I refer to the "Saifuddin Nasution warns poverty and drugs, not racial fears, are Malays’ real enemies".
https://share.google/5VEj5Y0an11MHBm8M. Malay Mail
There’s an old Malay saying: “Jangan menyalak pada pokok yang salah.” Don’t bark up the wrong tree. And honestly, it’s a reminder we could all use right now, especially when conversations about race in Malaysia keep heating up.
We keep hearing that Malays are under threat—that their religion, culture, or future is somehow being chipped away by other communities. Maybe it’s time we pause and ask ourselves: are we even looking in the right direction?
Recently, PKR’s Saifuddin Nasution Ismail made a point that’s worth reflecting. He said that the real danger to Malays and Muslims isn’t our Chinese or Indian neighbours. It’s when we stay poor. It’s when our youth get hooked on drugs. It’s when opportunities just aren’t there.
Honestly, that hits different as we look at the numbers. According to the Health Ministry and the National Anti-Drug Agency, Malaysia sees about 560 drug addicts for every 100,000 people. In states like Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan, and Terengganu where Malays are the majority that number jumps to over 1,000. Most of those affected are young people between 15 and 39, often those who stopped schooling after SPM.
That’s not just a statistic, that’s a wake-up call.
If a young Malay kid leaves school without the skills to get a proper job, ends up stuck in a cycle of poverty, and eventually turns to drugs—how does blaming a Chinese businessman or an Indian doctor fix any of that? If a family has been struggling to make ends meet for generations, will pointing fingers at other races put food on the table? If money meant for the rakyat gets swallowed by corruption, can shouting about “the other” bring those funds back?
We’ve got real problems like poverty. corruption, drug abuse, unequal education, lack of mobility. These are the things quietly eating away at our communities and they don’t care about race.
That’s why we need to be clear-headed about this. Yes, the Federal Constitution protects the special position of Malays and the natives of Sabah and Sarawak and it should. Protecting that doesn’t mean we have to treat everyone else like threats. In fact, Malaysia’s strength has always been in our mix, our diversity is what makes us unique, not fragile.
When we constantly frame everything through race, we give politicians an easy out. It’s way easier to fire up a crowd by saying “they’re taking what’s ours” than to actually fix broken schools, build real industries, create decent jobs, or clean up our government.
Let’s be honest, a young person doesn’t need an enemy, they need a future.
A family living below the poverty line doesn’t need someone to hate. They need affordable housing, decent healthcare, better schools, and a fair shot at a better life.
A community battling addiction doesn’t need slogans. They need rehab centres, job training, and a support system that actually helps people get back on their feet.
Now, don’t get us wrong, racism and discrimination are real, and they should never be brushed aside. We should call it out whenever and wherever it happens, but fighting one kind of prejudice shouldn’t become an excuse to keep another kind alive.
So what’s the real measure of Malay empowerment?
It’s not about how loud a politician shouts. It’s about whether our kids get a good education. Whether our youth can walk into any workplace with confidence. Malay entrepreneurs can thrive without needing to know someone in power. Whether our institutions actually work with integrity, families can finally break free from the cycle of poverty.
Honestly, that same standard should apply to every Malaysian community.
Maybe it’s time we shift the conversation from racial fear to real human security, from fear-based politics to building real capability. From asking “Who’s threatening us?” to asking “What’s actually holding our people back?”
The answers might be uncomfortable but they’re honest.
Sometimes, the biggest threat isn’t the person who looks different from you. It’s poverty inside your own home. It’s drugs in your neighbourhood. It’s corruption in your government. It’s poor schooling, limited jobs, inequality, and leaders who use race to distract you.
So before we bark, let’s make damn sure we’re aiming at the right tree.
The future of the Malays and Malaysia, won’t be built on fear of others. It’ll be built on empowered people: educated, capable, resilient, and ready to rise together. That’s not giving anything up, that’s fighting the threats that actually matter.
K.T.Maran Social Environmental Animal Activist
K.T. Maran (maran.kt@gmail.com) 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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