a Malaysia for Malaysians

Malaysians ask themselves if they are ready for a Non Malay leader:

Is Malaysia ready to be led by its own Barack Obama, someone who is not from the country’s Malay-Muslim majority?

The question has become a talking point for many Malaysians, including Members of Parliament, following Mr Obama’s victory.

Prime Minister Abdullah AhmadBadawi himself said it was possible that Malaysia could have a non-Malay leader.

“It is up to the people to decide, just as the Americans had done through the democratic process,” Mr Abdullah told reporters late on Wednesday while extending his congratulations to the US president-elect.

According to the Associated Press, Mr Abdullah’s comments sparked a flurry of reactions from politicians and ordinary Malaysians.

Many from the large ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities welcomed his comments but voiced scepticism that such a breakthrough could occur anytime soon.

Malaysia’s Constitution does not impose racial or religious restrictions on the prime minister’s post, but the country has always been run by Malay-Muslim leaders of its biggest political party, Umno.

Mr Abdullah’s United Malays National Organisation is the linchpin of a 13-party multi-ethnic governing coalition.

The Prime Minister is supposed to be the head of the coalition or party that holds a majority in Parliament.

Malay-Muslims account for nearly two-thirds of Malaysia’s 27 million people, while Chinese and Indians, who are mainly Buddhist, Christian and Hindu, are the main minorities.

“Can a Chinese, Indian, Kadazan or Iban become prime minister?” senior opposition figure Lim Kit Siang of the Democratic Action Party wrote on his blog.

“There will be strong voices …who would rise up to say ‘no’.” Mr Lim’s statement received more than 100 comments within 12 hours.

One Malay reader criticised Mr Lim for raising “a very sensitive issue”, adding that minorities should respect the leadership of Malays.

However, Ms Jaymee Goh, a 24-year-old Chinese, said Mr Obama’s victory made it easier for her to imagine having anon-Malay leader eventually.

“If America can get a black man in that high a leadership position … then there is no reason left for Malaysia to hold to any racial discrimination,” Ms Goh said.

In Parliament yesterday, opposition MP Salahuddin Ayub, from Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) said the country should follow the American way of choosing their leaders without looking at skin colour.

He added that the opposition alliance Pakatan Rakyat, which includes PAS, will provide equal opportunity for all races if it comes to power.

But government MP Azmi Khalid questioned PAS’ readiness to accept a non-Malay leader.

“PAS was not happy with the idea of appointing a non-Malay deputy prime minister to the extent of coaxing 10 Umno MPs to join PAS to ensure that the seat will not fall to DAP,” he noted.

The president of the Malaysian Chinese Association, Mr Ong Tee Keat, said it is time for Malaysians to free themselves of racial prejudices, reported Bernama news agency.

“Sadly in Malaysia, we are still bickering over the appointment of a Chinese lady as acting general manager for the Selangor State Development Corporation,” Mr Ong said.

So, who would fit the bill of a Malaysian Barack Obama?

Analyst Ong Kian Ming, writing in malaysiakini, offered this profile: “The Malaysian equivalent of Obama would be a Chinese Muslim who is fluent in Bahasa Malaysia, grew up with adopted Malay parents in Kelantan, got his undergraduate degree from a Malaysian public university and then went on to get his Masters from Oxford or Cambridge.”