Bersatu Youth chief Wan Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal’s (pic) suggestion to limit the prime minister role to only Malays has sparked backlash from his DAP counterpart Dr Kelvin Yii, who has called the proposal ‘parochial’ and will ‘further divide Malaysians’. – Abdul Razak Latif/Scoop pic, December 14, 2023
DAP, Bersatu Youth chiefs spar over proposal of limiting PM’s post to Malays
Dr Kelvin Yii slams Wan Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal’s ‘parochial’ suggestion to amend federal constitution
DAP, Bersatu Youth chiefs spar over proposal of limiting PM’s post to Malays
Dr Kelvin Yii slams Wan Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal’s ‘parochial’ suggestion to amend federal constitution
KUALA LUMPUR – A Bersatu lawmaker’s proposal that the federal constitution be amended to ensure that only a Malay Muslim can be prime minister is narrow-minded and divisive, said DAP Youth chief Dr Kelvin Yii.
Yii, who is Bandar Kuching MP, slammed Machang MP Wan Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal’s suggestion, made as a dare to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Wan Fayhsal, who is Bersatu Youth chief, said the time was right for such an amendment since Anwar had the support of more than two-thirds of MPs needed to pass constitutional amendments.
Yii, who is Bandar Kuching MP, slammed Machang MP Wan Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal’s suggestion, made as a dare to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Wan Fayhsal, who is Bersatu Youth chief, said the time was right for such an amendment since Anwar had the support of more than two-thirds of MPs needed to pass constitutional amendments.
Yii (pic) has asked his Bersatu counterpart that if the federal constitution was to be amended to limit the role of prime minister to only Malay Muslims, will it result in native Sabahan and Sarawakian leaders being excluded from taking the top leadership role in the country. – File pic, December 14, 2023
In response, Yii called the proposal “parochial” and one that would limit Malaysia’s potential.
“(It will) also further divide and create animosity among fellow Malaysians.
“Does this mean that even the native Sabahans and Sarawakians cannot take top leadership of our country that we (have) identified as our own?” Yii said on X to Wan Fayhsal.
The two MPs continued their exchange in other posts, with Wan Fayhsal telling Yii to stop arguing on social media and to raise his arguments after tabling the proposed amendment bill.
Yii in response said Wan Fayhsal’s proposal had “toxic” connotations.
The Bersatu lawmaker had earlier posted his dare to Anwar to amend the constitution as a response to DAP veteran Tan Sri Lim Kit Siang’s recent statement of fact that the constitution did not explicitly prevent a non-Malay from becoming prime minister.
Wan Fayhsal alleged that Lim’s remarks, made in a dialogue with Malaysian students in Manchester, UK, last month, had caused unease among Malays as the majority ethnic group in the country.
In another post, Wan Fayhsal replied to Yii that while it is “fact” that the federal constitution is silent on ethnic criteria for the prime minister, there was still “nothing wrong” with suggesting to Anwar to table an amendment “since he already possesses more than two-thirds support in Parliament”.
Lim, in his remarks to Malaysian students, had also said that he did not expect a non-Malay to become Malaysia’s prime minister “in the next 100 years”, noting how long it had taken the United States – 230 years since its founding – to elect a Black American as US president.
Lim was called in by police yesterday to have his statement recorded over his remarks about a non-Malay prime minister, which he had also posted on his blog and Facebook.
Article 43 of the federal constitution states that the person to be prime minister must be an MP deemed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to have the confidence of the majority of lawmakers in the Dewan Rakyat. – December 14, 2023
In response, Yii called the proposal “parochial” and one that would limit Malaysia’s potential.
“(It will) also further divide and create animosity among fellow Malaysians.
“Does this mean that even the native Sabahans and Sarawakians cannot take top leadership of our country that we (have) identified as our own?” Yii said on X to Wan Fayhsal.
The two MPs continued their exchange in other posts, with Wan Fayhsal telling Yii to stop arguing on social media and to raise his arguments after tabling the proposed amendment bill.
Yii in response said Wan Fayhsal’s proposal had “toxic” connotations.
The Bersatu lawmaker had earlier posted his dare to Anwar to amend the constitution as a response to DAP veteran Tan Sri Lim Kit Siang’s recent statement of fact that the constitution did not explicitly prevent a non-Malay from becoming prime minister.
Wan Fayhsal alleged that Lim’s remarks, made in a dialogue with Malaysian students in Manchester, UK, last month, had caused unease among Malays as the majority ethnic group in the country.
In another post, Wan Fayhsal replied to Yii that while it is “fact” that the federal constitution is silent on ethnic criteria for the prime minister, there was still “nothing wrong” with suggesting to Anwar to table an amendment “since he already possesses more than two-thirds support in Parliament”.
Lim, in his remarks to Malaysian students, had also said that he did not expect a non-Malay to become Malaysia’s prime minister “in the next 100 years”, noting how long it had taken the United States – 230 years since its founding – to elect a Black American as US president.
Lim was called in by police yesterday to have his statement recorded over his remarks about a non-Malay prime minister, which he had also posted on his blog and Facebook.
Article 43 of the federal constitution states that the person to be prime minister must be an MP deemed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to have the confidence of the majority of lawmakers in the Dewan Rakyat. – December 14, 2023
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