Irresponsible of Dr M to urge Malay-only votes, says Karim

Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu has long been a vocal critic of politicians who play the race card. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: A Sarawak leader has described as “definitely irresponsible” the call by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad for Malays to vote only for Malay candidates at the next general election.

Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, information chief of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu, said Mahathir should be well-versed in the intricacies of a multi-ethnic and multi-religious society, after heading the government for over two decades.

“Advising Malays to vote only for Malay candidates in elections is certainly not progressive and could lead to a divided Malaysia. Coming from Mahathir, such remarks are definitely irresponsible,” he told FMT.

“Extreme racial and religious politics should be avoided if we wish to see a harmonious, peaceful, prosperous, and progressive Malaysia,” he said.

Mahathir should rise above politics and conduct himself as a statesman, given his experience and wisdom, and be someone that all Malaysians can turn to for counsel, said Karim, who has long been a vocal critic of politicians who play the race card to garner support.

Karim said political leaders should stop fuelling racial and religious extremism and instead emulate Sarawak’s model of unity.

Last week, Mahathir had urged Malay voters to vote only for Malay candidates at the coming general election, regardless of which political party they represent. Malays should be loyal to fellow Malays; “if our loyalty is given to a particular party or faction, then we will lose ‘Tanah Melayu”, he said in a Facebook post.

Political analyst James Chin of the University of Tasmania said Mahathir was effectively calling for ethnic solidarity.

James Chin.

Asked whether PAS should counter by saying its non-Malay candidates, or even those from other parties, are worthy of support, Chin said it would be best for the Islamic party to stay out of the issue.

“It’s empty rhetoric. Non-Malays know PAS is looking for people similar to what Americans call an ‘Uncle Tom’ — someone who is subservient. They are looking for people who accept PAS as superior to them or embrace racial supremacy.

“Non-Malays recognise this automatically, which is why parties like MCA and Gerakan have little credibility within the non-Malay community,” he said.

PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang has previously said his party accepts non-Muslims who do not reject Islamic principles and policies; he said PAS is willing to work with all non-Muslim parties and NGOs that are “not extremist”, despite their ideological differences.

Chin added that PAS appeared to have kept its distance from Mahathir after the Islamic party alongside Bersatu backed the former prime minister’s “Malay umbrella” initiative launched in June 2025.

He claimed that both PAS and Mahathir wanted to be in the driver’s seat, causing their efforts to eventually fizzle out.