In July 2026, during a campaign speech for the state elections in Negeri Sembilan, the Kedah Menteri Besar reportedly said that the Chinese in Malaysia have China, the Indians in Malaysia have India while the Malays only have Tanah Melayu.
Malays not only have Tanah Melayu but also have Indonesia.
Dear MB, you conveniently forgot to include the present Deputy Prime Minister who is the President of UMNO and Chairperson of BN, the coalition which your party, PAS, is actively courting presently wooing voters to ensure that only BN and PAS and the coalition it led, PN is voted in to govern this country.
In case you forgot, the present Deputy PM famously revealed in an interview with the media in Indonesia in 2013 that he had Javanese blood as his paternal grandparents originally came from Kulonprogo in Yogyakarta.
The media, Jakarta Post even quoted him saying “I am coming home,”.
The present DPM was also quoted to have said that the fact that he had Indonesian blood made it easier to handle political disputes with the Indonesian government, any complications can be solved because of this closeness.
In 2017, PM6, proudly proclaimed his Bugis heritage saying his ancestors came from Sulawesi, Indonesia.
Based on this proclamation, PM2, the father to PM6, is also of Bugis heritage.
By inference, based on the presentation by the Mentri Besar of Kedah who said Chinese in Malaysia have China, the Indians in Malaysia have India while the Malays only have Tanah Melayu, the Malays not only have Tanah Melayu, they also have Indonesia taking into consideration the heritage of PM2 and PM6 and the present DPM.
Again, in case he forgot, PM4 said in the Courts that his family roots trace back to Kerala, India.
So based on the MB’s interpretation, besides Tanah Melayu, PM4 have India too like other Indians in Malaysia.
Are the Chinese and Indians ashamed of their heritage?
One can’t erase their heritage.
But all only know one country in which they are born.
And that is Malaysia and all of us identify and call ourselves Malaysians.
Full stop.
It is the politicians and the bureaucracy of the country that doesn't let us forget our ethnicities.
Our identity cards, passports have a category for “race”.
Official documents, medical records include “race”.
Political parties play “race” to gain support and votes.
As long as the country and the politicians see it as a useful tool to differentiate us, we'll never be truly united.
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