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Opinion | What Mahathir’s call for Malay unity means for Pakatan Harapan – and the opposition
- The Malaysian prime minister’s urging of Malays to join the party he currently leads caught opposition parties by surprise
- But it also confused his partners in government, with purported prime minister in waiting Anwar Ibrahim asking for clarification
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Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad’s recent calls for Malay unity may have seemed spontaneous and even off the cuff, but closer inspection hints at the shifting alliances and strategies that could yet reshape the country’s bitter factional politics.
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Mahathir earlier this month urged Malays to join Bersatu (the Malaysian United Indigenous Party), which he currently leads, as part of the ruling Pakatan Harapan coalition. He even extended the invitation to members of his former party Umno (the United Malays National Organisation), which now finds itself in opposition after last year’s seismic election result.
“This [invitation to join Bersatu] is not a racist sentiment,” Mahathir said. “We are just inviting members [to join]. There are already four Malay parties, enough. Malays must learn that politics is a serious matter … if there’s a problem, tell us, do not just start a new party.”
Mahathir has warned Malays against splintering, suggesting they would benefit from a common cause: “We appeal to the Malays to be sensible about politics. You have 10, or 50 parties, for what?”
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His remarks caught opposition parties by surprise – but also Bersatu’s partners in government.
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