S Thayaparan
Published: Jun 15, 2026 8:00 AM
Updated: 11:22 AM
“But there are no clocks where (the pendulum) only swings down, it also goes up. And I am confident, and I believe that Chinese voters, little by little, are returning to BN.”
COMMENT | Everyone from PKR’s William Leong to former MCA grand poobah, Chua Soi Lek are saying the non-Malays (specifically the Chinese community) can stop the Green Wave.
But beyond rambling about syariah law and a theocratic state, nobody wants to acknowledge that the Islamisation process that has radically altered this country post-1969 has happened during the watch of the so-called centrist coalitions of BN or Pakatan Harapan.
When Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim decided that the Islamic Development Department (Jakim) needed to play a bigger role in policy-making, for instance, non-Malay political operatives in the Madani government were silent as church mice.
Furthermore, it was Anwar, through his religious czar, who was pursuing the Federal Territories Mufti bill, which would have radically transformed the powers of the religious far right in this country.
Published: Jun 15, 2026 8:00 AM
Updated: 11:22 AM
“But there are no clocks where (the pendulum) only swings down, it also goes up. And I am confident, and I believe that Chinese voters, little by little, are returning to BN.”
- BN chairperson Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
COMMENT | Everyone from PKR’s William Leong to former MCA grand poobah, Chua Soi Lek are saying the non-Malays (specifically the Chinese community) can stop the Green Wave.
But beyond rambling about syariah law and a theocratic state, nobody wants to acknowledge that the Islamisation process that has radically altered this country post-1969 has happened during the watch of the so-called centrist coalitions of BN or Pakatan Harapan.
When Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim decided that the Islamic Development Department (Jakim) needed to play a bigger role in policy-making, for instance, non-Malay political operatives in the Madani government were silent as church mice.
Furthermore, it was Anwar, through his religious czar, who was pursuing the Federal Territories Mufti bill, which would have radically transformed the powers of the religious far right in this country.
Islamic Development Department
This is something that PAS dreamt of. This is something the deep Islamic state has been preparing for.
The bill was best defined by SIS Forum - “The Mufti bill, which grants unelected officials the power to legislate without transparency or due process, exemplifies the dangerous erosion of democratic principles and constitutional rights.
“Such laws risk undermining the fundamental freedoms of Malaysians, fostering a culture of control rather than empowerment, and silencing diverse perspectives crucial for a progressive society.”
This country has been run by Perikatan Nasional before, and it was a time when Malaysia went through so many prime ministers; it was difficult keeping track of who was in charge of the circus.
Also, as we can see, the only thing these Malay uber alles types love more than making alliances to defend race and religion is breaking up that alliance for perceived slights and infractions, which merely means that various potentates were not getting their due.
Non-Malays voting for Harapan, which Leong acknowledges is not the coalition that got the most Malay votes, means that everything Madani does in terms of policy and optics is to appeal to the Malay community, which is what PAS does already.
This is something that PAS dreamt of. This is something the deep Islamic state has been preparing for.
The bill was best defined by SIS Forum - “The Mufti bill, which grants unelected officials the power to legislate without transparency or due process, exemplifies the dangerous erosion of democratic principles and constitutional rights.
“Such laws risk undermining the fundamental freedoms of Malaysians, fostering a culture of control rather than empowerment, and silencing diverse perspectives crucial for a progressive society.”
This country has been run by Perikatan Nasional before, and it was a time when Malaysia went through so many prime ministers; it was difficult keeping track of who was in charge of the circus.
Also, as we can see, the only thing these Malay uber alles types love more than making alliances to defend race and religion is breaking up that alliance for perceived slights and infractions, which merely means that various potentates were not getting their due.
Non-Malays voting for Harapan, which Leong acknowledges is not the coalition that got the most Malay votes, means that everything Madani does in terms of policy and optics is to appeal to the Malay community, which is what PAS does already.
Selayang MP William Leong
Keep in mind that for decades, the non-Malays voted for BN and demonised the opposition using pragmatism as a rallying cry instead of institutional reform. And to be fair, for decades, the non-Malays prospered while their Malay/Muslim brethren were short-changed by the Malay uber alles party they voted for.
Umno collapse drives PN surge
Three years ago, former DAP MP Ong Kian Ming agreed with Umno man Khairy Jamaluddin that the Green Wave narrative was a “lazy shorthand”.
Ong wrote: “It diverts attention from the main reason for the increase in votes for PN: a disastrous collapse in support for Umno in all states in Peninsular Malaysia, except for Negeri Sembilan and Johor.
ADS
“It was this unhappiness with Umno and specifically, the leadership of Zahid, that enabled PN to benefit from the groundswell of dissatisfaction.”
What most politically correct observers do not want to publicly acknowledge is that if the dominant polity that voted for PN really wanted an alternative, they would have chosen PKR and Harapan.
After all, Harapan-controlled states were run more efficiently than BN states and were drawing local economic migrants from less developed states.
Now, of course, in Johor, Umno is in ascendancy, and with this comes all sorts of political opportunities which make anything the non-Malays do mean bupkis.
Keep in mind that for decades, the non-Malays voted for BN and demonised the opposition using pragmatism as a rallying cry instead of institutional reform. And to be fair, for decades, the non-Malays prospered while their Malay/Muslim brethren were short-changed by the Malay uber alles party they voted for.
Umno collapse drives PN surge
Three years ago, former DAP MP Ong Kian Ming agreed with Umno man Khairy Jamaluddin that the Green Wave narrative was a “lazy shorthand”.
Ong wrote: “It diverts attention from the main reason for the increase in votes for PN: a disastrous collapse in support for Umno in all states in Peninsular Malaysia, except for Negeri Sembilan and Johor.
ADS
“It was this unhappiness with Umno and specifically, the leadership of Zahid, that enabled PN to benefit from the groundswell of dissatisfaction.”
What most politically correct observers do not want to publicly acknowledge is that if the dominant polity that voted for PN really wanted an alternative, they would have chosen PKR and Harapan.
After all, Harapan-controlled states were run more efficiently than BN states and were drawing local economic migrants from less developed states.
Now, of course, in Johor, Umno is in ascendancy, and with this comes all sorts of political opportunities which make anything the non-Malays do mean bupkis.
Umno members
There really is nothing stopping Umno, PAS, and Bersatu from joining forces or any kind of political alliances which shut out non-Malay power brokers. They have done this before and imploded spectacularly.
While Zahid may say that there will never be another pact with its sworn enemy, PAS, can any rational Malaysian take his word for it?
Folks got their knickers in a twist when PN candidate Goh Gaik Meng said the non-Malays cannot stop the Malay tsunami - “I actually want to tell the people of Selangor... the Chinese cannot stop this Malay tsunami. A so-called tsunami within the Malay community has been set off.
“As a minority ethnic group with only 20-30 percent (of the population) in this country, we cannot stop this so-called Malay tsunami.”
PAS strategy and Malay political unity
However, the reality is that the mainstream Malay political establishment, from the royal institution to a significant segment of the vox populi, wants some sort of Malay unity.
Do not for one second think that I am downplaying the threat of the Green Wave. PAS has very clear ideas about how to use democracy and legislation to suppress the non-Malay vote.
PAS will lead the effort to disenfranchise the non-Malay vote even more and perhaps make the non-Malay vote meaningless. This is the plan, and PAS has been very open about it.
In 2021, then-PAS central committee member Khairuddin Aman Razali said, “There are long-term (needs) that require us to win the next general election with a two-thirds majority.
“(Upon achieving this), the electoral boundaries need to be changed to benefit Muslims.
“We also need to increase the number of parliamentary seats in Malay-majority areas.”
There really is nothing stopping Umno, PAS, and Bersatu from joining forces or any kind of political alliances which shut out non-Malay power brokers. They have done this before and imploded spectacularly.
While Zahid may say that there will never be another pact with its sworn enemy, PAS, can any rational Malaysian take his word for it?
Folks got their knickers in a twist when PN candidate Goh Gaik Meng said the non-Malays cannot stop the Malay tsunami - “I actually want to tell the people of Selangor... the Chinese cannot stop this Malay tsunami. A so-called tsunami within the Malay community has been set off.
“As a minority ethnic group with only 20-30 percent (of the population) in this country, we cannot stop this so-called Malay tsunami.”
PAS strategy and Malay political unity
However, the reality is that the mainstream Malay political establishment, from the royal institution to a significant segment of the vox populi, wants some sort of Malay unity.
Do not for one second think that I am downplaying the threat of the Green Wave. PAS has very clear ideas about how to use democracy and legislation to suppress the non-Malay vote.
PAS will lead the effort to disenfranchise the non-Malay vote even more and perhaps make the non-Malay vote meaningless. This is the plan, and PAS has been very open about it.
In 2021, then-PAS central committee member Khairuddin Aman Razali said, “There are long-term (needs) that require us to win the next general election with a two-thirds majority.
“(Upon achieving this), the electoral boundaries need to be changed to benefit Muslims.
“We also need to increase the number of parliamentary seats in Malay-majority areas.”
Former minister Khairuddin Aman Razali
Keep in mind, two years ago, folks were going on about “coalition politics” as if it were the new normal. The reality is that there really wasn’t any real coalition give and take, but rather Madani rearing snakes in their tent while carrying out policy-making initiatives which put a smile on the visage of the Green Wave.
Have you noticed that, especially among PN supporters, there really is no central figure standing in opposition to Anwar? The theocratic state-in-waiting understands they have no need for prime ministers in the sense of someone leading the country. All they need is a figurehead.
The fact is that what Madani is doing is making it easier for PAS when it eventually takes over. We are not dealing with differing political ideologies here. What Muslim disunity has achieved is the suppression and dismantling of progressive ideas and personalities in the majority community.
The Green Wave is the existential threat facing rational Malaysians, but it is not simply about not voting for PAS, as the facts demonstrate. Non-Malays haven’t been able to stop the Green Wave, and PAS is merely a fait accompli.
What non-Malays need to do is to vote for Malaysians who are not too concerned about spooking the Malays.
Keep in mind, two years ago, folks were going on about “coalition politics” as if it were the new normal. The reality is that there really wasn’t any real coalition give and take, but rather Madani rearing snakes in their tent while carrying out policy-making initiatives which put a smile on the visage of the Green Wave.
Have you noticed that, especially among PN supporters, there really is no central figure standing in opposition to Anwar? The theocratic state-in-waiting understands they have no need for prime ministers in the sense of someone leading the country. All they need is a figurehead.
The fact is that what Madani is doing is making it easier for PAS when it eventually takes over. We are not dealing with differing political ideologies here. What Muslim disunity has achieved is the suppression and dismantling of progressive ideas and personalities in the majority community.
The Green Wave is the existential threat facing rational Malaysians, but it is not simply about not voting for PAS, as the facts demonstrate. Non-Malays haven’t been able to stop the Green Wave, and PAS is merely a fait accompli.
What non-Malays need to do is to vote for Malaysians who are not too concerned about spooking the Malays.
S THAYAPARAN is commander (Rtd) of the Royal Malaysian Navy. Fīat jūstitia ruat cælum - “Let justice be done though the heavens fall.”
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