Lim, a former 11-term MP, asked Muhyiddin to state when exactly he had transitioned from his 2010 declaration of “Malay first” to one of “Malaysian first”.
“Is he prepared to lead a campaign to urge all Malaysians to see themselves based on their nationality first, and their ethnicity second?” he said in a statement.
In 2010, Lim challenged Muhyiddin to state whether he was a Malay or a Malaysian first, in pouring scorn on the 1Malaysia concept, a feature of Najib Razak’s government which espoused unity.
Muhyiddin, who was Najib’s deputy, replied that he was a Malay first although this did not mean he was not a Malaysian.
Yesterday, the Pagoh MP sought to play down his declaration, acknowledging that he once said “I was Malay first” but that this was “no longer important”.
The former prime minister maintained that while he considered himself a Malay Malaysian, he had never seen himself “as only Malay”.
Muhyiddin was speaking at an “Indian Unity” gathering organised by the Malaysian Indian People’s Party, a partner in Perikatan Nasional (PN).
Urimai chairman P Ramasamy welcomed Muhyiddin’s latest declaration, describing it as a timely and vital step for PN to become a coalition that represents all Malaysians.
The former Penang DAP leader said this could reshape the image of the opposition pact and make it an inclusive alternative for non-Malays ahead of the next general election.
“Currently, non-Malay component parties in PN – such as Gerakan and MIPP – lack sufficient influence among Chinese and Indian voters.
“Without a strong multiracial posture from PN’s top leadership, the coalition will continue to struggle to attract non-Malay support, even amid growing disillusionment with the Pakatan Harapan-led unity government,” he said in a statement.
Ramasamy said PN must avoid the Barisan Nasional model of non-Malay parties being subservient and “politically emasculated”, while MIPP in particular must break away from Indian political parties’ historical pattern of subordination if it wants to succeed.
“PN has a chance to rise to this occasion – but only if it embraces genuine multiracialism, not just in rhetoric, but in structure and spirit.”