Just because I'm 'Malay first,' doesn't mean I'm 'M'sian second': Muhyiddin

Just because I'm 'Malay first,' doesn't mean I'm 'M'sian second': Muhyiddin


Published: Jun 28, 2025 3:28 PM
Updated: 5:30 PM



Summary

• PN chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin says his stand on being “Malay first” has never changed.

• This comes despite Muhyiddin saying last month that his past remark in 2010 was no longer important.

• Muhyiddin states that what is important is how a Malaysian leader acts after attaining power.

Perikatan Nasional chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin now says his stand on being “Malay first” has never changed.

This comes despite the former prime minister saying last month that the remark he made in 2010 was “in the past”.

Instead, Muhyiddin said his recent “Malaysian first” statement was an explanation to his previous “Malay first” argument.

“In my earlier ‘Malay first’ stand, I never said I was ‘Malaysian second’. In the recent event, I merely explained it… which means I did not change my stand.

“You’re born a Malay, doesn’t that mean you’re Malay first?

“But that’s not the issue here. The point here is what do you do as a Malaysian leader,” he said during a talk titled “Podcast Ramai Yang Sindir” today.

Also present were Bersatu information chief Tun Faisal Ismail Aziz and supreme council member Dr Afif Bahardin.


‘Not only Malay’

In 2010, Muhyiddin said he was Malay first, but that this did not mean he was not a Malaysian.

The then-deputy prime minister said this in response to DAP leader Lim Kit Siang’s challenge for him to state whether he identified as Malay or Malaysian first.

Lim claimed that Muhyiddin’s stance contradicted the 1Malaysia concept promoted by the government at the time.

Last month, the Pagoh MP appeared to distance himself from the remark in an effort to boost PN's non-Malay appeal.

“I am a Malay Malaysian. But my thinking has never been to see myself as only Malay. I have to consider the Chinese, Indians and others, because I am a leader of Malaysia.

“I used to say I was Malay first. That is no longer important. I am a Malay who cares for all Malaysians,” he said before more than 1,000 attendees at the event organised by PN component, the Malaysian Indian People’s Party (MIPP).


GST is better

Muhyiddin said that his coalition would reintroduce the goods and services tax (GST) instead of expanding the sales and services tax (SST).

“I won’t be doing what (prime minister) Anwar Ibrahim is doing. I’m not saying this just because he is doing it.

“For example, the SST. If I’m premier, who knows, I won’t be doing such things (expanding the tax and raising power tariff)

“As for SST, in principle, I agree to reverting to GST. About 170 are using the efficient GST… it eases the burden on the people,” he added.