How Mahathir gerrymandered the 1999 election to secure Chinese votes
“The Malays had just about had enough of Mahathirism and were willing to look towards PAS even if it meant subscribing to the party’s fundamentalist policies. Yet, PPBM’s Dato’ Rais Hussin insists that Mahathir’s ‘outstanding’ electoral performances proved the Malays supported him. Now, do I need to tell you why this guy tends to talk a helluva lot of kok? Is it not evident that the Chinese saved Mahathir’s ass during the 1999 general election?”
THE THIRD FORCE
Yesterday, Dato’ Rais Hussin Mohamed Ariff of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) rejected a claim by UMNO’s Tan Sri Annuar Musa that Malays supported Dr Mahathir Mohamad during his years as Prime Minister only because of UMNO and not the man himself. According to Rais, the fact that Mahathir “delivered five elections with two-thirds majority” was reason enough to believe that the Malays supported him.
Now, to see if Rais is telling us the truth or is relating to us another one of his moo points – you know, a cow’s opinion – we need to examine what it takes for the average Chinaman to vote in favour of UMNO and Barisan Nasional. Believe me, there is a very good reason we need to do this. To understand that reason, let’s ask ourselves the following:
How important is the Chinese and Malay vote to government?
Take a good look at the table below.
From the table, it is evident that the Chinese vote played a bigger role back in the eighties and nineties than it does today. As you can see, we’ve already surpassed the three-Malay-to-every-one-Chinaman ratio, meaning, the 2018 general election (GE14) is going to be more about the Malays than it will be about the Chinese. And by 2028, the DAP can kiss its ass goodbye.
Do you know why?
Because by then, all UMNO needs to do to secure a near two-thirds majority is focus on capturing a bulk of the Malay votes. By 2030, there will probably be seven Malays for every one Chinaman there is on the street. Tell me, do you think UMNO would want to know how that Chinaman feels should he persist on championing the DAP and its anti-Islamic agenda?
The Chinaman of today does not see this. He believes in Lim Kit Siang as he is not wise like the Chinaman of the fifties was. Back then, it was all about long term goals and the need to consolidate behind a party that was Chinese based to protect the community’s wealth and interests. Today, it’s all about Islam and exacting revenge on UMNO. When the Chinaman swung the pendulum towards the DAP in 2008, he forgot that the party was multiracial, not Chinese based.
By 2030, there would be that many Malays that the chances of one being DAP secretary general is not impossible. The MCA knows that the DAP can never avoid this from happening as the party is multiracial and not Chinese based. If the Chinese do not return to the MCA’s fold this general election (GE14), they will risk losing their right to an opinion forever as the Malays unite against the DAP to ward off threats against Islam and UMNO.
Was it always like this?
No.
