KOTA KINABALU (By Jayden Lisandu, 10-11-2024) : Sabah and Sarawak NGOs have expressed support for Perak Sultan Nazrin’s recent statement that, "political exploitation of race and religion threatens national unity and must be swiftly contained".

"The Sultan’s assertions strike at the heart of a longstanding issue that has been systematically nurtured and manipulated by the political elite for decades," said the group in a joint statement issued here today.

"While his words are timely, the irony cannot be ignored: these very issues of race and religion have been politically weaponized by all governments and political parties without exception for over six decades, and now, under the Madani government, the same divisive tactics continue to be deployed.

"For decades, Malaysia's political landscape has been built on the foundations of race-based policies, most notably the New Economic Policy (NEP), which has institutionalised a discriminatory system that privileges one race over others under the guise of "Bumiputera" rights," they said.

They also pointed out that the NEP, while originally intended to address socio-economic disparities, has instead entrenched racial and religious divisions and claimed the divine entitlement of one race, fostering resentment and perpetuating a system where Malaysians are seen first through the lens of their ethnicity and religion, rather than their shared national identity. This has created a divide that, far from promoting unity, has only widened over time.

"The current situation has evolved to the point where political parties—particularly those aligned with UMNO and other "Bumiputera" parties—are not only exploiting race and religion for electoral gain but are also increasingly vocal in their demands for a government that reflects a “Malay-Muslim-only” agenda.

"The claim that Malaysia is a "Malay land" and that only a Malay-Muslim government can govern Malaysia is a direct rejection of the secular, pluralist foundation upon which the federation was built This rhetoric is not only divisive but dangerous, as it seeks to marginalise non-Malay and non-Muslim communities, further entrenching a narrow and exclusionary view of what it means to be Malaysian," they said.

"The recent incident in Sabah, where a Muslim woman was vilified for paying respects at her Christian grandmother’s grave on All Souls’ Day, starkly illustrates the growing intolerance and disrespect towards religious diversity in Malaysia.

"The rejection of the secular and pluralist concept of Malaysia—one that respects the rights of all ethnicities and religions—has irrevocably eroded the foundations of the federation unity. The political exploitation of race and religion has polarized society, with growing demands for secession and autonomy in regions like Sabah and Sarawak.

"These territories, which have long felt sidelined in the post-formation political framework, are increasingly questioning their place in Malaysia, and the rise of such demands for decolonisation and separation can be directly linked to the failure to build a truly inclusive and united federation," they further argued.

While fully supporting Sultan Nazrin’s call for the swift containment of political exploitation of race and religion, the NGOs noted that this cannot be achieved without confronting the root cause of the problem: the NEP and its race-based system.

They said it is high time that the NEP system is finally ended. "Its continuation threatens to fragment the federation further, entrenching divisions along racial and religious lines. The federation is already at a tipping point, with growing unrest and calls for independence in Sabah and Sarawak. It seems clear that the federation is breaking apart, as it appears impossible for Malaysia to return to the vision of a secular, pluralist federation—one built on equality, justice, and unity, where all citizens are treated equally regardless of race, religion, or ethnicity," they added.

"As the federal government continues to embrace race-based politics, Sabah and Sarawak are increasingly rejecting a system that fails to respect their diversity, undermines their rights, and erodes the secular vision upon which Malaysia was built.

"The politicisation of race and religion has not only undermined unity but left the very fabric of the federation in tatters. It is no longer a question of preserving the federation but of whether Malaysia can ever return to its secular ideals or if the damage done is now irreversible, potentially forcing Sabah and Sarawak to chart a separate course for their future," the NGOs said.

Signatories of the joint statement :

Daniel John Jambun President Borneo's Plight in Malaysia Foundation (BoPiMaFo)

Robert Pei President Sabah Sarawak Rights Australia New Zealand (SSRANZ)

Jovilis Majami President Persatuan Pembangunan Sosial Komuniti Sabah (BANGUN)

Alim GA Mideh
Bulang Birieh Dayak Civil Movement

Voon Lee Shan President Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK)

Ricky Ganang Penasihat Forum Adat Dataran Tanah Tinggi Borneo (FORMADAT)

Cleftus Stephen Mojingol President Pertubuhan Kebajikan Rumpun Dayak Sabah (PKRDS)#

Source: 

*Sultan Nazrin: Political exploitation of race and religion threatens national unity, must be swiftly contained*

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