Will ‘Malay unity’ chase Chinese out of M’sia? Loaded Wanita PKR leader’s query sparks confusion

Will ‘Malay unity’ chase Chinese out of M’sia? Loaded Wanita PKR leader’s query sparks confusion

SUCH was the poser by PKR Kota Melaka division’s women’s wing head Zubaidah Ali on her social media account.

With the term being used by predominantly UMNO and PAS right now to drum up support, it is usually accompanied by narratives that seek to demonise DAP and by extension the Chinese community that the party is perceived to champion.


Look no further than the many pronouncements by firebrand UMNO Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh for evidence.

Hence the pointed question that highlights the absurd assumption that any successful attempt at a muafakat (Malay co-operation or consensus) will lead to a mass exodus of Malaysian Chinese from these shores.


Zubaidah’s Facebook post has generated plenty of feedback with many netizens also highlighting their suspicions about the movement to unite the Malays.

Some commenters noted that it was the Malays who will quarrel among themselves if there were no Chinese in Malaysia. It was further observed that the Malays are an envious bunch who did not like their own kind to succeed.

This generalisation was followed by a more considered comment by one Saiful Azmi Hamzah who noted that many Malays were dependent to not only Malaysian Chinese but also to Mainlanders to earn a living.

“The Malays need them more than they need you from an economic standpoint” was the salient observation here.

It was also sarcastically suggested that all Chinese citizens in Malaysia be chased out and are replaced by Rohingya and Palestinian Muslims. “Malaysia will become No. 1 advanced nation in the world” mocked the commenter.

Wearing party colours proudly on his sleeve, this obviously PKR supporter chided supporters who swallowed 3R (race, religion and royalty) rhetoric by corrupt politicians only to end up paying for their debts.

“Only the foolish see the wealth of others as a threat,” he surmised.

A political observer used the recent political imbroglio in Perlis as a prime example of Malay in-fighting that did not involve DAP (or the Chinese) to malign the walaun (slang for ultra-conservative PAS supporters) who subscribed to the idea of Malay unity.

However, it did appear that a number of netizens have misinterpreted the statement as extreme 3R (race, religion and royalty) rage-bait when the intention is quite the opposite.

Some commenters were clearly unaware that the poster is a PKR politician and the statement was made with a healthy dose of irony.

Perhaps, political commentary should be free of irony and sarcasm lest the intentions are misconstrued.

Fact of the matter is that this simple query has asked out loud just what will Malay unity solve – will the Chinese all disappear and a utopia-like Malaysia-for-Malays-only emerge?

That may well be the wish among a certain demographic but the absurdity of the suggestion highlights the thin ground on which Malay unity movement is based upon. – July 20, 2026