It looks like controversial Bersatu MP Wan Ahmad Fayhsal, who has gained a reputation for conjuring up bizarre and wayward suggestions, is not done yet with the current hot button topic of a non-Malay becoming the country’s future prime minister; in fact, he has now come up with his own set of pre-requisite conditions for a non-Malay to fulfill - if he or she wishes to be a candidate for the post.
According to the Machang MP, the two non-negotiable conditions for a non-Malay candidate to become Malaysia's prime minister is: firstly, fluency with Malay customs and secondly, must practise the Muslim faith. (Now isn't that as good as telling that the candidate must be a Malay-Muslim?)
Moreover, he argued that in Malaysia, religion and politics are intertwined, and many Malays and Muslims prioritise religious considerations when choosing leaders; he added that therefore it is crucial for someone of Chinese or Indian descent, to be genuinely accepted by Malay voters and become the country’s top leader.
Meanwhile, Umno’s straight talking Supreme Council member Puad Zarkashi was more scathing in his attack on Wan Fayhsal; in a post in Umno.online, he didn’t mince words when he labelled the Bersatu leader’s recent “off the mark” statements on the issue as plain stupid (bebal).
He then went on to remind netizens of Wan Fayhsal’s controversial suggestion a few years ago when he actually proposed to Bank Negara Malaysia to print ringgit notes and distribute it to the public to spend! (Read here)
Incidentally, ever since DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang's blog posting sparked a heated debate on the subject, Wan Fayhsal seems to be under perpetual siege; and to make matters worse, recently an aide to Sarawak DAP chief Chong Chieng Jen and two others had lodged a police report in Kuching over his call to limit the prime minister’s post strictly for Malays.
Apparently, they had called for the authorities to investigate the former deputy minister for issuing a racially provocative statement which they claimed blatantly discriminated against the Chinese, Indian, and the indigenous communities in Sabah and Sarawak.
Furthermore, according to them, the Federal Constitution did not discriminate against any minority groups in the country and that it was meant to ensure equal opportunities - and at the same time safeguard the interests of marginalised groups; they added that, moreover, Wan Fayhsal did not appear to see the error in his ways and has gone on to reinforce his misguided contentions.
Meanwhile, in the latest twist to the tale, the PN stalwart, who was called to give his statement to the police, has now dared his critics to go to court over the issue; he also warned, in no uncertain terms, that those who continue to question his call to restrict the prime ministership to Malays as being “apartheid-like” were actually challenging Malay rights under the country's Federal Constitution.
Besides, he also claimed that some people were trying to incite others by unleashing baseless accusations at him and Bersatu; he reiterated that apparently his earlier proposal to PM Anwar to amend the constitution was to ensure that the “supremacy” (ketuanan) of Malay leadership was safeguarded by the current unity government.
While Wan Fayhsal may have the right to express his own thoughts, it's unlikely that he has endeared himself to the non-Malays in the country; in fact, wasn't his recent statement - where he had proposed the two qualifying conditions for a non-Malay to become the country's prime minister - another classic example of how half-baked and insensitive some of his proposals can be?
Main Information Source: FMT and Sinar Daily
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