Write an article about What Johnny Lim’s promotion means for the Malaysian dream .Organize the content with appropriate headings and subheadings (h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6), Retain any existing tags from
A PAS leader sparked controversy when he speculated that Malaysia could see its first prime minister of Chinese descent within the next 30 to 40 years.
The remark came on the heels of the recent promotion of major-general Johnny Lim, a Malaysian Chinese, to the rank of lieutenant-general, in the armed forces.
In a now-deleted Facebook post, Sungai Buloh PAS chief Zaharudin Muhammad painted a hypothetical scenario in which Malaysia’s 50th prime minister in the year 2058 is a Chinese individual born in Kampung Sungai Baru.
His comments have drawn criticism online, with many accusing him of stoking racial sentiments and promoting divisive narratives.
PAS’s reaction to the promotion of a Malaysian Chinese military officer is hardly surprising, given the party’s track record and the consistent rhetoric of its president, Abdul Hadi Awang.
In 2018, similar concerns were raised by PAS leaders when Richard Malanjum was appointed chief justice, Tommy Thomas as attorney-general, and Lim Guan Eng as finance minister. At the time, PAS leaders questioned the suitability of non-Malays and non-Muslims holding top national posts. Malanjum and Thomas are both Christians.
Hadi himself has repeatedly made controversial statements asserting that only Malay-Muslims are qualified to lead, govern, and administer the country. Such views, critics argue, not only undermine Malaysia’s multicultural foundations but also fuel division in an already polarised society.
In one lengthy column published in Harakah Daily, the party’s official mouthpiece, Hadi declared it haram (forbidden) for Muslims to surrender political power to non-Muslims.
Addressed to his followers, the article sought to justify PAS’s political alignment with Umno under the 2019 Muafakat Nasional Charter and the party’s support for the Malay Dignity Congress.
In it, Hadi argued that leadership in a multiracial nation like Malaysia must remain firmly in the hands of Malay-Muslims, framing it as a religious obligation rather than a democratic choice.
Among the key demands put forward by the Malay Dignity Congress was that all top leadership positions in government be reserved exclusively for Malay-Muslims. This included the posts of the prime minister, deputy prime minister, menteri besar, and chief ministers, as well as key ministerial portfolios such as finance, education, defence, and home.
The congress resolutions also called for the appointment of only Malay-Muslims to senior civil service and institutional roles, including the chief justice, attorney-general, chief secretary to the government, inspector-general of police, chief of defence forces, and other top-ranking positions.
Those behind these demands have been widely criticised for promoting racial and religious exclusivity, undermining the principles of meritocracy and equality among Malaysian citizens.
In 2023, then Bersatu Youth chief Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal proposed amending the Federal Constitution to ensure that only Malays can hold the office of prime minister.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim chastised Wan Fayhsal for his proposal and said ever since Merdeka, the candidate has always been a Malay.
While Anwar’s remarks may have been intended to reassure the Malay electorate, he may have inadvertently enforced the long-standing ideology that only Malay-Muslims are fit to lead the nation.
Such narratives not only entrench ethnic and religious exclusivity but also undermine the principles of equal citizenship and inclusivity in a multiracial democracy.
This raises a fundamental question: what is Malaysia truly about?
While many in Peninsular Malaysia may accept the unwritten “social contract” among the three major races, such a notion does not resonate with the people of Sabah and Sarawak.
With their rich ethnic and cultural diversity, the Borneo states reject the idea that only Malays are entitled to hold top leadership positions in the country.
For Sabah and Sarawak, Malaysia was formed on the principle of equal partnership, not subordination. Any narrative that undermines this foundational promise risks deepening regional disenchantment and eroding national unity.
It took 232 years, from the first presidential election in 1776 to Barack Obama’s election in 2008, for the US to have its first Black president.
It was 30 years ago when Nelson Mandela became the first black president of South Africa. Despite being a Chinese-majority society, Singapore has demonstrated its commitment to multiculturalism by electing a Muslim woman as the nation’s president in the past, and its current president is of Indian descent.
So far, only a Sarawakian Muslim Fadillah Yusof has ascended to the position of deputy prime minister, the highest position ever for an East Malaysian.
But looking ahead, there will come a time well before 2058, one hopes, when a Dayak, a Kadazan, or even a Chinese or Indian Malaysian will have the opportunity to lead the nation as prime minister.
Such a moment would reflect the true spirit of Malaysia: a nation built on diversity, equal citizenship, and shared destiny, not one defined by race or religion.
As Martin Luther King Jr once powerfully declared in his iconic speech:
“Even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal’.”
My Malaysian dream, shared by many, is to build a nation where people are valued for their contributions, not judged by their race or religion.
A Malaysia where merit, integrity, and service to the nation define a person’s worth; where every citizen, regardless of background, has an equal opportunity to lead, to serve, and to belong.
Congratulations to lieutenant-general, Johnny Lim and those who promoted him based on merit.
The view expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.
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