Efforts to protect Malay, Bumiputera and Islamic interests must move beyond political rhetoric and focus on the everyday concerns of the community, according to former Sabah chief minister Salleh Said Keruak.
Everyday priorities outweigh party talk
He pointed out that ordinary Malays often place greater importance on rising costs of living, job security, their children’s education and access to economic opportunities.
Young Malays, in particular, are concerned about employment and future prospects.
The middle class looks for economic stability, good governance and policies that improve competitiveness.
“Political unity may matter, but they want to see real improvements in their daily lives,” the Sabah Umno treasurer wrote in a Facebook post today.
Professionals seek meaningful benefits
Salleh noted that among Malay professionals, there is a growing view that Malay unity should not be driven only by political parties or leaders.
Instead, it must deliver genuine benefits to society.
Sabah Malays have unique concerns
He highlighted that Malays in Sabah may hold different priorities, such as state rights, development and the full implementation of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
“This raises a broader question: what are the real challenges facing the Malay community today — political threats, or economic and social change?”
Context of calls for political consolidation
There have been recent calls for greater Malay political consolidation at the national level ahead of the next general election.
Opposition MP Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal has previously suggested that efforts to unite Malay parties should lead to an electoral pact to strengthen political power.
In 2019, Umno and PAS formed the Muafakat Nasional pact, seen as the country’s two largest Malay-Muslim parties coming together.
However, the arrangement collapsed after PAS joined Bersatu to establish Perikatan Nasional, which later formed the government in 2020.
Former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad also launched initiatives such as the Gerakan Tanah Air coalition through Pejuang, but it failed to secure any seats in the 2022 general election.
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