KOTA KINABALU: Penampang Member of Parliament Datuk Darell Leiking said the question of the social contract through inheritance between the Malays and other races does not arise anymore after the formation of Malaysia.
Through the 1963 Malaysian Agreement, he said Malaysia was no longer the land of the Malays but it is the land of Malaysians namely the Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans, Dusuns, Muruts, Bajaus, Ibans and Dayaks.
Leiking chided the chief organiser of the Malay Dignity Congress, Zainal Kling who allegedly cautioning non-Malays that their citizenship could be suspended if they broke the social contract with the Malays.
The Free Malaysia Today reported Zainal quoting verses from the Quran saying that Malays, who he claimed “inherited the country for over 5,000 years”, could always suspend their social contract with non-Malays, adding that they were the rightful owners of the land.
“Despite our overtures, there are those who went off track, who wanted to manipulate us, who wanted to undermine our dignity, mock our religion, the Malay rulers and the Malays’ special position, and turn their backs on the social contract which is the basis for the Federal Constitution,” Zainal was further reported telling thousands who converged at the Malawati Stadium, Shah Alam for the congress, prior to the keynote address to be delivered by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
“While I had not read nor heard the full text of Zainal’s speech, I am disgusted to have read what was reported by the online news portal (on Zainal’s speech).
“I am wondering who is attacking the Malays or whether there is any covert conspiracy to downgrade the Malays as how Zainal alleged it to be,” said Leiking when contacted for comment here today.
At the same breath, Leiking said it was unfair to blame the non-Malays every time an issue involving the Malays cropped up and “threatening to suspend their (non-Malays) citizenship is certainly unhealthy.”
The International Trade and Industry Minister opined that caving into protectionism (by threatening the non-Malays) will certainly not lead the Malay community to progress.
“Yes, they may enjoy temporary vindication or a feel-good factor but it will cause a divisive and polarised Malaysia.
“The Malays are already enjoying the benefits and privileges as enshrined under the Federal Constitution.
“Continuous attack on the non-Malays is unhealthy. Why? Because since they have no special privileges and benefits, they will have to work harder (than the Malays) while at the same time, expected to contribute to the development of the country.
“But here they are again blaming the non-Malays and threatening them,” he lamented.
“In fact and I opine that such manner of the “social contract through inheritance” as to how Zainal described it to be is deemed no longer existent in that context when Sabah, Sarawak, Singapore and the Federated States of Malaya jointly-formed the Federation of Malaysia.
Towards this end, Leiking who is also the Deputy President of Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan) urged Zainal to fully understand that Sabah and Sarawak did not ‘join’ but ‘formed together as separate entities” the Federation of Malaysia.
“He (Zainal) should conduct detailed research on Malaysia Agreement 1963 before using the social contract in Malaysia as his basis of the argument,” he said.
