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No News Is Bad News
The unpatriotic racist Muhyiddin “I Am Malay First” Yassin.
Ohh Muhyiddin, you are just an unpatriotic racist
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rxiJSs7aYE (Muhyiddin: I'm Malay first)
KUALA LUMPUR, March 12, 2024: Malaysians don’t need the brain of a rocket scientist to figure out why the racist Muhyiddin “I Am Malay First” Yassin is unable to lead his Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition and Bersatu beyond communal politics.
How can the rakyat (people) of sound mind, who treasure national unity and harmony in multi-racial Malaysia, support the former Tenaga Nasional Malaysia meter reader who cannot even differentiate between race and nationality.
Muhyiddin uttered his “I Am Malay First” about 13 years ago and till today, he has yet to apologise to Malaysians and Malaysia.
After uttering his not so nationalistic garbage, he has been trying to hoodwink Malaysians that he said no wrong, saying how can Chinese and Indians say “I Am Malaysian First”.
Hey moron - “I Am Malaysian First, Chinese Second”, do you get it.
Even the Johor Sultan, now the 17th Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King) Sultan Ibrahim, had declared that “I Am Malaysian First”.
Even a six-year-old, when asked which is more important, race or nationality, will be able to answer correctly.
Yes, Muhyiddin you are Malay First, Malaysian Second just means race is more impoortanmt than your beloved Malaysia - Ohh! You are so unpatriotic!
No News Is Bad News reproduces below news reports related to the issue, including a March 4, 2020 TIME article that proved to be so accurate about the racist Muhyiddin::
PN can’t move beyond communal politics, analyst says
-12 Mar 2024, 07:00 AM
James Chin of University of Tasmania believes the only direction the opposition coalition can travel is to the far right.
Perikatan Nasional secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin (left) recently said the coalition should not rely solely on “waves” of voter support to win elections.
PETALING JAYA: A political analyst has poured cold water on Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) ambitions to be less dependent on communal politics and Malay voters, saying the coalition was currently shackled to such fundamentals.
James Chin
James Chin of University of Tasmania said PN would not be able to attract voters beyond its current base as they have been pigeonholed as being a pro-Malay and Muslim coalition.
He said PN could only move further right in its political stance “because it seems to work very well”.
With PAS occupying 43 out of the coalition’s total 68 seats in the Dewan Rakyat, the Islamic party would be able to stifle any attempts within PN to compromise on championing Malay and Muslim rights, Chin told FMT.
On Saturday, PN secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin said if PN wished to retake Putrajaya at the next general election, the coalition must build its “own strength and identity” instead of relying on electoral waves of voter support as with the “green wave” of 2022.
The term “green wave” was coined by politicians to describe the political rise of PN in state assembly and parliamentary elections in 2022, with major gains in seats formerly held by Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan.
Hamzah also said that PN needed to study strategies they could use to earn and maintain people’s trust, adding that advocating issues related to costs of living is their main focus.
However, Chin said it is unlikely that PN would change its strategy, and would continue to focus on racial and religious issues as such an approach had been shown to be an effective strategy.
“Yes, they have been very successful in raising issues related to the cost of living, but the number one issue they are going to harp on at the next general election is that Malays and Islam were marginalised under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
Awang Azman Pawi
“These strategies were successfully used in the by-elections and 2022 state elections and I don’t doubt they will try to use that again,” Chin said.
Awang Azman Pawi of Universiti Malaya said PN could consider broadening its appeal to non-Malay voters through promoting multiculturalism by addressing issues faced by different communities while at the same time continuing to advocate for Bumiputera rights.
Oh Ei Sun
PAS was likely to find such a change in direction challenging, but the party should “be realistic and accept the reality that Malaysia is a multicultural country”, he said.
Oh Ei Sun of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs also said it would be difficult for the opposition to promote multiculturalism in the hope of attracting Pakatan Harapan’s supporters. “That would run counter to PAS’ agenda.”
Malaysia’s 94-Year-Old Prime Minister Is Out. The New Leader Is Likely to Inflame Racial Tensions
MARCH 4, 2020 4:54 AM EST
The reign of the world’s oldest prime minister came to a surprising end Sunday when Malaysia swore in a new leader following a week of political turmoil.
What began as infighting over succession and rumored mutiny ended with conservative politician Muhyiddin Yassin named prime minister. “I feel betrayed,” Malaysia’s ousted leader, 94-year-old Mahathir Mohamad said.
In all the horse trading, power changed hands from the most multi-ethnic, liberal-minded government Malaysia has known, to a ruling bloc that panders to the Malay-Muslim majority. Mahathir has accused the new governing coalition of partnering with kleptocrats embroiled in one of the world’s greatest embezzlement scandals, saying he refuses to work with graft-tainted politicians unless they are “proven clean,” while perhaps “Muhyiddin is more relaxed towards this approach.” The shift stands to extinguish one of Asia’s few democratic bright spots amid a global slide toward illiberalism.
“I doubt reform (or even integrity) is a priority,” Ambiga Sreenevasan, a Malaysian lawyer and human rights advocate, wrote to TIME about the new government.
This latest transition dislodges Malaysia from the reform trajectory set in motion after a stunning election upset in 2018. Two years ago, Mahathir, Malaysia’s longest serving prime minister, staged a comeback to wrest power away from his former party, the United Malays National Organization (UMNO), which had ruled since independence in 1957.
Seeking to unseat his own protégé—who was accused of overseeing the looting of billions from state investment fund 1MDB—Mahathir allied with opposition figures he had once persecuted. But the motley coalition that finally managed to topple UMNO made for strange bedfellows. Freighted with ideological, religious and ethnic divisions, Pakatan Harapan (Alliance of Hope) finally collapsed last week, pitching the Southeast Asian country into chaos.
After canvassing lawmakers, the king eventually picked Muhyiddin, a 72-year-old Malay nationalist and former UMNO leader, to steer the country. It was a strange end to a week of opaque political machinations, with allegiances seemingly shifting by the minute.
Few believe the dust-up has fully resolved. Street protests have erupted, and a possible no confidence vote in parliament looms. But if Muhyiddin and his allies remain in the driver’s seat many analysts fear Malaysia’s brief dalliance with democratic reform is over, and the days of race-based politics have returned.
Ethnic tensions
Demonstrators hold placards during a protest against Malaysia's newly sworn in prime minister, Muhyiddin Yassin, in Kuala Lumpur on March 1, 2020.Chris Jung—NurPhoto/Getty Images
When Muhyiddin, a conservative Muslim from the Malay heartland, first heard he was picked for the premiership, he dropped to the floor and prayed. A video capturing his piety circulated on social media.
The move didn’t surprise observers who point out that Muhyiddin, who once said he is “Malay first,” Malaysian second, created a coalition invested in the notion of Malay-Muslim supremacy.
“He is likely to steer the country in a more conservative, and a more Malay, Islamic way,” says James Chin, director of the Asia Institute Tasmania at the University of Tasmania.
For decades, the ethnic Malays who make up around 69% of Malaysia’s population have enjoyed extensive affirmative action programs.
During Mahathir’s previous tenure as prime minister, from 1981 to 2003, government policies catered to the majority Malay population, seeking to buoy their economic status, even as critics said it fueled race-based cronyism.
Demonstrators hold placards during a protest against Malaysia's newly sworn in prime minister, Muhyiddin Yassin in Kuala Lumpur on March 1, 2020.Chris Jung—NurPhoto/Getty Images
After the 2018 election coup, the administration that took over was unprecedented in its diversity, with Sikhs, ethnic Chinese and Tamil Malaysians in the cabinet. More than 40% of the ministers were non-Malay, compared with about 20% under the toppled regime. But such an inclusive, multi-ethnic government exacerbated many Malays’ fears of losing their preferential treatment.
“[Mahathir’s government was] actually pouring more money into the Malay agenda,” says Chin. “But they had a perception problem.”
In particular, the appointment of ethnically Chinese Malaysian Lim Guan Eng as finance minister stoked concern that he would repeal the subsidies and special privileges that ensure Malays’ dominance. And the selection of Tommy Thomas as the first non-Muslim, non-Malay attorney general riled religious radicals since his portfolio included the country’s Islamic court system.
A Malay-first coalition
Muhyiddin capitalized on this simmering resentment and forged a Malay-centric coalition that largely precludes minorities.
The new prime minister is working with parties that tend “to fall back on race and religion to maintain and gain ground,” says Serina Abdul Rahman, a visiting fellow under the Malaysia program at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute.
The son of a well-known cleric, Muhyiddin found support in Malaysia’s hardline Muslim party, the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), and gave it a role in the federal government for the first time in over four decades. PAS has proposed implementing a strict Islamic penal code on Muslims, including harsh punishments like stoning adulterers.
He has also reunited with the United Malays National Organization (UMNO), the Malay nationalist party that ruled Malaysia for more than six decades and was voted out two years ago. Formerly a deputy prime minister, Muhyiddin was sacked after criticizing UMNO leader and then-premier Najib Razak’s handling of the 1MDB fund.
Muhyiddin’s newfound willingness to build an alliance with UMNO members has fueled concern that the ongoing corruption trials may be derailed. If members of the new ruling bloc are found guilty, some analysts suggest Muhyiddin could lose his razor-thin parliamentary majority.
The tarnished UMNO party’s return to power has prompted demonstrations, with protesters calling it a “backdoor government.”
Power struggle
Malaysia's Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad (R), politician Anwar Ibrahim (C) and Minister of Home Affairs Muhyiddin Yassin leave after a press conference in Kuala Lumpur on June 1, 2018.MOHD RASFAN—AFP/Getty Images
While ethnic and religious tensions underlie the recent power play, it was at least partially triggered by Mahathir’s promise to eventually cede power to his rival turned ally Anwar Ibrahim.
“The key to much of what is going on is the unresolved issue of who will succeed Mahathir,” Bridget Welsh, an honorary research associate at the Asia Institute of the University of Nottingham Malaysia, recently told the Asia Society. “There are many people across the political spectrum who are interested in making sure that the successor will not be Anwar.”
The last time Anwar was in government with Mahathir, as the deputy prime minister and likely successor, he was sacked and imprisoned on sodomy charges he maintains were politically motivated. Mahathir obtained a pardon for his onetime nemesis a week after winning the 2018 election, but never cemented an exact timeline for handing over leadership of the government.
While Mahathir recently floated staying in power until the end of his term, Anwar, 72, publicly said a transition would take place in May 2020.
But the idea of Anwar assuming power unnerved Malay nationalists, both because of his sodomy trials and his insistence that the country needs to move away from race-based economic policies.
On Saturday, Anwar said he would once again shelve his ambitions to lead Malaysia. “I will be taking a step back,” he told reporters, “so that we can avoid the country being further dragged into this power struggle and into an old system which has been rejected by the people.”
Ever the wily statesman, Mahathir has not yet given up trying to claw back power. He called for an urgent parliamentary vote against the new prime minister once parliament reconvenes in May. He claims Muhyiddin lacks the majority’s support. If so, Malaysia’s game of thrones may not be over. - TIME
Friday 25 August 2023
‘I Am Malaysian First’
No News Is Bad News
‘I Am Malaysian First’
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 26, 2023: Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar says “I Am Malaysian First”.
So, "eat your heart out" Muhyiddin “I Am Malay First Yassin (Perikatan Nasional chairman) and Taliban-like PAS racial and religious bigots.
And the ruler has warned ill-intentioned politicians and bigoted religious leaders against attempting to break the bonds of unity and solidarity among Johor’s multiracial society (the culprits should know who they are).
No News Is Bad News reproduces below news related to the Malaysian issues:
Johor Ruler: I’m Malaysian first
Saturday, 26 Aug 2023
PETALING JAYA: Known in Malaysia for staunch Bangsa Johor advocacy, Johor Ruler Sultan Ibrahim ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar, however, always identifies as a Malaysian first when abroad.
“If someone asks me where I am from when I’m overseas, I’ll always say, I’m Malaysian,” said Sultan Ibrahim in an interview published in Sin Chew Daily yesterday, following a meeting at the palace in Johor Baru recently.
Since assuming the throne in 2010 and his coronation in 2015, this was the first time His Majesty had accepted an interview from a Chinese-language media outlet.
Among the topics discussed were Bangsa Johor, the importance for all ethnic groups to live in harmony and unity, the future of Johor, and China’s significance to Malaysia.
Although taking pride in the Bangsa Johor concept that upholds the racial and religious diversity of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim said all races are seen as the same.In some official events, the Ruler would see to it that there is mixed seating to allow people of all races to mingle together, rather than segregating themselves by ethnicity.
Besides identifying as Malaysian first, Sultan Ibrahim would mention His Majesty’s origins from the southernmost state in Malaysia, Johor.
To aid understanding, His Majesty would also point out where Singapore and Thailand are on the map, so that people understand where Malaysia is.
Some foreigners, especially Americans, said the Johor Ruler, have poor geographical knowledge and mistakenly think Malaysia is located near Africa.
On another pride of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim lamented that the achievements of its football team, Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT), tend to invoke jealousy, especially from “one of the previous federal governments”.
“What was the football team like 10 years ago? Zero.
“But now JDT won it all.”
Founded in 1972 as Perbadanan Kemajuan Ekonomi Negeri Johor FC, the club was renamed as Johor FC in 1996 before adopting its current name in 2013.
Owned by Tunku Ismail Idris, the Crown Prince of Johor, JDT scored its maiden major honour in 2014 by winning the national league in its first season.
On his advocacy for Johor’s prosperity, Sultan Ibrahim also complained about the lack of focus on infrastructure upgrades from the Federal Government for Johor.
His Majesty questioned why the North-South Expressway was built from the north to the south, when the gateway to the Asian mainland is in the south.
“Shouldn’t it be built from the south? It feels like we are being treated like a stepchild. But we are a top contributor to the national economy,” he said.
This was not the first time Sultan Ibrahim had expressed his disappointment with some of the Federal Government’s action concerning Johor.
When opening the Johor state assembly meeting in Johor Baru on June 16 last year, His Majesty told the Federal Government to fulfil its promises and improve Johor’s infrastructure, while expressing sadness that federal authorities were not carrying out maintenance works on federal-owned buildings and infrastructure.
He had said then that Johor was also not consulted at all on the decision to drop the appeal on the International Court of Justice’s decision on the Pulau Batu Puteh claim in 2018.
Sultan Ibrahim added that all these unsatisfactory developments might induce Johoreans to agitate towards secession from Malaysia, adding that the state contributed almost RM13bil annually to federal revenue.
“Perhaps Johor can be more developed if we stand on our own,” said Sultan Ibrahim back then. - The Star
Sultan Ibrahim: Johor is out of bound for devious politicians and bigoted religious leaders
JOHOR ruler Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar has warned ill-intentioned politicians and bigoted religious leaders against attempting to break the bonds of unity and solidarity among Johor’s multiracial society (the culprits should know who they are).
His Majesty the Sultan further reminded Johorians to reject outright any forms of extremism that could jeopardise the state’s long-established harmony among people of different races and religions.
“Since the beginning, I have always stressed and reminded everyone that understanding and mutual respect among races are the pillars of Johor’s unity,” he articulated in a statement to commemorate his official birthday today.
“The Bangsa Johor identity and concept is the glue that unites Johorians of various races, and this has been practiced in this state for a long time. “I warn against any attempt by anyone to break Bangsa Johor’s strong bridges of unity and co-existence.”
His Majesty also pointed out that a harmonious and united Johor not only makes its society better but also contributes to the prosperity of the state.
“Stay away from the attributes of jealousy, revenge and mindless suspicion as they are dangerous diseases that only invite harm to society and the nation,” he stressed.
Tuanku Sultan Ibrahim also expressed his appreciation to the Federal Government led by the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for the substantial allocation given to Johor in the revised Budget 2023.
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (left) and Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar
“Alhamdulillah for the allocation provided, and I hope that the good relationship between the Federal and State Governments will continue to be strengthened for the prosperity of the state and its people,” he added. – March 23, 2023
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