By Amanda L
KUCHING, Nov 1: Political narratives that encourage voters to support candidates based solely on race or religion risk deepening social divides rather than fostering national unity, says Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
Reflecting on the political landscape in Peninsular Malaysia, the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) information chief observed that fracture lines within parties representing the Malay and Chinese communities have fueled an increasingly fragmented political landscape.
He highlighted recent developments in Selangor, Johor, Negeri Sembilan and Melaka, noting that shifting political alignments have made it difficult to gauge where public support truly lies.
“We can see that after the state elections in Johor and Negeri Sembilan, and now in Melaka, the situation has become such that sometimes we do not know who the people want to support,” he told reporters following the closing ceremony of Regatta Sarawak 2026 at the Kuching Waterfront today.
Turning his focus to campaign tactics, Abdul Karim voiced sharp concern over rhetoric urging voters to favour candidates purely on the grounds of ethnic identity, particularly within the Malay electorate.
“At one point during an election if I am not mistaken, in Negeri Sembilan, someone said, ‘If we are Malays, just vote for Malays, for Malay parties’,” he recalled.
He warned that such identity-driven appeals do nothing to promote harmony and instead exacerbate existing fault lines across communities.
“If politics has reached that stage, I do not think it will lead to anything good. It will not lead towards unity,” he added.
By way of contrast, he pointed to Sarawak’s governance model, which prioritises bringing its multiracial population together while driving socio-economic progress across the region.
“In Sarawak, we do not place so much emphasis on religion or race. What matters more is the unity of the people, their well-being and development,” he explained.
To underscore his point, he highlighted the development trajectory spearheaded by Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg since 2017—citing landmark initiatives such as the Free Tertiary Education Scheme (FTES) at State-owned universities, major infrastructure investments and key strategic acquisitions including Affin Bank, Bintulu Port and AirBorneo, all designed to uplift the lives of all Sarawakians. — DayakDaily
