GEORGE TOWN: The recent attack on Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s ethnicity by Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders may have hurt the feelings of Indian Muslims in the country, says DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.

Lim said although it was open knowledge that doubts over Mahathir’s Malay lineage had been raised by BN to discredit him among his Malay supporters, the incident had also given the impression that Indian Muslims cannot be leaders in the country.

“Don’t forget how many Indian Muslims there are in Malaysia and Penang. With almost one million to one and a half million of them in the country, do you think they are very happy with Umno over this attack?

“They have given the impression that all Indian Muslims, or Indians in general, do not have the right to be leaders in Malaysia.

“I guess if you don’t oppose BN, everything is okay. But if you oppose BN, they’ll even question your father and grandfather.”

The issue of Mahathir’s ethnicity surfaced about a month ago, when Umno deputy president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also deputy prime minister, claimed the name given on Mahathir’s old identity card (IC) was “Mahathir a/l Iskandar Kutty”.

Zahid said this was based on an image of Mahathir’s old IC, which was given to him by the National Registration Department (NRD) director-general.

The “a/l” stands for “anak lelaki” which in Malay means “son of”. It is commonly used in the official naming of Malaysians of Indian ethnicity.

Zahid had also said that “the man who struggled for the Malay agenda” was actually “using the Malays”.

However, Mahathir who is chairman of opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan, asked how the NRD could have provided a picture of his old IC when he had never surrendered it in the first place.

He added that Iskandar Kutty was his grandfather.

Speaking today, Lim said the issue of Mahathir’s ethnicity showed that BN was afraid of the former prime minister’s influence among the Malays.

“That is why they are attacking Mahathir’s heritage, calling him an Indian who is not a Malay, when there were no problems like that when he was prime minister for 32 years.”

In his 2011 autobiography “A Doctor in the House: The Memoirs of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad”, Mahathir had acknowledged his South Indian heritage, but said: “I am a Malay and am proud of it.

“I am a Malay not just on paper. I am also a Malay in sentiment and in spirit.”

Iskandar is Mahathir’s grandfather, not father, says Marina

Mahathir a/l Iskandar Kutty is using the Malays and Umno, says Zahid

Mahathir: Name mentioned by Zahid in old IC doesn’t exist