Dr M: Malays losing grip on political power - The Star

PETALING JAYA: The Malays have loosened their grip in political power to the point where non-Malays no longer respect them and their institutions, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said.

The former Prime Minister said everything deemed as Malay privileges had been questioned and challenged by the non-Malays.

“And the Malays are not doing anything to counter all these and strengthen their positions,” he said in his latest posting on his blog www.chedet.com.

Instead, he said the Malays asked others to defend their position.

“But this is 'passing the buck' including the excuse that it is all because of Dr Mahathir who led for 22 years and chose Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as his successor.”

Dr Mahathir said that in the 50 years of independence, political power was in the hands of the Malays and they could call themselves tuan (masters).

However, he said the Malays could only become tuan if they were capable and successful economically and socially.

[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/5/18/nation/21290471&sec=nation]