Malays have long carried a fear, the idea that the Chinese will one day take over the country. Traumatized by the 13th May incident and with politicians further amplifying the notion during every election season, this belief became deeply rooted. It is repeated in family conversations, passed down through generations, and used as a convenient tool to divide Malaysians. But when we examine this narrative closely, it does not hold up. It is not reality. It is strategy.
Let’s debunk it. Malaysia’s Parliament has 222 seats. To amend the Constitution or make any major changes, a government would need two thirds, which is 148 seats. In the 2018 general election, Pakatan Harapan, with DAP included, won 113. In 2022, they won 82. Both numbers were far short of 148. And no Chinese-majority party has ever, in the history of Malaysia, controlled Parliament on its own. The only way to form government has always been through coalitions that include Malay-led parties.
Beyond numbers, the Constitution itself is a safeguard. Article 153 protects the special position of Malays and Bumiputera. Islam is the official religion, Bahasa Malaysia the national language, and the monarchy will always remain Malay and Muslim. Even if a government were to somehow reach two thirds in Parliament, they would still require the consent of the Malay rulers to change any of these protections. The system was designed with permanence, not fragility.
The electoral map makes a so-called takeover impossible. Most rural constituencies are Malay-majority, and these seats make up the backbone of Parliament. Urban Chinese-majority parties like DAP may do well in cities, but they cannot sweep the Malay heartlands. The numbers are not there. And even if they win control of certain states or cities, that is part of democracy. In fact, some of these states are often managed effectively, sometimes even better than Malay-majority states like Terengganu and Kelantan, which continue to lag in development despite decades of Malay leadership.
Penang and Singapore are often raised as examples to spark fear. But Penang is not proof of a Chinese takeover. The claim that the azan has been banned is nothing more than a myth. As for Malay villages being cleared for development, these are urban planning issues that affect all communities, not a targeted racial agenda. Penang continues to prosper, and its growth benefits all residents.
Singapore, meanwhile, is a completely different case. Its separation from Malaysia in 1965 was a political decision at the highest level, not the result of a Chinese takeover. Today it is an independent nation shaped by its own choices, not a reflection of what is happening in Malaysia.
So why does this fear persist? Because it works. It keeps Malays anxious, united under certain leaders, and suspicious of other communities. It is not about protecting Malays, it is about protecting political power. And the ones who benefit most are not ordinary Malays, but those who use fear to secure their positions.
It is time to move beyond this. Malays are the majority. We are the backbone of this country. We do not need to live under the shadow of a myth. Holding on to this fear only keeps us divided and distracted from the real challenges like cost of living, job opportunities, education, and corruption.
For Malaysia to progress, we must recognize the tactic for what it is, an old political game. We need a new generation of leaders and voters who reject fear as a weapon, who choose confidence over insecurity, and who demand real solutions to real problems.
The question now is not whether a Chinese takeover is coming. It never was. The real question is whether Malays are ready to stop letting fear define us, and instead step forward with the strength, vision, and unity needed to shape Malaysia’s future.
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