“This Is Malay Land; Am Malay First!!” Akmal Backs Dr M - Fires At Muhyiddin, MCA, DAP...!!

“This Is Malay Land; Am Malay First!!” Akmal Backs Dr M - Fires At Muhyiddin, MCA, DAP...!!


14 May 2025 • 9:00 AM MYT


JK Joseph
Repentant ex-banker who believes in truth, compassion and some humour

Credit Image: Dr Mahathir (Facebook) / Kosmo / Malay Mail (BERNAMA pic)


Did Akmal break ranks from Madani to support an “old enemy”…?

After a brief “ceasefire” during the run-up to the recently concluded Ayer Kuning by-election, firebrand UMNO Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh has re-emerged with guns blazing; and true to fashion, he didn't just take aim at the opposition, but also at some of his own coalition party leaders - all thanks to the irrepressible Dr Mahathir?


Incidentally, the most prominent figure to feature in his latest “hit list” was former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin who had admitted recently of having once said that he was a “Malay first”, but that now that term was no longer applicable.


In fact, the opposition Perikatan Nasional head honcho went on to declare that he was now a Malay leader who must take into account the Chinese, Indians, and others as he “cares about all Malaysians.”


However, it would appear that Akmal didn't take too kindly to Muhyiddin’s sudden turnaround, and had openly criticised the latter for abandoning his “Malay first” principle; he even accused the former prime minister of changing his stand for political gain!


What if someone declared that they were Chinese, Indian, Iban or Kadazan “first”, and Malaysian second…?


While bemoaning the fact that people change when in pursuit of power, the UMNO Youth leader asserted that unlike Muhyiddin, he was steadfast in his stand, and insisted that his Malay identity was foundational and will never change; he had then added: “I remain a Malay first, before being a Malaysian; this is because it's my race and it’s something that cannot be changed - then, now, and God willing, forever!”


Meanwhile, the Bersatu president wasn't the only one who was at the receiving end of the UMNO Youth chief’s tongue-lashing; the fiery Akmal also lambasted former DAP strongman Prof Dr P Ramasamy and reminded him that the Malay nationalist party will never compromise on the special rights of his race, his religion and the royalty, all of which he stressed was enshrined in the country’s Constitution.


The straight-talking Merlimau assemblyman then trained his guns at MCA which had refuted former two-time prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s alleged claim recently that “Tanah Melayu” belonged to the Malays; in fact, the BN component party had pointed out that this country doesn't belong exclusively to any race.

Screenshot from Akmal Saleh (Facebook)


Even UMNO's longtime, faithful BN ally MCA came under fire from Akmal for speaking up…

Seemingly echoing the sentiments of Dr Mahathir, Akmal slammed MCA for not “understanding” the history of the nation and claimed that this land has always been Malay-owned!


As if that wasn't enough, the vocal UMNO Youth chief also hit out at DAP Melaka stalwart Kerk Chee Yee for highlighting in a news report that Akmal was “confused” with the country’s Constitution allegedly in the wake of Dr Mahathir's recent social media posts.


Then last Wednesday (May 7), the outspoken Akmal found himself on the defensive, yet, again; this was after outspoken former DAP “warhorse” Ronnie Liu had “lectured” him that the country was registered with the United Nations as the “Federation of Malaysia”, and that the term Tanah Melayu was only a pre-Merdeka construct!

No-nonsense former DAP veteran Ronnie Liu. Credit Image: Ronnie Liu (Facebook)

However, Akmal had shot back that the ex-DAP leader should not rely on “WhatsApp” messages and should instead read up on the real history of this country which according to him began with the “Malay Sultanate” in Melaka circa 1400!


Dr M's ‘mission accomplished’…?


In closing, it would appear that Dr Mahathir’s recent controversial statement about the so-called sad fate of the Malay peninsula which allegedly had been “lost” to the non-Malays has proven to be divisive after all.


Nevertheless, given all the hoo-ha, perhaps, what many may be asking is: was the verbal spat between Akmal and some of the non-Malay party leaders in the coalition government merely an “overreaction”… or was it a prelude to worse things to come?


Alternatively, instead of letting the embarrassing “in-fighting” within the Madani component parties get out of control, shouldn’t some senior leaders, including PMX himself, come out with a balanced narrative to counter Dr Mahathir's allegations - and help diffuse the situation? Or is there some hidden message in their silence too…?