Zaid: Malays no longer afraid of DAP

Former minister says it is Umno who is afraid of facing opposition knowing its tactic of instilling fear that DAP is anti-Malay is not working.

(FMT) – The Malays are not afraid nor uncomfortable with DAP, Zaid Ibrahim said today in a blog post, pointing to the number of seats the party won in the last general election (GE13).

The former Umno minister said that DAP could not have won as many seats without the Malays having voted for them in GE13, adding that this is why Umno is starting to get worried, as their tactic of instilling fear that DAP is anti-Malay is not working.

“Malays voted for DAP candidates in many semi-urban seats that the party won during the last election. The DAP, and other opposition parties too, would not have won so many seats in this category if Malays were really opposed to the DAP.

“My view is that Malays are neither hostile towards nor afraid of the DAP. They just don’t know enough about the party besides what Tunku Abdul Aziz Ibrahim and Umno have told them,” Zaid said, referring to the former Transparency International-Malaysia director, who was with DAP from 2008 to 2012.

The lawyer-turned-politician was optimistic about the outcome of the next general election too, with respect to the suppport from the Malays for the opposition, and specifically DAP.

“Malays are generally shy and not expressive in their outlook. They will not raise their fists to Umno to show their displeasure but they will vote Umno out.

“Similarly, after many years of brainwashing by Umno, they might not attend a DAP ceramah or join the party as members in droves, but they might give the DAP quiet support at the ballot box,” Zaid said.

Zaid, who had joined PKR briefly, explained how he had participated in a recent talk hosted by DAP lawmaker, Raub MP Mohamad Ariff Sabri Abdul Aziz, pertaining to the relationship between Malays and the DAP.

“This is a topic that must be discussed openly because Prime Minister Najib Razak and the Umno apparatus have labelled the DAP as anti-Malay and anti-Islam,” he said referring to Najib’s speech at the Umno general assembly last month where he said the next general election would be a fight between Umno and DAP, portraying the opposition party as a threat to Bumiputeras and Islam.

“I told the gathering that Malays were generally afraid of hantu (ghosts) but there was no real scientific basis for the fear, other than what has been told to them by their elders.

“Similarly, they will warm up to the DAP in no time at all if things are explained to them properly. After all, they have seen the contribution of the party in fighting for justice for all Malaysians.”

Training his guns at other opposition parties, Zaid said it was time for them to also embrace DAP as partners in facing BN in GE14.

“If the opposition really wants to win GE14, they must have faith that working closely with the DAP will maximise the chance of forming a new government.

“If some of them are still uncomfortable with the DAP, then it’s about time they woke up because the people, including Malays, are no longer uncomfortable or afraid of the DAP,” he said.

Zaid added that all the people want now is to see a structured and organised opposition.