Reflections: PN model towards non-Malays is basically the BN model
Two years ago on this date, Malaysia underwent its first change of government. The PH government lasted for about twenty months. There are about four book projects (and countless articles) I am aware of that will try to explain why it imploded. Political/social scientists love this sort of event as it offers unlimited opportunities for endless debates which means kosong to the real world harm done by the collapse of the PH government. In Malaysia we call this Siok Sendiri.
No matter how you look at it, the collapse of the PH government confirmed the following;
1) The Malay establishment is not willing to share political power with the non-Malays outside the BN model. What is the BN model? Simple- the non-Malays must understand ‘their position’ in Malaysian politics and must never ‘demand’. Non-Malays are associate members of “the Club” and can only request or beg for political favours. MCA and Gerakan always understood their bourgeois compradors position hence they are held up as role models and given minor positions (with some business opportunities) in government.
2) The total restructuring of Malay politics in Malaya. Prior to 2018, it was always understood that in Malay politics, the only realistic choices were: UMNO (ketuanan Melayu) or PAS (Ketuanan Islam). That is why it was easy to move between these two parties for mainstream Malay voters.
The collapse has led to Ketuanan Islam Melayu. This is the only game in town now.
3) Sabah and Sarawak counts for even less than anytime in the past half century. Do not believe the narrative that S/S are the ‘kingmaker’. When the plot was hatched last year inside PPBM to ‘reset’ PH which led directly to PN, not a single word was uttered about S/S. It was all about the Malay Agenda. S/S only came into the picture at the crucial meeting at the Sheraton and before the palace meeting when the final deal was struck. In other words, S/S was an afterthought once the ‘big picture’ was settled.
Those people in S/S who are saying SS are ‘kingmakers’ are living on another planet.
I have a lot more to say but this is not the appropriate forum.
I just wanted you to think about what happened two years ago and the dire consequences of what happened in late February this year. A lot of things are actually happening in the background and Covid19 is the perfect cover to hide.
Finally, if you are really interested in the ‘BN model’ for non-Malays, I would like to recommend what I wrote a few years back in 2016; I would ague the ‘PN model’ towards non-Malays is basically the BN model.
Prof James Chin is an analyst on minority rights, elections, democratisation and good governance issues. Mainly with ASEAN countries (especially Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore) and the South Pacific Rim (especially Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Solomon Islands)
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of The Leaders Online
