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FORMER prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has criticised the splintering of Malay politics, asserting that the creation of multiple ethnic-based parties has left the community competing against itself and losing political leverage.
“Today, many believe that UMNO defeated the British, and that parties can deliver victory. So, several parties were formed. This has divided the Malays.
“They compete among themselves. It is impossible for any of them to win,” he said in a statement posted on his Facebook account today.
Dr Mahathir warned that this division has broader consequences for the nation.
“They lose. The country is compromised. Malaya has become the land of others. Who is at fault? The Malays are at fault. This is the final struggle for the Malays,” he added.
Reflecting on the historical context, he noted that Malays were once united under a single party, UMNO. “What was important (in the past) was not UMNO itself but the unity achieved through UMNO,” he said.
Today, several parties claim to champion Malay interests, including UMNO, PAS, BERSATU, PKR, Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (PGRS), and Parti Amanah Negara, alongside smaller parties such as BERJASA, Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (PEJUANG), Parti Ikatan Bangsa (IKATAN), and Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia (PUTRA).
In an effort to consolidate Malay and Islamic political interests, UMNO introduced the “Grand Collaboration” initiative to bring all these parties together under a single platform to address community and religious issues.
In February, representatives from Islamic, Malay, and Bumiputera-based parties met for the first time at UMNO’s headquarters at the World Trade Centre to discuss and seek common ground on issues affecting religion and ethnicity.- April 2, 2026