The two-time prime minister said no single Malay political party is capable of bringing the Malays together. Malay unity cannot be achieved within the confines of political parties as they all “have their own agendas”, he added.
“We want the Malays to unite and vote for fellow Malays. When the next general election comes, there will be ways for the Malays to support candidates who fight for Malay interests,” he said, without elaborating on what those methods might be.
“PN cannot unite the Malays, nor can any other Malay political party.
“These parties have their own agendas and they cannot unite us,” said the former Umno president.
He was speaking at the launch of his new book, 100 Pesan Tun: Membina Keluarga Dan Bangsa, here today.
In a recent interview with FMT, Mahathir called on all Malay political parties to unite in order to secure the total backing of the Malay rulers.
“If they are united, they can look to the rulers for moral support,” he said.
Mahathir, who was prime minister under Barisan Nasional from 1981 to 2003 and later under Pakatan Harapan from 2018 to 2020, also clarified that he is no longer aligned with any political party.
Asked whether he would play any role in the upcoming 16th general election or cooperate with any political parties, Mahathir said his focus is solely on fostering unity among Malays.
“I have always promoted Malay unity. Only through unity can Malays regain strength and leadership in the country.
“If the Malays remain divided and fail to come together, they will lose influence and have no role in the 16th general election.”
With vast experience leading multiple political platforms over his decades-long career, Mahathir cited the historical resistance to the Malayan Union as an example of effective Malay unity.
The Malayan Union was a political structure proposed by the British colonial government in 1946 to unify the Malay states and the Straits Settlements (excluding Singapore) into a single administrative entity.
It was intended to simplify colonial administration and promote economic development in British Malaya after World War II.
Due to widespread protests and the strong resistance from the Malay community, the British abandoned the Malayan Union plan in 1948.
It was replaced by the Federation of Malaya, which restored the powers of the Malay rulers and introduced stricter citizenship requirements.
“We still remember when we fought against the Malayan Union. At that time, the Malays were poor and had no money, but they were able to challenge the British and win,” he said.
“Why? Because they were united. Today, they can’t win – because they are not united.”