By Boo Su-Lyn
November 30, 2010
The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 30 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has urged Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders to spread a “ketuanan rakyat” (people supremacy) message to voters in states under their control.
The opposition leader said the Malay supremacy concept has been “twisted” by some Malay elites, echoing his wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail’s rejection of the concept that led Perkasa Youth to label her a “political prostitute”.
“The responsibility of the states is to affirm their stand on ketuanan rakyat,” said Anwar in his closing speech at the PR mentris besar and chief ministers summit in Shah Alam yesterday.
“The polemic of ketuanan Melayu (Malay supremacy) has been twisted by a group of rich and powerful Malays. They got rich based on so-called pro-Malay policies,” he added.
The summit was attended by PR state administrators Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak and Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat.
Yesterday, Perkasa Youth chief Arman Azha Abu Hanifah described PKR leaders as desperate for non-Malay votes and called Dr Wan Azizah a “political prostitute” for rejecting the concept of Malay supremacy.
He also likened Dr Wan Azizah’s remarks to an attack on the constitutional position of the Malays.
At PKR’s annual congress last weekend, PKR president Dr Wan Azizah described Malay supremacy as a slogan used by a small group of Malay elites to cheat others.
She also called on the Malay community to become a dignified race and not to be obsessed with being a “master”.
Anwar, however, said that PR was not effective enough in reaching out to the masses with its messages.
“We are not so effective in explaining our stand and actions to the rakyat,” said the Permatang Pauh MP.
“Internet penetration is located in urban or suburban areas, not the rural heartland,” he added.
PKR leaders have voiced such concerns about the obstacles in disseminating party policies to the public, especially after the ban on the party weekly newsletter Suara Keadilan.
Anwar noted that an effective media machinery was crucial in establishing the “facts” among the people, especially after he and PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang had been accused of betraying their race.
“You have seen the incessant propaganda. We have been called traitors to the Malay race. It is therefore a major challenge to… disseminate information effectively and to go to the ground and launch an effective campaign based on facts,” he said.
Analysts have said PR faces greater difficulty in capturing semi-rural seats that suffer a communication vacuum from the opposition coalition and are more concerned about economic prosperity.
Anwar has also reiterated DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang’s call for PR leaders to close ranks, amid widespread speculation that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak may call for snap polls as early as the first quarter of next year, ahead of the end of his government’s mandate in 2013.
“I agree with Kit Siang that it’s time to ensure consensus and unity,” he said.
“We will be at risk if there is suspicion within the party. So, we call for a spirit of consensus in Pakatan state governments,” he added.
PKR’s recent fractious polls culminated with the exit of Datuk Zaid Ibrahim from the deputy presidential race and his resignation from the party.
He had accused the party leadership of condoning electoral fraud and malpractices.
Selangor DAP went through one of its most divisive elections last weekend, involving a faction aligned to then-state chairman Ean Yong Hian Wah and another team led by State Assembly Speaker Teng Chang Khim.
Lim had also recently warned the Selangor DAP that PR might lose Selangor in the next general election if it is not united, reminding the state party convention to learn from PAS’s 2004 loss in Terengganu.
PAS had lost Terengganu in a 4-28 sweep by Umno and BN, reversing its 28-4 victory in the 1999 general election, he said.
Anwar also claimed that PR state administrators were prohibited from entering schools.
“He may be mentri besar, but he’s not allowed to enter any educational institution or any school,” he said.
He further lambasted the federal government for refusing to disburse funds directly to PR state governments.
“The federal government does not disburse funds through state agencies, but through certain apparatuses,” said the 62-year-old PKR de facto leader.
#1 by monsterball on Tuesday, 30 November 2010 - 12:34 pm
There are not less than 150 comments firing at Perkasa Youth Chief at Malaysiakini.
That is self explainatory ..that Malaysians find this gorilla in the mist…suddenly appear and label Wan Azizah. as political prostitute….shame Muslims more than any race.
No one is afraid of him.
Go read all in Malaysiakini.
We are just waiting for Mahathir and Najib’s comments.
#2 by yhsiew on Tuesday, 30 November 2010 - 1:08 pm
Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz said the term “ketuanan Melayu” was coined to protect the sovereignty of the Malay Rulers. It did not in any way mean that the Malays were more superior than the other races. He said the phrase had been coined long ago before the country achieved independence in 1957 and was created to give due recognition to the special position of the Malay Rulers in the Federal Constitution.
@@http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/nazri-says-malay-supremacy-wrongly-interpreted/
#3 by undertaker888 on Tuesday, 30 November 2010 - 1:08 pm
ibrahim ali is the male political prostitute to umno and mamak. just flash some cash to his nose, he will become anyones’ prostitute.
but who wants this fat, ugly prostitute. his heart is not good either.
#4 by pulau_sibu on Tuesday, 30 November 2010 - 1:50 pm
A third cable, dated February of 2010, highlights the Malaysian company Electronics Component Limited’s attempts to obtain gyroscopes from a Chinese firm. The gyroscopes, which the document says are subject to international and Chinese missile control regimes, are “suitable for use in the guidance systems of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles.”
Of particular concern to the department is ECL’s ties to a network of Iranian-controlled front companies dedicated to the procurement of sensitive materials. The document calls on the Chinese government to stop the transfer of gyroscopes to ECL.
#5 by boh-liao on Tuesday, 30 November 2010 - 2:34 pm
Actually, must change “ketuanan Melayu” to “ketuanan UmnoB & Perkosa-putra” as only d Malays in Umno & Perkosa want 2 b supreme eternally n gasak everything 4 themselves n their offspring
They r d unpatriotic lot n traitors
#6 by monsterball on Tuesday, 30 November 2010 - 6:24 pm
Yes People Supremacy…not Malay Supremacy.
BROVO Anwar.
#7 by bennylohstocks on Tuesday, 30 November 2010 - 7:23 pm
BLARDY PIMP
#8 by tak tahan on Tuesday, 30 November 2010 - 9:57 pm
Nazri said ketuanan is addressed to royalties.Then any royalty must step up to remind those rowdy perkosa n pirates to stop manipulating ketuanan for own agenda.Or the royalties also not sure of what lah this ketuanan cartoon thing.
#9 by born in Malaya on Tuesday, 30 November 2010 - 10:38 pm
Leaders from UMNO who created a racist government are the last of it’s kind in this world. These racist policies are no different from robbing. These people have made the Malay community looked really low in this world and because of this, the Malays are being look down by the whole world and yet they thought they are superior. A real joke. People like Perkasa Youth chief Arman Azha Abu Hanifah is the lowest.
#10 by waterfrontcoolie on Tuesday, 30 November 2010 - 11:33 pm
By the very token of wanting to put the phrase” Ketuanan Melayu” in concrete indicates how vulnerable they are in every aspect of their being. How unsure they are of themselves thus needing slogan to provide them with some psychological protection of their mind. Without the mob-slogan, they will be nothing; they are bare even if they wear their Italian suits! Hence, they need all kinds of word to keep their fragile ego intact; once the slogan disappears; there is NOTHING to shout about. the slogan is only good when Petronas continues to ooze the black gold. Once it disappears, let’s see how good is the “Ketuanan” mind-set!
#11 by Bigjoe on Wednesday, 1 December 2010 - 9:21 am
Anyone see the problem here? Framing the challenge this way falls short of what is needed. ‘Ketuanan Rakyat’ is inherently a hard challenge in Malaysian context – UMNO/BN’s ‘Ketuanan Melayu’ control of the media and overwhelming resources puts it a natural advantage in Malaysian context. Even if broadband was available everywhere, UMNO/BN still have a big advantage because of the wide disparity between the Malays and the Indian community as well as in Sabah and Sarawak.
#12 by ENDANGERED HORNBILL on Wednesday, 1 December 2010 - 9:24 am
Nazri said whoever thought that ketuanan Melayu is about racial supremacy must have cow dung in their heads.
Thank you, Nazri.
Then Tun M, Najib, Muhyiddin and the whole of UMNO have all got cow dung in their heads!
Nazri takes the whole country for fools by seeking a redefinition of Ketuanan Melayu after 53 years of independence.
In all those 53 years nobody, I repeat, nobody defined or explained “ketuanan melayu” as ketuanan raja-raja.
Besides, Nazri, why the ambiguity, eh? Why not simply say “kedaulatan raja-raja” – sovereignty of the rulers or directly “ketuanan raja-raja”. You know Tun M would never have said any of those about the raja-raja. You know Tun M almost went for the jugular once with the Raja-Raja, remember? So it is certainly not truthful to say that “ketauanan raja-raja” was as old as the Malacca sultanate. Or was it save the 23 year hiatus during Tun M’s stranglehold of the nation.
Anyway, historian Emeritus Professor Khoo has said that the idea of ‘ketuanan Melayu” is not provided for in the constitution. Think he may not have heard of this too till UMNO sputed it like it was their marching slogan. So you see, the truth of the matter is that ‘ketuanan Melayu” is an UMNO creature.
So please-lah, Nazri, “nak bohong pun, pilihlah audience dan forum yang kurang cerdik sikit, boleh tak?”
#13 by ENDANGERED HORNBILL on Wednesday, 1 December 2010 - 9:25 am
Let’s see what Perkasa has to say about this novel redefinition.
Do they also have cow dung in their heads?
#14 by ktteokt on Wednesday, 1 December 2010 - 9:52 am
Is it KETUANAN Melayu or KETUANAN me-layu!
#15 by monsterball on Wednesday, 1 December 2010 - 11:28 am
hhhmm….lets see..Malay Supremacy means all Malays are equal to the Rulers too.
It also means…Malay race above all others and we must call them Tuans..or Sirs.
Malay Supremacy means if Rulers do not obey…the majority Malay Supremacy will act for all Malays.like what Mahathir did when he was PM.
It finally mean…there is not such thing as a Malaysian Malaysia.
It means all Malays are Malays first…Malaysian second.
Now you tell me…what is the meaning of Najib’s “1Malaysia” which he said is sames as Malaysian Malaysia but with different name.
I tell you….Najib is fooling all Malaysians with his meaningless slogans. He is a racist and act like not one…when other races pleases him.
This actually mean UMNO B malays are the Malay Supremacy they are talking about.
Now…Anwar’s..proposal….Malaysian Supremacy…receiving so much objections and insults from UMNO B supporters….WHY?
Anwar’s proposal makes all Malaysian equal.
Afterall…our Mycard …passport…birth certs.. and all documents…no different from UMNO B Malays. What is so illogical over Anwar’s sincere proposal?
You see once UMNO B accepts Malaysian Supremacy…their race and religion dirty politics is finished and once that is finished…UMNO B is finished.
Exposed as what they are by Anwar…just read how Perkasa Youth Chief…Hisham .Khairy ..Nazri…and many more ways of talking.
Presently…Namewee is chosen as the punching bag and stooge.