I no longer identify as just a Malaysian Muslim. As a member of DAP, I now identify as a Malaysian Malaysian.
When I submitted my registration form on that day in 2020, I had the privilege of meeting my Member of Parliament, Steven Sim. He shared a powerful thought: "A party is not only as good as its leaders, but also as good as its members." That statement painted the vision of Malaysia that many of us share – a Malaysia where race and religion aren’t tools of division, but are celebrated as part of our collective strength.
Joining DAP doesn’t mean I’ve abandoned my identity as a Bumiputera Muslim. It simply means I want to live in a Malaysia where we don’t use our identities to divide us politically. I believe every Muslim should join any party that stands for fairness, justice, and unity - not just those that use fear to win support.
I’m not alone in this belief, for I know there are more Malaysians joining multi-racial parties. This cross-cultural participation is helping bridge the divides. Together, we’re showing that we believe in a united Malaysia, one where race and religion don’t define our politics.
It is true that race-based politics has been deeply ingrained in Malaysia for so long and it’s not something we can simply wish away. The divisions are strong, and the challenge is real. But if we truly want a Malaysia where our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren can live the dream of unity and equality, we must start putting in the work now. We can’t afford to wait any longer.
It will take effort, courage, and persistence to change the way we think about politics, to shift from division to unity. But remember, the groundwork we lay today will shape the Malaysia of tomorrow. This is the dream we must work toward, not just for ourselves, but for generations to come.
Fa Abdul is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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