Malaysia rushed into independence without fully considering the long-term impact of granting citizenship to non-Malay, said former prime minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad.
He said that during the time of Malaya’s independence, there were many Indians brought in by the British, as well as a large number of Chinese immigrants, especially in Penang.
"When we gained independence, we accepted both locals and non-locals as citizens. The first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, generously granted citizenship to non-Malays and non-natives," he said.
He added that at the time, the country had a population of only over 10 million people, and by granting citizenship to the Chinese and Indians, the Malay population percentage dropped from 80% to 60%.
He stressed that once a person decides to migrate to a new country, they must adopt the local language as their native tongue, fly the national flag, and become part of that country’s society. They should use the local language, integrate into the culture, and remain loyal.
"The Alliance Party partners, including MCA and MIC, also accepted this, and Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj won the election."
"Some immigrants became Malays, while others retained their original ethnic identity, which became the root of the problem," he said.
"We gave specific privileges to Malays or those who identified as Malays, while others retained their original culture, making the residents of Malaysia unique compared to other countries," he said.
"I still remember during festive seasons, Chinese shops would hang the Chinese national flag, and Indians and Chinese living here still remembered their countries of origin. During the independence negotiations, the British insisted that these people be recognized as citizens of Malaya," he added.
"Tunku Abdul Rahman agreed that non-Malays could retain their own schools, culture, and political parties, which lays the foundation for the divisions we face today,” he said, reported Sin Chew Daily.
He also said that Tunku Abdul Rahman called himself a happy Prime Minister, despite numerous issues that arose at the time.
“It's not that there were no issues during his time, but the problems had not yet surfaced. Tunku’s UMNO Supreme Council meetings were often symbolic, without serious discussions on the state of affairs,” Mahathir said.
"After the 1969 general election, Tunku Abdul Rahman faced criticism over the racial riots, and internal divisions emerged within UMNO. Tun Razak eventually succeeded Tunku Abdul Rahman as Prime Minister."
"UMNO founders Onn Jaafar and Tunku Abdul Rahman did not pay enough attention to their followers. Unfortunately, Tun Razak’s time as Prime Minister was brief, followed by Tun Hussein Onn, and then I took over."
"I continued Tun Razak's policies, especially the rural development plan he initiated, giving it more focus. Tun Razak understood that UMNO’s support primarily came from the Malays," Mahathir said .
He clarified that this was not about the Malays trying to seize the property of other ethnic groups but about giving Malays the opportunity to catch up to the economic status of the Chinese.
He noted that after former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak came into power, he focused on money politics. Although he lost the 2018 general election, he later introduced the concept of Malay unity, which managed to attract some support from the Malay community.
He said this during the recent “Dialog Merdeka: Memahami Sejarah Melalui Kepimpinan.”
Leadership Changes, Political Instability
"Today, Malaysia’s political situation is highly volatile, with leadership constantly changing. We see politicians prioritizing personal interests over the country’s welfare, such as Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid’s case being dropped because he became the Deputy Prime Minister."
"The role of Malaysia’s leadership is crucial. If we choose the wrong leader, we will pay the price. We must take our responsibilities seriously and ensure that we elect leaders who can guide the country toward a brighter future,” he said.
He also pointed out that in the 15th general election, many Malays did not come out to vote, with only a 52% turnout, compared to the Chinese who had a 98% voter turnout.
"We must ensure that in post-independence Malaysia, freedom of speech remains intact and is not restricted, particularly when I disagree with the government’s use of race, religion, and royalty (3R) to limit speech,” he added.
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