MCA leaders have rejected PKR Youth’s suggestion to amend the Constitution and guarantee a Malay prime minister, saying the post would stay with the country’s largest ethnic community.
MCA vice-president Datuk Chor Chee Heung even declared his party was not interested in the position as it was “convention” for a Malay to be appointed prime minister in Malaysia.
“Since independence, BN (Barisan Nasional) has been in control of the government and all this while, not withstanding the Constitution, the prime minister must be from Umno or a Malay... it is the convention.
“MCA is not even interested to ask for its representative to be the prime minister,” Chor said.
The Cabinet minister also said that it was a natural selection as the Malays make up the majority race in the country.
When contacted, MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said PKR’s challenge was uncalled for and mocked the party for arguing over racial matters when if often projects itself as multiracial.
“PKR always projects itself as multiracial party, no racial bias. Here, the youth leader is openly challenging another political party to amend the Constitution.
“Uncalled for, the prime minister right now will still be a Malay,” he said.
In his policy speech at his party’s congress on Friday, PKR Youth chief Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin had dared Umno to amend the Federal Constitution to state that the prime minister must be Malay because “history shows Umno is willing to sell out everything.”
“To ensure that the last Malay stronghold, that is political power, is not traded away by Umno, we challenge Umno to amend the Federal Constitution to insert conditions and guarantees that the prime minister must be Malay.
“The excuse that the post is held by a Malay because Umno is in power cannot be accepted. To cover up their evil, those who question them are accused of betraying Malays,” he had told close to 800 delegates.
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, however, moved to clarify yesterday that Pakatan Rakyat (PR) would not support any move by Umno to amend the Constitution to guarantee a Malay prime minister.
The PKR de facto leader explained that his party youth wing’s challenge to Umno to do so was merely a part of PKR’s “strategy” and was neither a “Keadilan nor Pakatan Rakyat stand.”
In a statement here, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng also rubbished the suggestion, saying it was accepted as “political reality” in Malaysia for a Malay to hold the post of PM.
