Malay rights are safe, Khaled tells Dr M

Umno vice-president Khaled Nordin said the younger generation is smarter, more critical, and unlikely to fall for what he called 'emotional politics'. (Bernama pic)
PETALING JAYA : Umno vice-president Khaled Nordin has assured the Malay community that their rights and interests are firmly protected under the Federal Constitution and safeguarded by the country's monarchy.
'To all Malays: no one is threatening our rights or interests,' he said in an interview with FMT.
'They have long been enshrined in the Federal Constitution and protected by our wise Malay rulers.'
Khaled was responding to a call by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad for Malays to join his new unity alliance, which the latter said was aimed at saving the community from what he described as their political and economic decline.
Mahathir said the group, which includes PAS and Bersatu, is not a political party but a coalition aimed at 'restoring Malay power' in the government.
While he did not want to invite Umno to join the alliance as a party, Mahathir said he welcomed its members who share his views.
Khaled stressed that the younger generation is smarter, more critical, and unlikely to fall for what he called 'emotional politics'.
The defence minister also said he believes that the true challenge facing the Malay community lies not in external threats, but in outdated and regressive thinking among some of its own leaders.
The Kota Tinggi MP also reminded Malays that they needed to focus on gaining knowledge, skills and competitiveness.
'Many Malay leaders do not realise that generations X, Y, Z and Alpha … are not easily swayed by emotional politics aimed solely at gaining power,' he said.
'We need to engage in rational politics guided by strong values. Sentimentalism alone won't help us.'

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