Is he a just, moderate Malaysian leader for all… or an unflinching, true-blue Malay nationalist?
On a past episode of the highly popular Keluar Sekejap podcast, former DAP stalwart Ong Kian Ming openly touted co-host Khairy Jamaluddin as a future Prime Minister of Malaysia.
Was he right, or was it just wishful thinking?
Incidentally, the suave former UMNO Youth Chief—now back in the party after a long "exile"—seems to have seamlessly slipped back into his old political self.
And what better way to announce his return than by urging Negeri Sembilan voters to back Barisan Nasional in the state polls, claiming that Malay rights are at risk under the current Menteri Besar, Aminuddin Harun of Pakatan Harapan.
But wait a minute…
Didn't that sound like the usual recycled, race-baiting script dished out by old UMNO veterans, rather than a relatively young, reform-minded moderate?
Don't the rakyat have the right to expect more from bright, progressive, and pragmatic Malay leaders who project themselves as future statesmen of this multiracial nation?
Coming back to Khairy's controversial claim, if the proof of the pudding is in the eating, one needs to look no further than his home state's recent palace crisis, where the PH state government had staunchly defended the current ruler, Tuanku Muhriz.
Now, aren't rulers the very symbol of Malay-Muslim authority in this country?
For a sharp, savvy, and articulate public figure who is widely admired—even by some non-Malays—the former Rembau MP would know the fact that it was MB Aminuddin who had steadfastly stood by the state's highest royal authority against an attempted ouster by a rebel faction of territory chieftains (Undang).
So why the “distorted” narrative?
Moreover, if Khairy's assertion has any merit, shouldn't a detailed explanation be given as to exactly how PH has “failed” the Malay-Muslim community in the state?
Ironically, when the 14 UMNO-BN assemblymen abruptly withdrew support from MB Aminuddin at the height of the palace crisis, they faced widespread political criticism for allegedly trying to wrest power for themselves by toppling the government. This was in a Malay-majority state that was stable and developing well, with a mandatory election still a year away!
With their hasty action, did UMNO really come across as genuine defenders of Malay rights, stability and royalty?
Lest it is forgotten, back in the '80s and '90s under Dr. Mahathir, wasn't it also UMNO that was instrumental in clipping the veto powers and stripping the royal immunities of Malay rulers?
Do UMNO and its leaders presume the Negeri Sembilan public forgets things so easily?
In Khairy’s case, his supporters may dismiss it as merely an attempt to galvanise UMNO Youth and Puteri members in a bid to wrest the "true champions of the Malay-Muslims" crown back from the opposition, Perikatan Nasional.
But why must it always be the race card—worse still, at the expense of his party's own faithful political ally, PH?
Why can't these leaders pledge a better quality of life for all, including the Malays, by promising to enhance the country's social and economic standards? Shouldn't younger, well-educated, and forward-thinking Malay politicians adopt a more centrist and inclusive stance that contributes to nation-building rather than exploit racial anxieties for narrow political gains?
UMNO and “identity politics” – till death do they part?
Perhaps UMNO will never change its stripes, and it won't let its reform-minded leaders change either. And clearly, too, it hasn't learned the bitter lessons from its “fall from grace” in GE15!
Ultimately, here's the truth: Malay interests and privileges are fully protected by the Federal Constitution and the Malay Rulers. So, for how long can any political party or politician claim to have a monopoly or a divine right over them?
Could the upcoming polls deliver a fatal blow to this proud and once-mighty nationalist party in the state where it has ruled uninterrupted for decades?
Main information source: Focus Malaysia, Malaysiakini, Malay Mail, The Vibes and Fulcrum.
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