Umno, PAS mimic Trump’s racial politics, says Mat Sabu

Mohamad Sabu has accused Umno and PAS of exploiting Malay supremacist rhetoric and racial fears to win elections, likening their strategy to US president Donald Trump’s appeals to white supremacy.

The Amanah president, popularly known as Mat Sabu, said Trump appealed to white voters by promoting white supremacy and promising to make America great again.

“Trump promoted white supremacy because white people make up a large proportion of the American population.

“He was confident that America would be great again, and he defeated Kamala Harris,” he told hundreds of supporters at Pakatan Harapan’s grand finale ceramah here in Ayer Molek last night ahead of Saturday’s state polls.

Mohamad claimed that US voters had since rejected such racial politics, citing Republican defeats in the recent midterm elections.

He accused Umno and PAS of adopting a similar approach as Malays form the majority in Malaysia.

“Umno and PAS have copied white supremacist (politics). Because Malays make up the majority in Malaysia, they believe playing up Malay supremacy will certainly win them elections,” he said.

Mohamad also criticised what he described as the use of racial identity to excuse wrongdoing.

“Whatever a Malay does, we are supposed to forgive him because he is Malay. Even if a Malay steals, we must support him as long as he is Malay.”

Mohamad said political campaigns portraying Malays and Islam as being under threat, particularly through claims that DAP wanted to take over Malaysia, had helped his political opponents win elections in Johor and Negeri Sembilan.