Lawyer and activist Siti Kasim has questioned the rationale behind the upcoming Himpunan Melayu Berdaulat rally, which is reportedly backed by a coalition of 700 Malay-Muslim NGOs. The event, organized by PERKASA and scheduled to take place in Kuala Lumpur on May 24, claims to address alleged government failures in protecting the rights and privileges of the Malay-Muslim community.
While not a supporter of the current Madani administration, Siti expressed skepticism about the grievances raised by the protest’s organizers. She pointed to the continued dominance of Malays in key areas of Malaysian governance and public service. According to her, Malays currently make up 150 members of Parliament, comprise 90% of civil servants and uniformed personnel, and represent the overwhelming majority of teachers in national schools.
Siti also highlighted the demographic majority held by Malays, who constitute around 60% of the national population. In education, roughly 80% of students at public universities are said to be Malay-Muslims. She noted that Malays continue to benefit from preferential policies, including discounted property ownership and special equity allocations in the private sector.
The activist questioned what specific privileges had been revoked, urging those making such claims to identify them. Her comments come in response to statements made by the rally’s secretariat chairperson, Syed Hassan Syed Ali, who cited rising concerns within the community over perceived erosion of their rights under the current government.
Although the organizers deny the protest has political motives, Siti challenged this assertion, pointing out the contradiction in welcoming politicians to attend while claiming the event is non-political. She argued that such gatherings often exploit ethnic and religious sentiments for political leverage.
Siti further remarked that many Malays no longer resonate with the outdated rhetoric of ethnic supremacy, citing a growing trend of Malay parents choosing to send their children to Chinese-medium schools in pursuit of better education outcomes. In her view, these shifts reflect a broader awareness and willingness among Malays to compete on merit rather than depend on privileges.
The activist also emphasized that truly marginalized groups, such as the Orang Asli, have endured far greater injustices without resorting to mass protests. She criticized the planned rally as a misguided and regressive move, accusing its participants of stoking racial divisions rather than addressing real issues of inequality.
In her assessment, the rally represents not a fight for lost rights, but an attempt to provoke fear and maintain outdated narratives of racial entitlement.
Information Source: Focus Malaysia
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