In New Year message, Lim Kit Siang calls for unity and extensive reforms in 2024
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 31 — DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang urged Malaysians to unite for political harmony and stressed the need for extensive reforms to reverse the nation’s decline over the last 25 years and transform Malaysia into a great world-class nation.
He said that 2024 should be dedicated to national unity, political stability, and transformative reforms.
Citing an article titled: “Social Media and the Manufacturing of Malay-Muslim Insecurity” by Dr Hew Wai Weng and Dr Nicholas Chan, he said the article highlighted how social media shaped the narrative of Malay-Muslim insecurity.
Lim added that this narrative played a crucial role in the downfall of the first Pakatan Harapan (PH) government and the subsequent formation of the “backdoor” government led by former Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
He noted that various figures, including politicians, activists, preachers, academicians, influencers, and cyber troopers, contributed to amplifying the perception of Muslim insecurity and the notion that Islam in Malaysia was under threat.
“It was this Muslim insecurity and the belief that Islam in Malaysia was under threat that toppled the first PH government. But was Islam in Malaysia under threat?
“Islam in Malaysia was never under threat. What was under threat was national unity and political stability in multi-ethnic, multi-religious, multicultural, and multi-civilisation Malaysia,” he explained.
Lim said that this was the reason why Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah suggested the formation of a unity government after the 15th General Election, which was rejected by Perikatan Nasional (PN) of PAS and Bersatu.
In its first year, Lim also said that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s unity government faced a significant challenge to stay stable as PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang and Muhyiddin Yassin hoped the Green Wave from the 15th General Election would make the government fall.
“But the Green Wave failed to develop into a tsunami in the six-state general elections, although it was a force to be reckoned with, as shown by the results of the Kemaman parliamentary by-election,” he added.
