The issue of division within the Malay community has long been a contentious topic in Malaysian politics, with analysts pointing to pivotal events during Dr. Mahathir Mohamad's tenure as prime minister as key factors. According to political experts, Mahathir's decisions and the subsequent fallout played significant roles in shaping internal conflicts among Malays, which continue to resonate in contemporary Malaysian politics.
One of the most significant events cited by analysts is Mahathir's dismissal of Anwar Ibrahim from the deputy prime minister position in 1998. Hisomuddin Bakar, from the Ilham Center, asserts that this action fractured Umno's Malay support base and inadvertently bolstered opposition parties such as PAS. The political landscape shifted dramatically, with PAS gaining substantial parliamentary seats in the 1999 General Election as part of the Barisan Alternatif coalition, which included Anwar's National Justice Party (PKN) and other opposition factions.
Moreover, Mahathir's establishment of Bersatu, a splinter party from Umno, further exacerbated divisions within the Malay community. This move, coupled with his alliance with Pakatan Harapan (PH) in the GE14 six years ago, intensified existing fissures rather than uniting Malays under a single political umbrella.
Mazlan Ali, a political analyst from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, highlights another critical period during Mahathir's leadership—the resignation of Musa Hitam as deputy prime minister and deputy party president in 1986. This resignation marked a significant internal crisis within Umno, leading to the party's temporary ban in 1987 following a controversial party election. This tumultuous period ultimately spawned Semangat 46, a splinter group led by Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and Musa Hitam, challenging Umno's dominance.
Mazlan emphasizes that these episodes of division occurred squarely during Mahathir's tenure, underscoring his pivotal role in shaping the political landscape and internal dynamics of Malay politics. Despite the subsequent formation of New Umno and the dissolution of Semangat 46, internal rifts persisted, culminating again in 1998 with Anwar Ibrahim's dismissal—a decision that further polarized the Malay community.
In response to Mahathir's recent claim that Malay division only worsened after his retirement in 2003, analysts like Hisomuddin and Mazlan argue otherwise, attributing the origins of division to events that transpired during Mahathir's own leadership. They assert that internal conflicts and strategic decisions made during Mahathir's tenure continue to reverberate, influencing the present-day political landscape in Malaysia.
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