Recent media reports have highlighted serious allegations of corruption involving high-ranking officers in the armed forces, including the army’s top general and his two wives.
Simultaneously, disturbing video clips of military personnel engaging in inappropriate partying have circulated on social media.
While the unacceptable partying culture was vocally condemned by PAS, the Islamic party’s top leadership has generally been “soft” on the corruption allegations.
Their silence about the massive scale of alleged power abuse in the military is particularly troubling, given that among those implicated are people entrusted with the immense responsibility of safeguarding the nation.
Similarly, the lack of passionate response by Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh to these pressing issues speaks volumes about his priorities. To be fair, he did issue a statement on Saturday but to me it’s just a whimper.
He urged the government to do a background search of assets of officers it wants to promote and hold top positions in all branches of government service.
He should realise that most of those implicated in corruption investigations have acquired unexplained wealth while in power with some of them using bank accounts of family members.
Instead of addressing the unbridled greed and impunity behind the massive scale of corruption in the country, he has fixated on using matters of race and religion to urge Umno to sever ties with the Madani government.
His rationale appears flimsy, stemming from the reactions of a few DAP leaders following former prime minister Najib Razak’s legal troubles.
While the comments from prominent DAP members Tony Pua and Yeo Bee Yin may have been poorly timed, it is not uncommon for people to express joy over favourable court rulings.
This is evident in the response from Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan, who in a cryptic social media post hinted of waiting to celebrate a decision in the Lim Guan Eng corruption trial.
Shallow response
Akmal’s call for a special Umno Youth convention to discuss withdrawing from the government over such trivial matters is shallow and seems more about gaining popularity through racial rhetoric than addressing substantive issues.
Malay-based parties have long used the DAP as a scapegoat to criticise the Chinese community, which ultimately undermines their own cause.
It is essential to recognise that the DAP has only been part of the government since 2018, while the Umno-led Barisan Nasional coalition dominated for over six decades.
The current state of the nation, whether perceived as positive or negative, is largely a product of Umno’s governance without DAP being part of it.
During its rule, the Umno-led BN fostered an environment rife with corruption, arrogance, and abuse of power, compromising critical institutions and threatening the rule of law.
Racial polarisation and religious intolerance worsened, leaving a legacy of instability that continues to affect Malaysia today.
Figures on Malay dominance
Statistics reveal that over the past several decades, more than 90% of the civil service, police, and armed forces have been composed of Bumiputeras, predominantly Malays.
The leadership of these sectors has also been overwhelmingly reserved for Malays. Initiatives like the Universiti Teknologi Mara and special quotas for Bumiputeras were established during this time, further entrenching racial divides.
While special privileges in offering scholarships and places in boarding schools and matriculation colleges for Bumiputeras became overused, non-Malays have only questioned why top scorers were denied seats, not the special privileges themselves.
The racial composition of Malaysian educational and government institutions remains largely unchanged despite the change in government in 2022.
During Mahathir’s first tenure from 1981 to 2003, his Cabinet consistently comprised six Chinese and one Indian minister on average. In contrast, the number of non-Bumiputera ministers under Anwar Ibrahim has not significantly increased.
So, what do Akmal and other Malay leaders advocating for Malay unity truly desire? Their actions suggest a push for Malay supremacy, a status quo that has directly persisted for decades.
Non-Malays have questioned this constitutional anomaly only when their rights are denied. And there is nothing legally wrong with that,
In his eagerness to ascend the political ladder, Akmal has chosen to champion racial and religious positions that are not under threat. There are enough federal and state legal safeguards to protect the Malays and Islam.
With the Malay-Bumiputera community projected to grow to a significant majority in Malaysia for decades to come, their position is more than secure.
Akmal would serve the nation better by vocally opposing corruption with the same fervour he displays in championing race and religion.
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.